Trump Energy Secretary Pick Chris Wright Calls Climate Crisis Denier Bjorn Lomborg a 'Friend'

[Brenda]

By Geoff Dembickion Nov 19, 2024

The fracking executive selected by President-elect Donald Trump to run the U.S. Department of Energy, Chris Wright, has called the concept of carbon pollution “outrageous” and says that the influential climate crisis denier Bjorn Lomborg is a “friend.”

Wright is chief executive officer of Liberty Energy, a Colorado-based fracking company. He’s an outspoken advocate for fossil fuels who frequently claims that fears about global temperature rise are overblown, calling this a “false and dishonest narrative.”

Wright’s thinking about climate change appears to have been shaped in part by Lomborg, who is founder and president of a climate obstruction group called the Copenhagen Consensus Center and author of the book, False Alarm, which claims that climate change is “not the apocalyptic threat that we’ve been told it is.”

In addition to running Liberty Energy, which describes itself as “a leading North American oilfield services firm,” Wright frequently produces online videos and other content where he shares views about fossil fuel development and climate change that are far outside the scientific and economic mainstream.

“There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition either,” he said in a video posted on his LinkedIn page last year, seemingly ignoring that 2024 is set to be the hottest in recorded history while global investments in clean energy surpass $2 trillion. “Humans and all complex life on Earth is simply impossible without carbon dioxide. Hence, the term ‘carbon pollution’ is outrageous,” he added.

Those views may have helped forge relationships between Wright and powerful conservative networks that seek to obstruct climate action in the U.S. and internationally. Wright in 2022 spoke at an event hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a conservative think tank that has received at least $3.6 million since 1998 from foundations linked to the oil and gas billionaires Charles and David Koch.

I'm an atheist but Jesus Fucking Christ these people are demons working for Beelzebub!

https://www.desmog.com/2024/11/19/trump-energy-secretary-pick-chris-wright-calls-climate-crisis-denier-bjorn-lomborg-a-friend/

[ramapo]

1. Good luck kids

Last edited Wed Nov 27, 2024, 08:51 AM - Edit history (1)

I am seriously all out of fucks.

Jimmy Carter got the boot for Reagan who famously blamed trees for pollution, appointed James Watt and Anne Gorsuch (yes that Gorsuch) to Interior and EPA, dismantled Carter's early efforts to promote solar energy and conservation. Eight years lost.

Then came Bush the First. While Bush did sign important climate legislation, dealt with the ozone hole and even campaigned and was concerned about climate change, his Chief of Staff John Sununu (yes that Sununu) convinced Bush that it was all bullshit and set the Republican Party on a 35-plus-year road of denial. Four years lost.

Clinton was somewhat more friendly towards the idea of climate change. Kyoto Protocol was signed. Lots of words, not much action.
Eight years lost.

Al Gore lost (had the election stolen) because people in Florida couldn't fill out their ballots properly and a bunch of geniuses thought they'd show us and voted for Ralph Nader . Maybe Gore would've lived up to his book although Congress is always ready to make sure nothing gets done.

Bush the Second. Eight years lost.

Finally we get Obama. He knew action was needed. He had a trifecta and got a cap-and-trade proposal thru the House. Dead in The Senate (making sure nothing ever gets done). Voters were pissed that he tried helping Americans obtain health care and to do something about the climate change that everybody is so concerned about. So voters kicked a whole bunch of Democrats out of Congress and that was that. He still did manage to do some stuff. Signed some documents. Helped get some solar firms started and an upstart EV manufacturer, Tesla, going. Eight years...not all that much to show.

Ugh. Trump One. Take eight steps backwards. Four years lost.

Biden. Ok...back on track although most of the world wonders if its for real. Made a lot of investments. We'll see how that all works out. Did much really get done? Maybe.

Trump Two. Well nobody talked about climate change during the campaign. Some people worry about it but not many would be willing to change anything in their lives to save the Earth for their kids. But the Trans people are coming for you and your family (if the immigrants don't get you first).

The next four, eight, twelve years are lost. We are going back.

So whats the score? 50 years squandered...at least. The United States could have led the world. But now denial wins again.

When the shits hits the fan, people will probably wonder why nothing was ever done. Too late now anyway. Get the popcorn and watch the greatest disaster movie of our lives play out.

[Brenda]

2. Great post ramapo.

That's how I see it too. I used to think that the R kooks, the religious kooks, the tech kooks and billionaire kooks were just faking their climate denialism to keep their current way of life intact. But I'm beginning to think they really are in deep denial about the situation.

Mass delusion has taken hold of the greedy. And the lemmings follow them over the cliff.

Was hoping it wouldn't be happening this fast but dayum, we're truly fucked in the next four years.

Too bad it won't have a great Hollywood ending with a superhero or benevolent alien saving the human race.