ABC News Daily Trump’s latest attack on climate science
Feb 16, 2026
Christian Downie, ANU professor and climate policy expert, breaks down Trump's repeal of the endangerment finding and its fallout. He traces industry influence, explains risks to electric vehicle adoption, and examines global consequences for emissions and renewables. Short, sharp discussion on legal fights, geopolitical shifts and how long recovery could take.
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Endangerment Finding Was Regulatory Foundation
- The 2009 endangerment finding declared greenhouse gases a threat to public health and let the EPA regulate them under the Clean Air Act.
- Repealing it removes the legal basis for many U.S. climate rules including auto and power-plant standards.
Policy Rollback Driven By Industry Ties
- Trump frames the repeal as protecting consumers and the auto industry while his reasoning relies on falsehoods and industry ties.
- The rollback is driven by political and financial networks allied with oil, gas and conservative think tanks.
China Pulls Ahead On Electric Vehicles
- China now leads in EVs, batteries and falling prices, challenging U.S. automakers' competitiveness.
- U.S. policy rollbacks will likely slow EV adoption and widen the technology gap with China.