Trump orders oil drilling in Arctic reserve

He Donald Trump’s inauguration speech Last January 20 was full of controversies. Not only for the blunders on scientific topics that caused a stir in New Zealand. Also because he announced measures that make clear the drift that his dangerous environmental policies. For example, he made it very clear that he thinks open the Arctic to drilling in search of oil and other fossil fuels. Until now, the Arctic wildlife reserve, located in Alaska, had remained closed to drilling by order of Joe Biden. The last president had denied several exploitation permits in this protected area. However, the new president has already shown on many occasions how little he cares about the planet, so it was not going to be any less this time.

“Drill, baby drill”. With this slogan, first used in 2008 by the former Republican lieutenant governor of the state of Maryland Michael SteeleDonald Trump has signaled his intentions in his inauguration speech. But what will be the consequences if drilling in these Alaskan territories finally restarts?

American environmental groups have not been waiting to launch their answer to this question. Without a doubt, it is not good at all. There is only hope that, as have already shown on some other occasionfuel extraction companies show disinterest in this area of ​​the Arctic. It doesn’t matter how much Donald Trump opens the doors of the reservation. If the big oil companies refuse to extract fuel from there, there is little else they can do. I hope that’s the case.

This is the reserve that Donald Trump wants to drill

According to data from 2024it is estimated that beneath the soil of Alaska there is an amount of oil equivalent to 450-800 million barrels. Most of this territory is open to exploitation. However, there is an area of 78,000 square kilometers located on the northern slope of Alaska where, until now, it was strictly prohibited.

It is about the Attic National Wildlife Refuge, known to some people like him United States Serengetidue to the great biodiversity that exists in it. It is one of the most intact and virgin of said country and it is estimated that approximately more than 200 species of birds, 42 species of fish and 45 species of mammals. Animals such as polar, brown and black bears, moose, caribou, wolves, lynxes, eagles, martens and beavers stand out. Its caribou population stands out especially, with more than 120,000 specimens.

The Refuge was established in 1960 by President Dwight Eisenhower. Although it belonged to the American Republican Party, over time it has been the Democrats who have put the most effort into protecting the Refuge. Joe Biden also suspended drilling permits established in this region, in order to protect it even more. But Donald Trump has taken it upon himself to annul this suspension and announce his commitment to “drill, baby, drill“(“drill” means “to pierce” in English).

What do environmentalists say?

Both environmentalists and Alaska Native groups have expressed concern about the first decisions made by Donald Trump.

Carol Holleythe lawyer and manager of the Earthjustice group, recalled in a statement that “Alaska is warming up four times faster than the rest of the planet.” This, he added, is “a trend that is wreaking havoc on communities, ecosystems, fish, wildlife and ways of life that depend on healthy lands and waters.” Logically, drilling the ground to extract oil and natural gas is the last thing needed to have healthy lands and waters.

For Donald Trump, this is a decision that will bring economic prosperity to the United States, but it is not all about money. There is no United States without a planet and, with measures like this, little by little the stones are being laid to build an uninhabitable planet.