A Shift Towards Fossil Fuels and Away from Renewables

A Shift Towards Fossil Fuels

President Trump's administration has taken significant steps to dismantle his predecessor's climate change and renewable energy policies. On his first day in office, he declared a national energy emergency, aiming to expedite fossil fuel development through a policy he summarized as "drill, baby, drill."

This declaration calls for the federal government to facilitate oil and gas projects by weakening environmental reviews. The goal is to lower prices and boost exports to international markets. However, Democrats argue that this is a sham, pointing to the fact that the U.S. already produces more oil and natural gas than any other country. They also highlight the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, which significantly boosted renewable energy at a critical time, creating jobs and addressing the climate change threat.

The Trump administration has taken several actions to promote fossil fuels. They paused evaluations of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, pleasing environmentalists concerned about the potential increase in planet-warming emissions. However, this pause only delayed consideration of new projects, not those already under construction.

Additionally, the Trump administration has opened more land for oil and gas lease sales, reversing Biden's efforts to protect environmentally sensitive areas like Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge. However, expanding the area available for lease and drill doesn't guarantee increased production. For example, when leases were made available in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, only smaller companies bid, and there were no buyers for a second lease sale.

The administration has also marked hundreds of Clean Water Act permits for fast-tracking, citing Trump's energy order. While they later removed this notation, environmental groups remain concerned about the potential circumvention of environmental protections to expedite fossil fuel projects.

Furthermore, Trump's energy emergency calls for undermining Endangered Species Act protections to ensure fast energy development. This includes assembling a rarely used committee with the authority to dismiss significant threats to species. Coupled with recent deep cuts to the Fish & Wildlife Service, this move raises concerns about potential species extinction.

Trump's policies also target wind energy, temporarily halting offshore wind lease sales and pausing federal approvals for projects. Additionally, he has vowed to end tax credits for renewables, which would push up prices and potentially slow their growth.

Experts warn that these policies could leave the U.S. reliant on coal and gas for longer, hindering the transition to renewable energy sources. This could have significant consequences for climate change mitigation efforts.