At CPAC 2025, Trump and right-wing figures emphasized climate policy denial and fossil fuel support, dismissing environmental regulations. Key speeches focused on deregulation, fracking, and energy dominance while disregarding scientific discussions on climate change. Future political aspirations from figures like Alaska Governor Dunleavy were also highlighted, along with a singular representation from CFACT promoting alternative viewpoints on climate science.
The 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), held near Washington, D.C., featured President Donald Trump actively promoting a fossil fuel deregulation agenda. Notable attendees included Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, and Steve Bannon, who supported Trump’s campaign against environmental policies. Trump opened by reiterating his withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, dismissing it as disastrous, and claiming he canceled the non-existent “Green New Deal” as part of his pro-fossil fuel narrative.
During Trump’s speech, he criticized Joe Biden’s alleged electric vehicle mandate, which mischaracterized existing pollution standards. He further made absurd claims regarding hydrogen-powered cars, suggesting they are hazardous without factual basis. The CPAC lacked scientific discourse around climate issues; instead, it heavily leaned towards anti-environmental rhetoric and support for the MAGA movement.
Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss expressed frustration at being unable to lift the fracking ban during her short time in office. She discussed the negative impact of net-zero policies on the UK’s energy prices and industrial capabilities. Truss echoed Trump’s concerns about government bureaucracy affecting rapid initiatives in the energy sector.
Chris Wright, the U.S. Energy Secretary, emphasized the urgency of deregulating the fossil fuel industry during his opening speech. His agenda seeks to remove restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on fossil fuel use, further promoting energy production as a priority, especially in the context of energy demands from AI technologies.
As part of CPAC’s agenda, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy indicated his ambitions for higher political office. He supports energy projects to benefit Alaska, highlighting a natural gas pipeline connected to Asia. He stressed that increased energy production could alleviate several national problems as part of a larger strategy asserted by Trump’s administration.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum addressed exploiting public lands for energy, promoting the idea as a means to enhance trade relationships. His plan involves deepening U.S. energy dominance to boost the economy while potentially setting Trump up for a Nobel Prize nomination. Underlying this effort is the need to streamline regulations affecting public land use.
Only CFACT, a conservative climate think tank, represented the climate perspective at the conference. Their national field coordinator claimed there is no consensus on climate science and stressed the need for alternative viewpoints in college settings to combat what they see as a leftist monopoly on education. CFACT seeks to capture young minds with its message, despite questions surrounding its funding and affiliations with larger donors.
CPAC 2025 illustrated a strong push from Trump and other speakers against climate policies and for pro-fossil fuel initiatives. The gathering shifted from scientific discussions to a focus on deregulation and energy dominance, reflecting broader political ambitions among attendees, such as Governor Dunleavy. The conference showcased a distinct alignment against traditional approaches to climate change, emphasizing the importance of political narratives over factual discourse.
Original Source: www.desmog.com
