Donald Trump’s White House has announced it will drill for oil and gas almost immediately after he was inaugurated.
Trump had only been president for minutes when the White House website deleted all references to “climate change”, removing the dedicated climate change page and publishing a plan to drill for oil in an “America First energy plan”.
“For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry,” the plan says.
“Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans.”
The page on LGBT rights was also removed.
The suddenness of the change alarmed people, who have feared Trump’s plans on climate change, having previous tweeted that it was “created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive”.
The America First energy plan, which is accompanied by an America First foreign policy plan, says: “The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans.
“We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well...
“President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests.”
Obama’s climate change page is archived.
It said: “President Obama believes that no challenge poses a greater threat to our children, our planet, and future generations than climate change — and that no other country on Earth is better equipped to lead the world towards a solution.”