Democratic presidential hopeful Jay Inslee released a sweeping plan on Wednesday that he says will reclaim U.S. leadership in the fight against climate change. The plan includes proposals to resettle hundreds of thousands of climate refugees, and raise barriers to fossil fuel imports.
Democratic contenders vying for the party's nomination to take on Republican President Donald Trump in the 2020 election are seeking to distinguish themselves with the strongest proposals to halt global warming, a top issue in the Democratic race.
Inslee, who is seeking to break out of the bottom of the crowded Democratic pack, has made climate change the central issue in his campaign.
The Washington state governor has already set a plan to bring the United States to net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 by eliminating oil, gas and coal use and replacing it with renewable sources through massive investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure.
Several other Democratic candidates, including front-runner Joe Biden on Tuesday, have outlined similar goals of eliminating U.S. emissions of the greenhouse gases scientists blame for the effects of climate change, like sea level rise, droughts, floods and more frequent powerful storms.
OPINION: Biden, Warren On The Climate Trail
Any of those plans would mark a reversal of Trump's energy agenda, which is centered on eliminating or weakening climate and other environmental protections to boost oil and gas drilling and coal mining.
Inslee said in a statement rolling out the plan on Wednesday that he believed fighting global warming must also include a detailed scheme to engage on the issue internationally, and laid out a five-pronged plan to do so.
It ranges from rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, an international accord to fight climate change that Trump opposes, to more ambitious ideas like overhauling U.S. trade and immigration policies to prioritize climate change, and blocking U.S. financing for foreign fossil fuel projects.
On immigration, Inslee's plan "will adapt America's immigration policy to the reality of climate migration," which it said amounted to "a global crisis of displacement at a scale not seen since World War II."
"Climate change is contributing to an expanding refugee crisis both directly, with 24 million people displaced on average each year around the world since 2008 due to extreme weather events, and indirectly, as climate change impacts force people to migrate in search of food, water, shelter, or to avoid conflict," the plan stated.
His plan called for raising the ceiling for annual refugee admissions to the United States to meet and eventually exceed the 110,000 set in the final year of President Barack Obama's administration, to allow for a "historic number of refugees."
On trade, Inslee's plan calls for “increasing trade barriers on fossil fuels and products causing or resulting from deforestation practices” among other things.
“U.S. trade policies, trade agreements, and trade relationships should all be evaluated to ensure they are consistent with the swift and just transition to a global carbon-free future,” the plan said.
The plan also outlines proposals to ensure international investments are not directed toward fossil fuel projects, including by "implementing widespread prohibitions against financing for fossil fuel projects overseas.
Recommended Reading
Which Haynesville E&Ps Might Bid for Tellurian’s Upstream Assets?
2024-02-12 - As Haynesville E&Ps look to add scale and get ahead of growing LNG export capacity, Tellurian’s Louisiana assets are expected to fetch strong competition, according to Energy Advisors Group.
Ohio Oil, Appalachia Gas Plays Ripe for Consolidation
2024-04-09 - With buyers “starved” for top-tier natural gas assets, Appalachia could become a dealmaking hotspot in the coming years. Operators, analysts and investors are also closely watching what comes out of the ground in the Ohio Utica oil fairway.
Exclusive: Rockcliff CEO on $2.7B TGNR Deal, Value of Haynesville M&A
2024-04-10 - Rockcliff Energy CEO and President Alan Smith discusses the ups and downs of executing the transaction with TG Natural Resources and what's on the Rockcliff III radar, in this Hart Energy Exclusive interview.
An Untapped Haynesville Block: Chevron Asset Attracts High Interest
2024-04-03 - Chevron’s 72,000-net-acre property in Panola County, Texas is lightly developed for the underlying Haynesville formation — and the supermajor may cut it loose.
Aethon Cuts Rigs but Wants More Western Haynesville Acreage
2024-03-31 - Private gas E&P Aethon Energy has drilled some screamers in its far western Haynesville Shale play—and the company wants to do more in the area.