US and Europe Move to Roll Back Climate Rules

Changing climate regulations in the US and EU are causing concern among activists.

Recent changes to environmental and climate rules in the United States and Europe are the main topic of today's discussion. While some countries are pressuring the European Union to loosen its rules on corporate responsibility, sustainability, and methane emissions, the Trump administration wants to shut down FEMA—the agency that handles disaster relief.

According to President Donald Trump, he plans to gradually start closing down FEMA after this hurricane season. FEMA is the agency that responds to disasters like hurricanes and floods. He also announced that states will receive less federal funding to deal with natural disasters. He added that he wants to transfer disaster relief funds directly from the president’s office. According to some sources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to reverse some rules set by the Biden administration that are meant to reduce carbon dioxide and mercury pollution from power plants. The Trump administration is not the only one reversing climate regulations. Jörgen Warborn, a politician from Sweden, has proposed that the European Union reduce the number of companies subject to its sustainability and environmental rules. In February, the European Commission suggested a strategy, "simplification omnibus," that it claims would help European companies compete with businesses from other nations by reducing sustainability reporting requirements and obligations meant to uncover supply chain abuses.

But some investors and activists don’t agree with these changes. They are against rolling back environmental, social, and business rules and they believe it will make companies less responsible and it could make it harder for the EU to get the money it needs to reach its climate goals.