Fracking magnate Christopher Wright has been nominated by Donald Trump to be the next US Secretary of Energy, a man who is betting everything on the oil and gas industries and is also a staunch climate change denier.
In the midst of a global climate crisis, the CEO of Liberty Energy (and also a donor to Donald Trump's campaign) has become the key player for the next US president to achieve "energy dominance" in the American union.
"He will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American prosperity and global peace,'" Trump said in a statement last week, adding that he will also serve on the National Energy Board.
Trump, who will be the 47th president of the country, said that "Chris has been a leading businessman and technician in the energy sector. He has worked in the gas, oil, geothermal, solar and nuclear energy sectors."
According to The Associated Press, Wright "is a strong advocate of oil and gas development, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), a key element in Trump's effort to achieve U.S. energy hegemony."
This man has defended fossil fuels on several occasions, arguing that "there is no climate crisis and we are not in the midst of an energy transition. The term carbon pollution is outrageous. There is no such thing as clean energy or dirty energy... all energy sources have impacts on the world, both positive and negative," aligning himself with what has already been said by Trump himself, who has also been a global warming denier.
On his X account, Wright said after Trump's announcement that "Energy is the lifeblood that makes everything in life possible. I can't wait to get to work."
Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly referred to energy independence and the promotion of oil and gas, with promises to expand fracking and revive liquefied natural gas exports, all with the promise of reducing energy costs.
These ideas are in contrast to those of billionaire Elon Musk, who was appointed by Trump to lead the new US Department of Government Efficiency, and who has invested heavily in solar energy and is the founder of Tesla, the electric car company.
The appointment has been heavily criticised by environmentalists who, among other things, point to the nomination as a catastrophic mistake.
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