A climate summit of conservative lawmakers and energy industry leaders was held in recent days during a particularly sensitive time in U.S. politics.
Hosted by the Conservative Climate Caucus, the third annual Conservative Climate Summit unfolded in Utah last Friday. In keynote sessions, panel discussions and breakout sessions, participants explored “conservative solutions” for energy, the economy, and agriculture aimed at strengthening national security.
The summit featured Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) as a keynote speaker. The congressman argued the Republican party has a history of embracing progressive environmental policies. The EPA, Curtis pointed out to his colleagues, was created by President Richard Nixon.
“As Republicans, let’s let go of that fear [of climate] and embrace clean,” Curtis said.
The Conservative Climate Caucus is made up of 85 Republican members of Congress. The group works to push their party toward constructive dialogue on climate change and its causes, while also fighting progressive climate proposals that the caucus argues would “hurt our economy, American workers, and national security.”
“The climate is changing, and decades of a global industrial era that has brought prosperity to the world has also contributed to that change,” the caucus website states.
Their efforts face opposition from among party leaders, and could see further pushback if former President Donald Trump is elected to a second term in November.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has pushed to remove renewable energy initiatives from the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. And Trump, meanwhile, has publicly argued that climate change is a hoax.
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[Read more: Politics of climate change in focus as Hurricane Milton hits Florida]
BrightNight closes on Goldman Sachs investment
Independent renewables power producer BrightNight announced Monday that it has closed a $440 investment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives.
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