President Donald Trump's move to revoke the endangerment finding lit a fire under leaders around the globe, who are lashing out and criticizing the decision to ignore the "scientific backbone" for regulating greenhouse gases.

They scream catastrophe, while overlooking massive coal expansions in the other nations that dwarf America's emissions. Critics call Trump's decision a death sentence for the planet, but spare the real giants pumping out pollution without pause.

Outcry Echoes Across Borders

In an action that surprises nobody, former President Barack Obama blasted the repeal, claiming it leaves Americans less safe and healthy just so fossil fuel barons can rake in more cash. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) branded Republicans the pro-pollution party and vowed court battles to shield families from wildfires, heat deaths, floods, and droughts. 

Looking at California's recent history, who wants to tell him?

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) calls it old-fashioned corruption.

“This is corruption, plain and simple. Old-fashioned, dirty political corruption,” said Sheldon Whitehouse, senator for Rhode Island, at the rally. “This is an agency that has been so infiltrated by the corrupt fossil fuel industry that it has turned an agency of government into the weapon of the fossil fuel polluters.”

Former Vice President Al Gore labeled the action an insult to people enduring extreme weather caused by climate change, warning it assaults science, knowledge, and health.

And it goes on.

Natural Resources Defense Council President Manis Bapna dubbed it the biggest attack ever on federal climate efforts.

“It is not an overstatement to say that the Trump administration has launched the worst White House assault in history on the environment and public health. Day by day and hour by hour, the administration is destroying one of the signature achievements of our time,” said Manish Bapna, the president and CEO of the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “If this assault succeeds, it could take a generation or more to repair the damage.” 

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin hailed the repeal as the largest deregulation in U.S. history, while Trump declared that it ends a scam that hiked car prices, hurting the auto industry, insisting that fossil fuels save lives and lift billions of people from poverty worldwide.

Related: Trump Frees America from Climate Shackles

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the move an effort to unleash energy dominance while slashing costs.

America's Track Record Stands Strong

The U.S. cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2022, while total emissions from that year rose by 6,343 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, up just 1% from 2021.

Related: BREAKING: Trump Just Ended the EPA’s Climate Power Grab, and the Left Is Losing It

Energy innovations, natural gas growth, and efficiency were the drivers behind the drop, while fossil fuel combustion emissions rose slightly in 2022, but coal use fell 6%. In 2022, net emissions stood at 5,489 million metric tons, after land sinks offset some of the pollution.

The U.S. meets strict industrial exhaust rules with tech like carbon capture and advanced turbines. Nuclear and natural gas bolster grid reliability while emissions remain below the mid-2000s peaks.

Silence Surrounds Eastern Giants

I am sorry about your eyes glazing over; that information is important when comparing it to the two largest polluters.

China approved 41.8 gigawatts of new coal plants in the first three quarters of last year, when proposals hit a record 161 gigawatts, with 78 gigawatts commissioned. Coal capacity under construction or permitted reached 291 gigawatts by year's end, with Beijing's emissions topping 13,363 million metric tons, 27% of the global total.

India's coal demand is projected to climb to 2.615 billion tons by 2050 under current policies, up from 1.256 billion tons in 2025. The nation plans 100 gigawatts of new coal capacity over seven years. Coal meets 64% of electricity needs, accounting for 3,768 million metric tons of emissions, helping meet surging power demand as the Indian economy grows.

Global emissions reached 53.2 gigatonnes in 2024, up 1.3% from 2023. China, the U.S., India, the EU27, Russia, and Indonesia account for 51.4%. India ranks third, with emissions steadily rising.

Uneven Standards Fuel Hypocrisy

World leaders demand urgency from Washington, while they whisper excuses for Beijing and New Delhi. Economic development trumps emissions there, while Americans face continual moral lectures.

Coal plants sprout unchecked in Asia, yet the United States draws fire for easing rules on a shrinking footprint. Indian and Chinese coal generation dipped 1.6% and 3%, respectively, in 2025, as renewables covered demand growth.

It doesn't matter to the rest of the world that both nations add capacity that outpaces closures; utilization rates slide, but output edges up overall. Critics continually ignore how these trends lock in higher emissions for decades.

The 2009 endangerment finding gave regulators broad power over vehicles and industry, and revoking it shifts that policy-making power to lawmakers, not agencies. 

While supporters call it a constitutional reset that prioritizes jobs and competitiveness, opponents scream "sabotage,"  but forget that America's emissions cuts outpace many other countries.

Consistent Pressure Needed Everywhere

Debate rages on, but people crave straight talk over selective rage; if leaders push for action, they must hold every major emitter equally accountable. Slamming a single nation while winking at others shreds trust. The repeal doesn't kill stewardship; it refocuses on elected priorities and real-world gains.

America continues to innovate in clean tech while meeting energy demands. Global partners should maintain that balance rather than playing favorites.

True progress demands even-handed accountability across borders.

Readers deserve unfiltered truth on global energy shifts. PJ Media VIP members have access to exclusive columns, podcasts, and ad-free reading. Join now for 60% off with promo code FIGHT—offer ends soon.