US states continue to lead on climate

Resistance is growing to federal unwinding of US environmental protections, while states are increasingly determined to take action

The US federal government has passed several regulatory rollbacks in areas such as industrial pollution over the last 12 months. But sub-national jurisdictions are resisting and, in many cases, stepping up climate and environmental action.  States including California, a $3bn economy in its own right, are pursuing a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency’s elimination of regulations protecting waterways. In turn, the Trump administration is suing California to eliminate a waiver that allows the state to set its own, stricter emissions standards for cars.  Given the size of its economy and its progressive outlook, California dominates the US emissions trading landscape, although