Oil skepticism at Texas conference challenges green energy shift

At a recent energy conference in Texas, Saudi Aramco's CEO Amin Nasser expressed skepticism about the swift transition to renewable energy, sparking a debate on the future of fossil fuels.

Max Bearak and Brad Plumer report for The New York Times.


In short:

  • Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, argues against the feasibility of quickly phasing out oil and gas, suggesting the energy transition is failing.
  • The International Energy Agency and other experts predict a peak in oil and gas demand by 2030, contrasting with the industry's investment in fossil fuel development.
  • The debate highlights differing views on energy's future, with significant implications for climate change and global energy policies.

Key quote:

"We should abandon the fantasy of phasing out oil and gas."

— Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco

Why this matters:

Advocates for phasing out fossil fuels emphasize the need to address climate change and the long-term environmental and health costs associated with fossil fuel use. They advocate for increased investment in renewable energy research and development, policies to support the transition, and the adoption of energy efficiency measures to reduce overall demand.

How utilities’ fossil fuel investments are driving up rates for the most vulnerable.

Yellow and white wind turbine towers waiting to be installed
Credit: Engineered Solutions/Unsplash

Trump leaves wind industry reeling — at a perilous moment for his party

Republican worries about energy affordability didn’t deter the administration from halting five major projects that had already begun construction.
US President Donald Trump with American & Ukrainian flags behind
Credit: Copyright: palinchak/ BigStock Photo ID: 205623106

Opinion: Trump’s shuttering of the National Center for Atmospheric Research is Stalinist: Michael Mann and Bob Ward

This is the latest in the relentless purge of climate researchers who refuse to be co-opted by the fossil fuel industry.

aerial photography of tanker ship.

Oil, gold and rare earth elements: the backdrop to US political tension with Venezuela

The country’s enormous energy and mineral resources are consolidating as a key factor in the geopolitical dispute and in Venezuela’s institutional collapse.

an aerial view of a data center flanked by trees, roads and green fields.
Credit: Geoffrey Moffett/Unsplash

The Pentagon and A.I. giants have a weakness. Both need China’s batteries, badly.

As warfare is reinvented in Ukraine, and Silicon Valley races to maintain its A.I. lead, China’s battery dominance is raising alarms far beyond the auto industry.
A row of diesel-powered generators outside of an industrial building
Photo by Abhijeet Gaikwad on Unsplash

Electrifying these factories could cut a gigaton of CO2 pollution

The U.S. industrial sector relies on gas-fired boilers to make heat. A new report shows how manufacturers can electrify and decarbonize, starting now.
off shore wind farm against setting sun
Credit: Alexander MilsFor Unsplash+

‘Bonkers’: DOI letter halts all five in-progress offshore wind farms

Construction will be paused for 90 days as Trump's Department of War and Interior Department coordinate to evaluate supposed "national security" risks.
Overhead view of Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica
Image Credit: NASA/James Yungel/ Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

The Doomsday Glacier is getting closer and closer to irreversible collapse

An analysis of the expansion of cracks in the Thwaites Glacier over the past 20 years suggests that a total collapse could be only a matter of time.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.