House Republicans will announce a new energy and climate change strategy Thursday that supporters argue can help lower consumer costs and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while also increasing domestic energy production.
The strategy was put together by the House Republicans’ Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force as a counter to President Joe Biden’s own climate change agenda, which sets out specific short- and long-term greenhouse emissions reduction targets and seeks to restrict new oil and gas leasing on federal lands, policies of which Republicans have been especially critical during this period of record fuel prices.
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The GOP plan will not set specific emission targets as alternatives to Biden’s goals of achieving carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 or reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, according to Politico.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), who leads the task force, told the outlet the Biden administration is “failing every test” on energy and climate change policies.
“We are creating a clear coherent energy strategy that returns the U.S. to an emissions reduction trajectory as opposed to what we are seeing under the Biden administration, which is failing every test, whether it be affordability, emissions or security,” Graves said in a preview of the plan.
The specific language of the GOP plan has not yet been released, but it is based on six “pillars”: unlock American resources, let America build, American innovation, beat China and Russia, conservation with a purpose, and build resilient communities.
“Conservatives have real solutions to solve the climate challenge and make energy more affordable,” said Rich Powell, the CEO of conservative policy advocacy group ClearPath Action, which conducted research to support the strategy. “Here’s a comprehensive plan that works — it reduces carbon emissions, creates jobs, eliminates dependence on foreign adversaries’ resources, and will be well received in every single congressional district in America, according to our research.”
A number of Republicans and industry groups have argued that U.S.-produced oil and natural gas should be increased to displace product from other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, where fossil fuels are extracted with less stringent environmental regulations.
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Some Democratic-aligned policy players have made a similar case, especially to advocate support for more U.S.-produced liquefied natural gas exports as a means to help Europe move more quickly off Russian gas.
Democrats and environmental groups have overwhelmingly supported restrictions on oil and gas production, however, as a means to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases.
Several green organizations criticized the GOP plan ahead of its rollout Thursday. Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad called it a “greenwashing stunt” and a “not-even-thinly veiled attempt to bulls*** the press and the public.”
