EPA Targets Climate Rule as Trump Rejects Paris Deal Again

US Backpedals on Climate Commitments under Trump’s 2025 Administration

President Donald Trump’s administration declared in early 2025, a second US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. This move, combined with an aggressive rollback of federal climate policy, sparked global concern about the impact on worldwide climate change counter-efforts.

The Paris Agreement, signed by the US under President Barack Obama in 2015, committed the US to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. However, by 2025, the US had only achieved a 17.2% reduction, hindered by political and legislative challenges, as noted by The Conversation.

Reprising 2017 Concerns

This latest withdrawal from the Paris accord mirrors Trump’s 2017 departure, when he voiced worries about job losses, economic strain, and a perceived disadvantageous position compared to China, the largest global emitter. The 2017 exit was heavily criticised, with many fearing it might lead to the collapse of the agreement, which was signed by nearly every country in the world.

Despite the federal policy, American corporations like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla vowed to continue pursuing the goals of the Paris Agreement. Hawaii became the first state to legislate alignment with the agreement, while a coalition of states and cities established the United States Climate Alliance to continue working toward emission reductions.

Despite a brief return under President Joe Biden in 2020, the 2025 re-election of Trump resulted in another withdrawal from the Paris accord. The Trump administration also began dismantling key domestic climate policies, promoting fossil fuel development, and curbing the growth of clean energy domestically.

The Impact of Overturning the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding

A significant move was made on September 20, 2025, when the Trump administration proposed to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2009 “endangerment finding”. This is the scientific determination that greenhouse gases pose a danger under the Clean Air Act. The finding has served as the legal foundation for federal action on climate change for over a decade, supporting regulations on power plants, vehicle emissions, and methane from oil and gas operations.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, outlining the proposal at an Indiana car dealership, claimed that the administration seeks to remove “sixteen years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers.” The proposal also aims to eliminate rules limiting climate pollution from cars and trucks, currently the US’s largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmental advocates have promised to resist fiercely. Christy Goldfuss of the Natural Resources Defense Council warned of the danger posed by emissions that are accelerating climate-related disasters. Critics argue that these rollbacks ignore urgent scientific warnings and the escalating human and economic costs of climate-induced disasters.

Global Climate Leadership Shifts

As the US retreats from its leadership role in climate management, other nations are stepping up. On July 24, 2025, China and the European Union issued a joint statement pledging to strengthen their climate targets. The Conversation notes that China has committed $3.1 billion in climate finance to developing countries, surpassing the US commitment, and has set ambitious goals to peak emissions before 2030 and attain net-zero by 2060. In 2024, China accounted for approximately half of all new renewable energy capacity built worldwide.

Additionally, the UK government has amplified its climate ambitions, pledging in 2025 to cut emissions by 77% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, offering sector-specific plans and increased funding for sustainable development in developing countries.

Despite the reductions in federal support, approximately 500 large companies in the US have continued their climate efforts, reducing their carbon intensity by at least 3% year-over-year, according to USA Today and Statista.

The next significant test for global climate leadership will unfold at the United Nations climate conference in Brazil, COP30, later this year. The conference will showcase how countries plan to progress, who will lead the way in balancing economic growth with ecological sustainability, and how the global fight against climate change will proceed in the face of the US’s withdrawal.