Updated

The Obama administration is claiming the largest energy savings in history in issuing new rules for commercial air conditioners and furnaces, one of the first moves by the government to cut carbon emissions after a climate change deal was agreed to last week.

"Just days after the Paris Agreement to cut global emissions and create a new era of affordable energy, today's announcement marks the largest energy-saving standard in history and demonstrates that America is leading the effort to reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions," Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Thursday.

President Obama outlined an aggressive push for increasing energy efficiency in appliances under his Climate Action Plan agenda, which also includes far-reaching emission rules for power plants that are being challenged in court.

The Energy Department has landed in court in recent years for moving too fast and aggressively on standards to raise efficiency and cut greenhouse gases under the president's plan, and at the expense of industry buy-in. But Thursday's rule is one that went through extensive negotiation with the energy industry and others before being issued.

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