The Obama administration is getting defensive over criticism that its recent approval of oil drilling in the Arctic is in direct contradiction to the president’s climate change goals.
Brian Deese, the president’s senior adviser on climate change, told reporters on a conference call that he would “caution against characterizing” one action as undermining broader goals, and to instead consider the limited scope of the drilling.
The call was used to highlight a number of speeches the president will give through next week that will emphasize his commitment to fighting climate change and providing Americans with reliable sources of energy. One of those speeches will be given Aug. 31 while visiting the Alaskan Arctic, where he will likely face questions over the Interior Department’s recent decision to allow the Shell oil company to begin offshore drilling there. Activist groups have launched a multitude of campaigns opposing the approval.
The president’s climate change speaking tour begins later Monday in Las Vegas at the eighth annual National Clean Energy Summit.
Deese was asked on the call to explain how the administration can uphold two allegedly contradictory goals — reducing fossil fuel use to combat global warming, and increasing oil production in the Arctic.
He responded by giving “some context.” He explained that Shell’s recent approval was part of an obligation that was carried over from former President George W. Bush’s administration, and not something initiated by the president.
Deese emphasized that the administration has been very strict with Shell on what it can and cannot do in the Arctic, saying the administration has set a high bar on safety and protecting the environment. He also said Shell will only be drilling one oil well, describing the action approved by the administration as very limited.
He also explained that the president believes the country will need to “transition off fossil fuels” in order to stop man-made global warming and climate change. But that transition will take time, he said, and in the near-term, oil and gas will still be needed.
“During this transition … when it can be done safely, oil and gas is important,” Deese said. He said the president believes that producing oil domestically is better than “importing these fuels,” and “that is going to be our focus.”
He said the president will focus on American leadership in facing down the threat of global warming while in Alaska. The president also plans to meet with individual Alaskans directly affected by warmer weather that is transforming the Arctic and upsetting the livelihoods of many.
