Trump to rescind climate pacts, open reserves for drilling
President-elect Donald Trump plans to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. He also intends to reduce some nature reserves to allow drilling and resource extraction.
The New York Times reported on Friday on Trump's projects. They cited drafts of executive orders and proclamations being prepared by the Republican team in preparation for his January takeover of power.
The Paris Agreement obliges signatory countries to present new and more ambitious plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions every five years, and they must be submitted by February.
The administration of President Joe Biden promised to present such a plan before the end of its term. The U.S. Department of Energy announced a project for an updated analysis that will allow for public feedback.
The report indicates that Trump will also end the moratorium on granting permits for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to large markets in Asia and Europe.
In January, the Biden administration halted the approval of new LNG export deals. Its goal was to complete studies on the impact of exports on the environment and the economy.
Trump wants to ease environmental standards
The report also points out that Trump's team plans to repeal regulations that allow California and other states to implement more stringent pollution standards. Some members of the Republican team are also considering moving the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) out of Washington.
The Reuters agency sought comments regarding the anticipated changes from representatives of the future Republican team. Karoline Leavitt, the spokeswoman for the team preparing the takeover, noted that during the election campaign, Trump announced many of the actions detailed in the report.
As she explained, the results of Tuesday's elections gave him a "mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail."
Trump's cabinet had previously withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Agreement once before. In 2017, a motion was filed in this matter, claiming that the rules were a "total disaster." The U.S. returned to compliance with the agreement during Joe Biden's presidency.
