A divided United States Supreme Court halted enforcement of President Barack Obama's plan to address climate change until after legal challenges are resolved.  With less than a year left in office, it is very likely that the plan will not be implemented and the subject falls to his successor.

Mr. Obama's program was to head off the worst predicted impacts of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants by about one-third by 2030.  Compliance wasn't required until 2022.  But a group of energy industry interests and republican-controlled states went to the courts to stop what they called "an unprecedented power grab".  The five justices issuing the majority decision signaled that opponents made strong arguments against the rules.  The Supreme Court's four Liberal justices said they would have denied the request for a delay.

"We disagree with the Supreme Court's decision to stay the Clean Power Plan while litigation proceeds," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement, adding that the Obama administration will continue to "take aggressive steps to make forward progress to reduce carbon emissions".

Environmentalists say the five conservative justices failed to consider the strength of the Obama administration's case: 

"The Clean Power Plan has a firm anchor in our nation's clean air laws and a strong scientific record, and we look forward to presenting our case on the merits in the courts," said Vickie Patton, a lawyer for Environmental Defense Fund.