AAP Statement Opposing EPA Rollback of Critical Carbon Pollution Rule

by: Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics

"The Environmental Protection Agency’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, finalized today, is misleading in name and dangerous in scope. The rule rolls back critical public health protections designed to reduce carbon pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. This new rule undermines policies to address climate change, which disproportionately harms children. The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes the rule, as it will worsen air quality, exacerbate the effects of a changing climate and increase unique health risks for children.

"According to the World Health Organization, more than 80 percent of the current health burden resulting from the changing climate occurs in children younger than 5 years old, such as heat-related illness and infectious disease. Children’s lungs are still developing; they spend more time outside and breathe faster than adults, meaning environmental changes will more significantly impact them. For children who suffer from asthma, poor air quality can turn playing outdoors into a real health risk.

"Pediatricians call on federal leaders to protect children’s health by enacting policies that promote clean air and address the health threat of climate change."

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.