

Donald Trump loves all forms of energy, except if produced by wind turbines. That's the conclusion that can be drawn from his first executive orders on Monday, January 20, which notably announced the United States to be in an "energy emergency." The new US president claimed to be erasing the Green New Deal, the energy transition program of his predecessor, Joe Biden, raising fears of a complete step backward in terms of energy transition. The most certain development is the exit from the Paris climate agreement, which will take effect after a one-year notice. However, this withdrawal is non-binding and does not directly impact US domestic policy. While the anti-renewable energy message is clear, its practical implications are much less so. Exegetes are wary of drawing definitive conclusions.
As expected, on Tuesday, January 21, the president announced a moratorium on offshore wind farm projects, which he has accused of harming whales. However, he also surprisingly extended that moratorium to land. According to Trump, these wind turbines "damage landscapes." They have already been banned in 411 counties in the US, including all of Kentucky, which delights coastal populations. "We are grateful that the new administration is protecting our iconic, multigenerational trade from foreign energy companies and alphabet soup agencies destroying our way of life," said New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association director Jerry Leeman.
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