On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump, on his first day back in office, declared a “national energy emergency” and signed several executive orders aimed at promoting fossil fuel development and reducing focus on climate change initiatives.
These actions include accelerating oil and gas infrastructure projects, lifting federal leases for onshore and offshore fossil fuel exploration, and potentially rescinding vehicle emissions standards and electric vehicle subsidies established during the previous administration. President Trump also reaffirmed his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and dismantle the Inflation Reduction Act, which had allocated $369 billion for clean energy and climate action.
President Trump: “I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Accord ripoff.”
“The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity.”
Critics have expressed concerns about the potential economic and environmental impacts of these policies.
Donald Trump will pull the US, the world’s second-largest climate polluter, out of the most important global treaty for tackling climate change for the second time.
Environmentalists have warned that such measures could significantly hinder global efforts to combat climate change, with some describing the approach as a “wrecking ball” to international climate action.
Despite these concerns, President Trump emphasized that his administration’s focus on fossil fuels is intended to bolster the U.S. economy and strengthen energy independence. He stated plans to refill strategic reserves and expand American energy exports worldwide.