30 June 2022
AGU press office:
Hope Garland, +1 (202) 777-7492, [email protected]
WASHINGTON—As the world’s largest Earth and space science association, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) is gravely concerned by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to core out the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to enforce the Clean Air Act. Today’s decision directly undermines the efforts of scientists in our community, as well as the science-supported policy that protect the health of our families, our neighbors, and ourselves.
“Climate change presents a clear threat to human health—a threat that scientists were only beginning to understand when the Clean Air Act was passed to address air pollution in 1963.” said AGU President Susan Lozier. “The changing climate will impact us all, and regulating emissions is the best way we have to slow down the path to a dire future.”
“AGU’s position on climate change is clear: We believe that immediate and coordinated actions to limit and adapt to human-caused climate change are needed to protect human and ecological health, economic well-being, and global security,” added Randy Fiser, AGU’s Chief Executive Office and Executive Director, “The only way we can reach the international goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming well below 2°C is for all countries to enforce strict regulations on energy emissions. Eliminating the ability of the EPA to enforce these regulations is an appalling setback in reaching these goals.
AGU is committed to creating a thriving, sustainable and equitable future supported by scientific discovery, innovation, and action. From our initiatives to develop ethical frameworks for climate intervention, to expanding open access and community science, to creating career pathways for scientists from historically unrepresented communities, our work at AGU is directly tied to supporting scientists who are fighting the climate crisis.
AGU calls on its membership and beyond to all our colleagues and partners in the sciences to protect, restore and advocate for clean air, clean energy, and solutions to climate change to protect the world we all live in.
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AGU (www.agu.org) supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, we advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased, and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events, and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net-zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.