Trump 2.0: Who is Chris Wright? The climate sceptic nominated as US energy secretary

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Chris Wright, a fracking industry pioneer and vocal climate change sceptic, as his energy secretary nominee. In his announcement on Saturday (Nov 16), Trump charged Wright with "cutting red tape," which the incoming administration hopes will drive investment in fossil fuels, reports AFP.

"As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace'," said Trump in a statement.

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The US Energy Department is responsible for advancing the country's energy, environmental and nuclear security. It is in charge of maintaining the country's nuclear weapons, overseeing 17 national research laboratories, approving natural gas exports, and ensuring environmental clean-up of the nation's nuclear weapons complex. It also promotes scientific and technological research.

Who is Chris Wright?

Chris Wright is the founder of Liberty Energy, a key player in the US shale revolution. Liberty Energy serves the energy companies that have massively increased US fossil fuel production in recent years by extracting oil and gas from shale fields in a process known as "fracking." 

According to reports, Wright has been one of the energy industry's loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change.

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In a LinkedIn post, Wright, a climate change denier, claimed: "There is no climate crisis, and we are not in the midst of an energy transition either."

He stated that "the term carbon pollution is outrageous," because all life depended on carbon dioxide and said, "There is no such thing as clean energy or dirty energy, all energy sources have impacts on the world both positive and negative."

Fossil fuels at the forefront

The nomination aligns with Trump's election vow to revitalise the US fossil fuel sector and roll back environmental policies introduced under the Biden administration. Trump, who has dismissed climate change as a "hoax," has also pledged to exit the Paris Climate Agreement and remove barriers to oil and gas exploration.  

In his latest pots, expressing enthusiasm, Wright wrote on X: "Energy is the lifeblood that makes everything in life possible... I am looking forward to getting to work." 

If confirmed by the Senate, Wright will work alongside North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, tapped to lead the newly formed National Energy Council. 

Together, they will "DRILL BABY DRILL, expand ALL forms of Energy production to grow our economy, and create good-paying jobs," said Trump, announcing Burgum's appointment. 

(With inputs from agencies)