Republican lawmakers at COP29 propose more US gas exports as a climate solution

Republican members of Congress visited COP29 on Saturday to pitch their favored solution to the climate crisis: Increasing US natural gas exports.

The push toward renewables has weakened global energy security, said Texas Rep. August Pfluger, whose district includes the Permian Basin, one of the largest US drilling hotspots.

“We can continue helping our allies reduce their emissions by exporting clean, reliable sources like LNG and nuclear,” he said.

That argument is likely to form the backbone of US foreign climate and energy policy in the Trump administration, which is expected to quickly withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Pfluger also previewed GOP strategy on the Inflation Reduction Act, saying any elements that don’t drive down energy costs could get scrapped.

The delegation of Democrats in Baku was smaller and seemed resigned about stepping to the sidelines: “Effective in January, the US government will be defecting from any position of responsibility,” Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse told reporters, urging the European Union to “stick to their guns” on the bloc’s carbon import tariff.