Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Policy: Its Impact on International Relations
Following the United Nations’ 2023 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, which concluded with a call for transitioning away from fossil fuelsa historic milestone in global environmental actionconcerns have emerged that this international commitment might be losing momentum. The growth of clean energy initiatives has slowed down, while the burning of fossil fuels continues to rise. Amidst these challenges, President Donald Trump’s declaration of a “national energy emergency,” which promotes the exploitation of fossil fuels and disregards clean energy policies, is causing alarm.
Trumps slogan, “drill baby drill,” along with the USs withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, has spurred reactions globally. Indonesia, for example, hints at potential alignment with Trump’s stance. Hashim Djojohadikusumo, special envoy for climate change and energy in Indonesia as reported by Antara news agency, questioned international justice: “If the United States does not want to comply with the international agreement, why should a country like Indonesia comply?” This rhetorical question highlights concerns that developing nations may follow suit due to Americas large carbon emissions compared to their own.
Indonesia is among the top 10 countries in global carbon dioxide production. As noted by Nithi Nesadurai from Climate Action Network Southeast Asia, the signals coming from her region are concerning. She observed that with “the richest country and largest oil producer” increasing its fossil fuel output, other states have a convenient excuse to follow suit.
In South Africa, a $8.5 billion foreign-aided project aimed at transitioning from coal to clean energy is proceeding slowly. Wikus Kruger of the University of Cape Town expressed concerns that decommissioning old coal-fired power stations could be further delayed. While there might be a setback in renewable transition efforts, he highlighted continued growth in the clean energy sector.
Argentina has withdrawn its negotiators from COP29 climate talks following Trumps election and announced it will withdraw from the Paris Agreement of 2015. Enrique Viale of Argentina’s Association of Environmental Lawyers stated that “we now expect our oil and gas production to go up,” echoing the shift towards fossil fuels.
Energy giants like Equinor are halving their renewable energy investments while increasing fossil fuel extraction, and BP is expected to make similar announcements. Despite global clean energy investment exceeding $2 trillion for the first time last year, its growth has slowed in recent years as many major banks continue financing fossil fuels.
Lorne Stockman of Oil Change International warns that if the US floods markets with cheap fossil fuels or pressures countries into buying more American oil and gas, it could stall global energy transition efforts. According to David Brown from Wood Mackenzie, the economics of energy supply drives decarbonization. However, import-dependent economies like China have significant incentives for reducing carbon emissions.
President Trump’s policy shift has clear implications for international markets as potential foreign buyers eagerly await increased American oil and gas supplies. Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed US commitment to supplying crude oil and liquefied natural gas, while South Korea hinted at increasing purchases from the United States. Japan’s largest power generator JERA expressed interest in diversifying its LNG supply by buying more from the U.S.
Experts argue that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels requires no new fossil fuel extraction and a rapid reduction of carbon emissions (around 45% by 2030). Despite challenges, the energy transition investment surpassing $2 trillion last year underscores ongoing efforts towards sustainable energy solutions.
