America's Climate Policy at a Crossroads - Trump's Radical Course and Global Tensions

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that it intends to revoke a central scientific cornerstone of American climate policy - a decision that would have far-reaching consequences for environmental and public health protection. Specifically, it concerns the so-called "Endangerment Finding," an official determination made by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2009 that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a serious threat to public health and welfare. This declaration has for years formed the legal foundation for climate protection measures such as emission limits for vehicles, power plants, and other industrial sources that contribute significantly to global warming. The planned repeal of this determination calls into question the basis for at least 30 major environmental protection regulations that safeguard air and water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to a current analysis by the Associated Press, rolling back these rules would not only bring enormous financial costs but also significant risks to health and even human lives. EPA chief Lee Zeldin justified the move with the high economic burdens that climate rules, in his view, place on America, while environmentalists accuse the government of deliberately ignoring scientific facts and endangering national security.

At the same time, Trump is currently causing new tensions with his foreign policy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom would recognize an independent Palestinian state if Israel does not take concrete steps soon to end the dramatic situation in Gaza. Trump himself had previously expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis there during a meeting with Starmer and announced new aid measures, but so far without concrete details - much to the displeasure of Democratic senators like Tim Kaine, who emphasized that aid should be better handled through established international organizations. Meanwhile, the trade dispute between the US and China remains present: both countries agreed in Stockholm to leave existing tariffs unchanged for now, and Trump announced an upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping. In the conflict with Russia, he escalated the tone and gave President Vladimir Putin a ten-day deadline to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, otherwise threatening severe sanctions and new tariffs.

Domestically and socially, Trump continues to polarize. He is demanding that Harvard University pay up to 500 million dollars over antisemitic incidents, after Columbia University had already paid 200 million dollars. At the same time, a luxurious plane that Trump received as a gift from Qatar and could officially use as Air Force One starting in 2026 is causing ethical debates. While Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene called the situation in Gaza a "genocide," Trump, after returning from Scotland, reaffirmed that he would continue his deregulation policy without hesitation - including in environmental reviews for AI infrastructure and data centers. Environmental groups warn of catastrophic consequences in the face of increasing natural disasters and are announcing determined legal resistance should the EPA implement its proposals.

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