Fossil fuel drilling plans undermine climate

Instead, the plan would вЂњunlock American resources,вЂќ вЂњbeat China and Russia,вЂќ and вЂњlet America build,вЂќ along with other vague вЂњpillarsвЂќ that undergird the strategy.

The GOP plan does not appear to include short-term strategies to lower rising fuel prices, a quiet sign that вЂњfree marketвЂќ Republicans, who have attacked President Joe Biden over inflation and gasoline prices, know that fluctuations in the global energy market are not actually governed by the federal government. Conservative pollsters say 84 percent of Americans want congressional Republicans to care about clean energy, but only 44 percent believe they do. Polls show that a majority of Americans say climate change is affecting their local community, and that the federal government is not doing enough to protect the environment. McCarthy is eager to show voters what Republicans would do to lower gas prices and address climate worries if they win control of Congress in the midterms. That industry was GravesвЂ™s top contributor in the last election cycle.

Garret Graves, a Republican from a southeast Louisiana district that is threatened by seal level rise and dominated by the oil and gas industry. The policy framework was announced by a вЂњclimate, conservation and energyвЂќ task force created last year by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has received $414,824 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry in 20 alone, according to OpenSecrets. вЂњThis would be laughable as a climate agenda in 2022 except there is absolutely nothing funny about the climate crisis or Congressional RepublicansвЂ™ obstruction of desperately needed solutions in the name of lining the pockets of their corporate allies and big oil polluters who fund their campaigns,вЂќ said Tiernan Sittenfeld, the vice president of government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters, in a statement. Scientists say governments must take вЂњdrastic actionвЂќ to phase out fossil fuels and rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate change. Republicans say their plan would also benefit the renewable energy sector, but House Democrats quickly panned the proposal, arguing it would undermine bedrock environmental laws and should not be taken seriously given that the House GOP refuses to set emissions limits based on the latest climate science. Republicans would provide tax credits or incentives to controversial (and struggling) вЂњcarbon captureвЂќ projects as well as to nuclear power, while weakening environmental rules to speed up permitting for oil drilling, pipelines, natural gas export terminals, and other large infrastructure. What it does contain are clear giveaways to the fossil fuel lobby, according to environmental groups. The plan, first outlined in a brief press release Thursday morning, appears to contain few new policy ideas. Lawmakers leading the effort have enjoyed lavish campaign contributions from the oil and gas sector. Republicans say their strategy would harness the power of вЂњentrepreneurshipвЂќ to promote cleaner energy and reduce emissions. In an apparent bid to win over midterm voters, House Republicans announced a climate and energy plan on Thursday that would accelerate expansion of the fossil fuel industry and other sources of pollution - and sets no reduction goals for climate-warming emissions.

Fossil fuel drilling plans undermine climate