Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sept. 23 that the U.S. would leave the International Energy Agency if reform could not be achieved from the inside.
The IEA has come under fire from the Trump administration for allegedly deviating from its mission in researching oil, gas, and coal, and instead pursuing climate change mitigation narratives.
“In recent years, the organization had broadened its focus beyond oil and gas supply to include clean energy, as member governments sought input on meeting their goals under the Paris climate agreement and transition away from fossil fuel reliance.
But the Trump administration and the oil industry have criticized the IEA’s attention on climate change and have been calling on the agency to focus primarily on oil, gas and coal.
Wright said he wants to reform the agency to “focus on its core mission – and deliver it well and thoughtfully – not scenarios that are more politically popular.”
The U.S. provides around a fourth of the group’s international funding, according to Reuters. The organization has existed for nearly half a century, with its headquarters located in Paris, France.
Read more in Reuters.
