We could be forgiven for thinking automakers saw the light of day according to a recent report in Time. Justin Worland reports seventeen of them wrote to ask the current administration NOT to roll back limits on auto pollution. So why was there this sudden turn by seventeen of the potentially worst global warmers? According to Justin Worland, this goes deeper than simply tackling the consequences.
Why Do Seventeen of the Largest Automakers Prefer Current Policy
Justin Worland has some unusual ideas why Ford, General Motors, Toyota and others appear to have done an about face. That’s because according to him undoing current vehicle emissions standards set to last through 2025 could hurt their bottom line.
However, he says the rationale behind this could be different from current moves in the oil and gas industry. These are saying they now support measures to tackle global warming as if the scales suddenly fell from their eyes. However, the largest automakers may be more fearful of two-thirds of public opinion believing global warming is upon us.
Fear of Backlash at State and Local Level
Justin Worland is of the opinion that moves by the current administration may open Pandora’s Box so to speak. Auto makers fear more aggressive counter measures, especially from California with legal authority to make own emissions standards, he says.
“For them, Obama-era regulations across the country are preferable to patchwork regulations across the nation,” he claims. Climate policy, he explains, represents a careful balancing act for corporate America. “Executives feel compelled to support moves to address climate change. But they also don’t want any legislation or regulations that would hurt their business interests.”
A balancing act it is indeed. Former senator from North Dakota Heidi Heitkamp says “as long as you’re working for profitability of your company you don’t have any more important goal.”
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