(Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to maximize U.S. oil and manufacturing output – already at record levels – partly by removing what he sees as unnecessary regulation and bureaucracy.
Here are some of the energy-related executive orders Trump could announce in his first days in office as he tries to make good on that promise.
CLIMATE WITHDRAWAL
Trump could order the US to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement, an international pact to fight climate change and limit the rise in global temperatures by cutting fossil fuel emissions. Trump withdrew from the US during his first term, and transition sources have said he wants to do so again. Withdrawing from the agreement is important because the United States has historically been the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and a key driver of global climate ambition.
GAS EXPORT BOOST
Trump has made clear he plans to quickly lift a moratorium on new liquefied natural gas export licenses imposed by President Joe Biden’s administration — something his advisers say could happen within hours of his Jan. 20 inauguration. Biden imposed the freeze in early 2024. a study into the environmental and economic consequences of rising US gas exports, which have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has prompted European governments to reduce Russian gas imports. The study urged caution when issuing new permits. However, Trump could wait until after the end of the comment period for the investigation on February 18 to protect any permit approvals from lawsuits.
ENERGY EMERGENCY
Trump could declare a national emergency for the US energy sector, allowing him to expedite permitting for new energy infrastructure and other energy projects. The move, which Trump promised during his campaign, would fit into his broader agenda to expand energy production as the power grid struggles to prepare for an expected surge in demand from data centers. Natural gas would likely be a major focus, although other sectors such as renewables, pipeline operators and the nuclear industry could also benefit. The declaration could be vulnerable to legal challenges if his government fails to establish with certainty the existence of a genuine emergency warranting a shortening of environmental and other permitting procedures.
DRILL, BABY, DRILL
Trump is likely to direct his administration to vastly expand oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters, reversing Biden-era efforts to minimize fossil fuel development on U.S. soil. It will be largely up to the discretion of his Interior Ministry to decide how often and on what scale to offer land for auction to drilling companies. About a quarter of the country’s oil comes from federal leases. A major challenge, however, will be expanding auctions to new offshore regions after Biden used the Lands Act this month to protect large swaths of the Atlantic, Pacific and elsewhere from oil development.
TILTING AT WINDMILLS
Trump has said he plans to put an end to new developments in offshore wind energy, arguing that the industry is expensive, harms whales and creates a landfill problem when old turbines are retired. That’s a change from his first term, when his government supported offshore wind energy. Trump could make good on his promise by ordering his Interior Department to halt or limit new offshore wind lease auctions in federal waters. The offshore wind industry, which is already facing major challenges in terms of rising costs and supply chain issues, has said it expects existing approved projects in the US to continue in the meantime.
Rates
Trump’s pledge to impose sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports from virtually everywhere — including Canadian and refined fuel, and battery parts for solar and electric vehicles — could have an impact on global trade. The devil is in the details.
