US President Joe Biden has authorized oil drilling in Alaska. In doing so, he breaks his campaign promise, much to the anger of environmental activists and area residents. According to US correspondent Jan Postma, it is “painful” for Biden.
Biden previously promised he would not greenlight the controversial billion-dollar Willow Oil project. “This is a painful part of a compromise he made earlier, which was part of the Inflation Reduction Act,” Postma explains. “To get support for this, Biden had to give way somewhere and that happened on this issue, among other things.”
Criticism
The White House is now emphasizing that drilling is not being done in five spots, but in three spots. Also, there is no drilling in any other new places in Alaska. “So something good is being done for the environment, but yes, it is very painful for them”, underlines the American correspondent again.
Postma says Biden will likely cave anyway, due to the criticism he has received lately. Gasoline prices have soared in America due to the war in Ukraine, much to the dissatisfaction of Americans. “Biden wants to show that the American’s wallet is now spared because he pumps the oil himself.”
Anger and frustration
However, the decision is not welcomed by all. Democrats are reacting with frustration and, according to Postma, about 20 members of Congress are “really angry.” The party’s progressive left wing is particularly concerned about potential emissions from oil drilling.
“There’s a lot of resistance, but it’s not like a mutiny has broken out”
Postma says these emissions are roughly equal to the emissions of seventy new coal-fired power plants. “That’s about 600 million barrels of oil. Millions of signatures have already been signed against oil drilling and even Al Gore has turned against it. So there’s really a lot of resistance, but it’s not like a mutiny has broken out.’
According to Biden, America will still be stuck on fossil fuels for years to come, but that’s a temporary fix. In the long run, the country must switch to sustainable alternatives, Biden argues. “In reality, this commitment was a sacrifice to make the energy transition possible,” Postma says.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
