The oil industry has developed a detailed plan to roll back Biden administration climate regulations, with a focus on eliminating methane emissions rules, after the 2024 presidential election.
Evan Halper and Josh Dawsey report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) is preparing a strategy to dismantle key climate policies, including a methane emissions tax.
- Internal documents reveal that AXPC members have failed to meet voluntary emission reduction targets, despite public claims of support for climate action.
- Former President Trump has aligned with the industry’s agenda, promising to reverse the Biden administration's energy transition efforts if re-elected.
Key quote:
“They want government to stop regulating climate issues and stop thinking about climate risks.”
— Paasha Mahdavi, director of the Energy Governance and Political Economy Lab at the University of California at Santa Barbara
Why this matters:
The oil industry’s plans threaten to reverse hard-won progress on methane reduction, a key contributor to global warming. Eliminating regulations could increase emissions, undermining global climate agreements like the Paris Accord.
Read more: Trump's potential impact on climate policy
