President Trump: Our unexpected climate president?

[Zorro]

The Iranian crisis appears to be boosting the transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy

In one of the most ironic twists of his tenure, President Donald Trump’s military confrontation with Iran may end up with an unintended consequence: accelerating the world’s transition away from fossil fuels.

The president’s intentions are clear – boost U.S. fossil fuels and secure energy dominance in the world. In the short term, it is working: U.S. oil and gas exports are hitting record highs as countries scramble to find secure supplies.

But the cost and pain of the third energy crisis in a decade (including during the initial COVID recovery as demand outstripped supply and the Ukrainian war when Russian gas was sanctioned) is also driving home an important lesson: Oil and gas supplies are vulnerable and volatile, and their supply chains can be weaponized and cripple economies without warning. True energy security comes from a home-grown supply.

In the past, countries without significant fossil fuel resources were powerless to create energy within their borders. But today they are not, as solar, wind and batteries have dropped in price so rapidly that they can economically pick up bigger parts of the energy load. And unlike with fossil fuels, renewable energy costs aren’t volatile, and their fuel source — sunbeams and wind currents — can not be embargoed.

https://www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2026/05/23/president-trump-our-unexpected-climate-president-column/