The world requires increased fossil fuel production, not a reduction, asserted Chris Wright, the new energy secretary appointed by Donald Trump, addressing major oil and gas industry players on Monday.
“We are confidently advancing a strategy of enhanced American energy generation and infrastructure, rather than less,” he stated during the opening plenary session of CERAWeek, an upscale annual conference in Houston, Texas, organized by the financial firm S&P Global.
Wright, a former fracking executive chosen by Trump for this significant cabinet role, also criticized the Joe Biden administration for its narrow focus on climate change.
“The Trump administration will put an end to the Biden administration’s irrational and quasi-religious climate policies that impose endless burdens on our citizens,” he remarked at the conference, where tickets start at over $10,000. “The remedy has been far worse than the ailment.”
Wright has been labeled a climate skeptic, notably for his repeated denials that global warming constitutes a crisis.
“That is simply incorrect: I consider myself a climate realist,” he said.
“The Trump administration will address climate change for what it truly is: a global physical reality that is a byproduct of constructing the modern world,” he continued. “Every aspect of life involves compromises.”
While he acknowledged that fossil fuel emissions contribute to global warming, he contended that “there is no feasible way” for solar, wind, and batteries to replace the “numerous” applications of natural gas—something that leading experts contest. Moreover, he highlighted energy poverty as a more pressing concern.
“Where is the Cop conference for this significantly more immediate global issue?” he inquired, referencing the annual United Nations climate discussions, known as the Conference of the Parties (Cop). “I am eager to collaborate with all of you to power the world and fully realize human potential.”
The evening before his CERAWeek keynote, Wright met with top executives from fossil fuel companies including TotalEnergies, Freeport-McMoRan, Occidental Petroleum, and EQT, according to reports by Axios and Reuters. Trump’s interior secretary, Doug Burgum, who is scheduled to speak at CERAWeek on Wednesday, also attended the dinner gathering.
Trump has received record contributions from the fossil fuel sector for his 2024 campaign. In April, he faced criticism for a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where he allegedly solicited over 20 executives from companies such as Chevron, Exxon, and Occidental for $1 billion while promising to cut climate policies if elected.
Wright stated that under Biden, ordinary Americans have borne the brunt of the costs. “The expensive energy or climate measures that have become fashionable among the left in affluent western nations have imposed a heavy price on their people,” he argued, using scare quotes around the word “climate.”
“US citizens heat their homes in the winter, cool them in the summer, preserve food in our freezers and refrigerators, and enjoy light, communication, and entertainment at the flick of a switch,” he noted—lifestyle that “necessitates an average of 13 barrels of oil per person each year.”
Conversely, he pointed out that poorer nations are energy-starved and require more fossil fuels.
“The other 7 billion individuals, on average, consume only three barrels of oil per person annually,” he remarked. “Africa’s average is below one barrel.”
These statements followed Wright’s address at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington DC on Friday, where he claimed that urging Africa to cease coal development due to climate concerns is “paternalistic” and “utter nonsense.”
“Coal has transformed our world for the better, increased life expectancy, and created opportunities,” he commented.
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His remarks have faced backlash from global climate advocates.
“One of the consequences of American fossil fuels has been the destruction of our previously well-regulated climate, forcing some of the poorest and most vulnerable populations in Africa to contend with extreme weather and the loss of homes and livelihoods,” stated Mohamed Adow, founder of Power Shift Africa, a Nairobi-based NGO and think tank.
The African continent also possesses vast potential to develop renewable energy, “but it lacks the necessary investments to harness these resources,” said Ali Mohamed, chair of the African group of negotiators and Kenya’s special envoy for climate change.
At CERAWeek, Wright reiterated that the Trump administration is endorsing an “all-of-the-above” energy policy.
“We support anything that brings affordable and reliable energy,” he told reporters during a press conference following his speech, where he also announced the extension of a permit for Delfin, a company working on a floating liquefied natural gas project off the Louisiana coast.
However, domestic oil and gas production reached record levels during Biden’s tenure. Trump has initiated a campaign against renewable energy, temporarily halting all clean energy development on federal lands and criticizing wind and solar in his speeches.
The public was not granted access to a live stream of Wright’s speech, which incited outrage from climate advocates.
“As energy secretary, Chris Wright should prioritize serving the American public, not the fossil fuel sector,” asserted Allie Rosenbluth, a campaign manager at the non-profit Oil Change International. “It’s unacceptable, although not surprising, that this former fracking CEO is preventing the public from seeing what he discusses with fossil fuel executives.”
Wright has long been associated with the CERAWeek fossil fuel conference. Before joining the Trump administration, he led the oil and gas company Liberty Energy for 13 years.
Ahead of his press briefing, a representative from an oil industry podcast praised the energy secretary as “brilliant.”
“He’s one of us,” the representative remarked. “He understands our needs.”
Additional reporting by Oliver Milman
