Nominated by Trump

Climate change skeptic to become Energy Secretary

Trump nominates Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy. The fracking entrepreneur is considered a climate change sceptic.(Bild: APA/AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Following his victory in the US presidential election, Donald Trump has now also announced his choice for the future Secretary of Energy. According to a statement on Saturday, fracking entrepreneur and climate change sceptic Chris Wright from Colorado will take office when Trump replaces incumbent Joe Biden in January. 

The head and founder of oil service provider Liberty Energy should reduce bureaucracy in order to boost investment in fossil fuels, Trump explained.

Turnaround in US climate policy
Should the Senate follow Trump's proposal, Wright would probably initiate a turnaround in US climate policy towards fossil fuels. "There is no climate crisis, and we are not in a transition when it comes to energy," he said in a video on LinkedIn last year.

Wright caused a stir in 2019 when he drank fracking fluid on camera to demonstrate the harmlessness he postulated. He has compared the Democrats' fight against global warming to Soviet communism.

In the USA, the Department of Energy is responsible, among other things, for the country's energy policy in relation to foreign countries, manages the strategic petroleum reserve and operates production and credit programs. The Secretary also oversees nuclear weapons, is responsible for the disposal of nuclear waste and operates 17 laboratories.

Increase in oil production?
Under Biden, the country's oil production reached a record high. It is uncertain whether this could be increased under Trump. Electricity consumption in the US is rising for the first time in two decades, driven by artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and cryptocurrencies.

Fracking uses chemicals and pressure to extract natural gas contained in layers of earth. The method has been used intensively in the USA for years, which has led to a massive increase in gas extraction there. It is highly controversial due to the high environmental risks.