Oil & Gas

New Mexico’s Deal With Oil Company to Plug Wells Could Set a Precedent

Welcome to “Feet to the Fire: Big Oil and the Climate Crisis,” a biweekly newsletter in which we share our latest reporting on how the fossil fuel industry is driving climate change and influencing climate policy in five of the nation’s most important oil- and gas-producing states. In addition, we shine a spotlight on the financing of the fossil fuel industry, holding banks and other financial institutions accountable for their role and providing you with updates on their activities.

Oil Drilling and Energy Policy in Focus

In a victory speech following the close of the Iowa Caucuses last night, the first electoral event of the U.S. Republican Party’s 2024 primary race, former President Donald Trump’s first order of business was a promise to “drill, baby, drill — right away” if re-elected. The priority given to concerns regarding the U.S.’s energy output by the Republican frontrunner appeals to Americans’ frustration with relatively elevated oil prices and an expectation that they will rebound again in the near future.

What’s At Stake for China As Houthis Attack the Red Sea

Japanese shipping operator Nippon Yusen has become the latest among dozens of shipping companies to suspend sailings through the Red Sea.
Beijing has so far remained tight-lipped about the raging war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip despite China being Israel’s second-largest trading partner.
Beijing has called for an end to attacks on civilian vessels in the Red Sea.