The US supreme court yesterday issued a landmark ruling in favour of environmentalists and against George Bush's stance on global warming. The court judged that the federal Environmental Protection Agency had the power through a clean air law to restrict exhaust emissions, and told the agency to re-examine the issue.
The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by 12 states and 13 environmental groups frustrated with the Bush administration's lack of action. Individual states, led by California, have been imposing regulations of their own. Car makers, public utilities, and others responsible for carbon dioxide emissions opposed the lawsuit. The decision opens the way for a new president in 2009 to curb emissions - all the Democratic and Republican candidates have made climate change a major part of their platforms.
