It has been more than a month since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. As the Trump administration started presenting a number of its energy and environmental policies, the international community, including Korea, has been paying close attention to the direction of the U.S. since the return to power of its former president — who once called climate change a “hoax.”

On Inauguration Day, Trump declared a National Energy Emergency and issued various executive orders aimed at easing environmental regulations and promoting fossil fuel development. The main tasks were to promote energy development (in particular, expanding oil and gas exploration), such as withdrawal of climate and environmental policies promoted by the Joe Biden administration, suspension of international climate financing, pausing clean energy support in the U.S., improvement of permitting procedures and scrutinizing regulations that hinder energy development. These initiatives are well aligned with Trump’s pledges and remarks made during the campaign and his nomination of key positions in the administration.

Comments from heads of key U.S. agencies during their confirmation hearing cast further light on how the Trump administration’s climate policy will unfold. Through the executive orders, Trump made various demands to these agencies. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “[o]nce subsidies are removed, many of our renewable energy policies become........

© The Korea Times