Europeans file brief to support US green push

European environmental lawyers ClientEarth, ­supported by Friends of the Earth Europe, Birdlife Europe and Transport & Environment, teamed up with America’s Great Waters Coalition and the Union of Concerned Scientists to file the brief in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

This is believed to be the first time a European entity has taken direct action in the US over climate change.

ClientEarth has instructed North Carolina climate change specialist Douglas Ruley to act on its behalf. The two US organisations joined to the amicus brief are represented by Columbia and Stanford universities’ environmental law clinics.

The brief argues that the EU has recognised that moving to a low-carbon economy is essential and that adopting greenhouse gas regulations does not have an adverse affect on the economy.

It supports the stance taken by the EPA, which is under attack from a group of energy, mining and agricultural companies known as the Coalition for Responsible Regulation (CRR). The CRR wants the EPA to stay the implementation of carbon reduction regulations.

The CRR is represented by Vinson & Elkins and ­Holland & Hart.