U.S. automakers have used all of their legal and lobbying muscle to fight efforts — including by California, the nation's biggest state — to reduce vehicles' greenhouse-gas emissions. Until Jan. 20, they were winning. Now, the tide is turning — and that's good for U.S. automakers and the country, too.

The difference is because of the change in the White House. Under the Bush administration, the Environmental Protection Agency refused to grant California a Clean Air Act waiver requiring higher standards for tailpipe emissions. This, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision acknowledging the agency's authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

The Big Three automakers have spent millions in legal fees fighting emission standards in courts in California and Vermont as if oblivious to the dire financial straits that led to the $17.4 billion bailout of General Motors and Chrysler.

The automakers should have realized that change was coming when Congress agreed to lend them billions of dollars. Congress, in no uncertain terms, told the Detroit CEOs that it was time to make smaller, more fuel-efficient cars — and the CEOs agreed.

Yet now they are caviling about President Barack Obama's announcement that California's tough greenhouse-gas emission standards and higher fuel standards are the way to go and that he expects the EPA to approve the waiver.

Once the waiver is approved, 13 other states are poised to adopt California's rules. This would mean that by 2013, new cars sold in the 14 states must reduce heat-trapping emissions by 23 percent; by 2016 that would rise to 30 percent. Together, these states make up 30 percent of domestic automakers' market. An additional five states have indicated their intent to adopt similar rules, which also would improve fuel efficiency.

Nevertheless, the Big Three still complain that this will set up a two-tiered system for vehicle-emission standards in the United States. This would happen only if the car makers insist on remaining as retro in their thinking as their argument implies. If California, Florida, New York, New England states and others are demanding cleaner, more efficient vehicles, might not the rest of the states get on board, too? Especially given the growing realization across the country that global warming must be dealt with.

Under the Obama administration, it is clear that the EPA will have to quit dragging its feet and heed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that it can regulate greenhouse-gas emissions. U.S. automakers have closed their eyes to the reality of a changing world long enough. They have lost a war they never should have fought.