Trump-backed plan seeks to overturn Biden's climate policies

The oil industry has developed a detailed plan to roll back Biden administration climate regulations, with a focus on eliminating methane emissions rules, after the 2024 presidential election.

Evan Halper and Josh Dawsey report for The Washington Post.

In short:

The American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) is preparing a strategy to dismantle key climate policies, including a methane emissions tax.
Internal documents reveal that AXPC members have failed to meet voluntary emission reduction targets, despite public claims of support for climate action.
Former President Trump has aligned with the industry’s agenda, promising to reverse the Biden administration's energy transition efforts if re-elected.

Key quote:

“They want government to stop regulating climate issues and stop thinking about climate risks.”

— Paasha Mahdavi, director of the Energy Governance and Political Economy Lab at the University of California at Santa Barbara

Why this matters:

The oil industry’s plans threaten to reverse hard-won progress on methane reduction, a key contributor to global warming. Eliminating regulations could increase emissions, undermining global climate agreements like the Paris Accord.

www.washingtonpost.com

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