Reuters reported that Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Energy Department in the US believes fossil fuels will be key to ending poverty around the world. He says this is a more important issue than climate change, which he considers a “distant” danger.
Chris Wright, Trump’s pick to lead the US Energy Department, authored a report for his company called Bettering Human Lives that was released in February.
The report was written while he was still CEO of oilfield service company Liberty Energy.
Wright stated in the report that people can alleviate poverty by giving them more access to hydrocarbons.
Reuters reported that Wright had created a foundation to expand propane cookstoves throughout developing countries.
Concerns have been raised about Trump’s energy and climate policies.
The President-elect has made it clear that he supports the oil and gas industries in the US.
Trump is also expected rollback several climate regulations that were passed under the incumbent US president Joe Biden.
Experts viewed Wright’s appointment as a step in increasing oil and gas production in the US.
Wright’s appointment is crucial for US oil and Gas Industry?
Morgan Bazilian is the director of the Payne Institute at Colorado School of Mines. She told Reuters that the industry was feeling attacked by President Joe Biden’s climate policies.
Wright was also cited as “a perfect example” by Brazilian. He has been outspoken about how the oil and natural gas industry has brought power and security to the United States. This is true. “The other thing that is true is that global emissions don’t go down”.
Wright’s appointment could halt the US’ progress in reducing carbon emissions as the world attempts to transition to clean energy.
Experts say that fossil fuel emissions are the main cause of climate change.
Wright argued in the report that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, but rather an essential element for life.
Experts call Wright’s logic absurd
Reuters quoted Peter Reich as saying Wright’s logic was “terrifyingly ridiculous”.
Reich told Reuters that “people, their pets and crops need water as well.”
Reich said:
It doesn’t mean, however, that even if your house has been flooded to the second story or your soybean fields are flooded that it is not a problem.
Wright said in the report that many people around the world were losing perspective, as they misdirected their efforts to achieve social and political goals of “taking action” against climate changes.
Wright stated in the report that “overheated rhetoric is exemplified by current UN chief Antonio Guterres’ ‘code red’ for humanity and ‘global boil’.”
In the report, he also claimed without any evidence that the polar bear population is increasing.
Charlotte Lindqvist of the University of Buffalo told Reuters the polar bear population is not increasing, and the species is losing their sea ice habitats.
Wright says solar and Wind energy is insufficient
Wright stated that geothermal and small modular nuclear, both of which are not yet commercialized, can be alternatives to petroleum.
According to Reuters, he criticized wind and solar energy as being insufficient.
Bazilian told Reuters Wright’s views on solar and winds were outdated.
According to Reuters, he noted that the cost for carbon-free solar energy and wind power has dropped dramatically. These sources can also help address energy poverty.
This post, which argues that fossil fuels are the key to ending global hunger, may be modified as new information becomes available.
This site is for entertainment only. Click here to read more
