Charlie Buttrey

February 11, 2016

Less than two months ago, the Paris Agreement on climate change was the first such treaty in history to commit every country to combatting climate change.  To advance the United States’ obligations under the agreement, President Obama instituted a series of executive orders, the effect of which would be to make significant cuts in carbon emissions.

On Tuesday, five members of the Supreme Court ordered at least a temporary halt to the implementation of those regulations.  And, frankly, if the United States is unable to abide by the terms of the Paris accords, nobody should expect India or China, the other two largest polluters in the world, to adhere to their commitment.  The agreement will collapse, and any hope that humanity had of reining in climate change before it became truly catastrophic would evaporate.

It took eight years to get the Paris climate treaty ratified.  It took just five Supreme Court justices — all of whom have been on the bench since before President Obama was elected President — to imperil that treaty, and the planet.

Still think Supreme Court nominations aren’t an important Presidential election issue?

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