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The US Government has caved to pressure and decided to reopen public lands for oil and gas drilling, breaking Biden’s key promise of “no more drilling on federal lands, period. Period, period, period.” This move was taken in an effort to combat the skyrocketing oil and gas prices, which were worsened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Just a week after being sworn into office, Mr Biden appeared to uphold his promise and placed a ban on new oil leasing.
However, in the midst of a global fossil fuel energy crisis, the US has been rolling back the climate pledges it made after former President Donald Trump left office.
Last year, oil production in the US was on par with 2020 levels under President Trump, and higher than two of the four years that the famously climate sceptic President was in office.
While Mr Biden has reopened oil drilling, it comes with a sharp increase in royalty rates for oil companies, although economists note that this rate increase will have a minor impact on the amount of fossil fuel extracted.
Mr Biden’s move has led to condemnation from both sides of the US political spectrum, with Democrats highlighting the President’s promises on climate change, while Republicans arguing that the tax increase on oil companies would only “compound the problem”.
U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart said: “I realize that the Secretary of Interior is very much on message with the rest of the Biden administration…which is we all pay 50% more for 80% less
“It goes to this fundamental question of when we’re in a crisis like this, is this policy, will it do anything to increase production?
“And the answer is no…actually it will compound the problem.
“We have a short-term production shortfall right now.
“The Secretary’s actions that she announced yesterday will push this problem out three, five, seven, 10 years.”
Sunrise Movement, a political action group that advocates on climate change issues tweeted: “Allowing drilling on public lands won’t solve price gouging by oil companies. So why is Joe Biden going back on his word?
“To stop the climate crisis, we need to move towards 100% renewable energy, not deepening our dependence on fossil fuels.”
Peter Kalmus, the NASA scientist who tied himself to JP Morgan Chase bank last week in protest tweeted: “Absolutely the wrong direction we need to go to save the planet.”
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This move may have devastating consequences for Mr Biden in the upcoming midterm elections this year, as breaking key climate pledges may alienate his support base, even as approval ratings for the President drop to record lows.
Scientists argue that the US has the largest responsibility to tackle climate change, being historically the largest emitter of carbon dioxide since 1850, accounting for 20 percent of the global emissions.
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