Carmakers to Trump: “Climate Change Is Real”

Carmakers urged the White House to maintain alignment between federal and California carbon dioxide emission and related fuel economy levels.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says carmakers “remain committed” to improve fuel efficiency rules because “climate change is real, and [automakers] have a continuing role in reducing greenhouse gases and improving fuel efficiency.”

The statement is contained in a letter sent by AAM’s head of government relations, David Schwietert to the Office of Management and Budget on May 3 but made public only earlier today. The letter was sent on behalf of 13 foreign and domestic carmakers with operations in the U.S.

President Donald Trump, a skeptic about global warming, said about a week later that federal regulatory officials were open to talks with California.

The Trump administration has indicated it will freeze CO₂ and fuel economy limits at 2020 levels rather than going through with an Obama era plan to sharply lower the former and raise the latter through 2026. California vows to implement the 2022-2026 standards anyway.

AAM says a failure to reach agreement would result in multiple regulations across the U.S. that would be disruptive and costly to the auto industry.