Trump's Executive Order on Alaska—what is it and what does it mean for our planet?
By: Seoyoon Jin
In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order called "Alaska's extraordinary resource potential". The objective of this order is to increase the use of Alaska's natural resources, cut off restoration from the previous administration, and accelerate approval for oil, gas, and mineral extraction. One of the biggest changes is to reopen the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and more oil drilling. The administration claims that this energy will promote freedom, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and create jobs. However, this loss is serious to the environment and local communities.
The Arctic is one of the most delicate ecosystems on Earth, and large-scale drilling can throw it out of the balance that cannot be undone. Arctic Refuge, often called the "Last Great Wilderness of America", is the home of polar bears, Karibu, migratory birds, and other animals that depend on its untouched landscape. Drilling disrupts their habitats, shows loud noise, increases the risk of toxic spread, and causes permanent damage. Cleaning an oil leak in the Arctic would be almost impossible due to its hard weather and remote location. The spread of deepwater horizon in the Gulf of Mexico showed how the spreading oil can be for marine life and coastal communities - if something like this happens in the Arctic, the results would be worse.
On top of this, this policy completely ignores the immediate need to address climate change. The Arctic is heating up almost four times faster than the rest of the world, and the expansion of oil and gas drilling will only worsen it. Millions of tons of carbon emissions will be pumped into the atmosphere by extracting and burning more fossil fuels, at a time when scientists are urging a change for cleaner energy. Trump's policy is a major step backward, in favor of short-term profits for oil companies on the health of the planet and future generations.
In Alaska, indigenous communities are also being hurt by this policy. While some see resource development as an economic opportunity, many people oppose drilling on their ancestral land. Gwich'in people have long fought against drilling in Arctic Refuge because it is a threat to the Porpin Karibu herd, which is an important part of their food supply and culture. Similarly, many Inupiat leaders have warned that an increase in drilling will cause harmful hunting and fishing, which they trust to survive. Despite these concerns, the administration has ignored indigenous voices in favor of big oil companies.
Environmental groups and legal advocates are already registering cases to challenge this policy, arguing that it violates environmental protection laws and reverses efforts to reduce carbon emissions. While courts can slow down or block some of Trump's drilling plans, their push for deregulation has already encouraged oil companies to move forward, making it clear that the environment of the environment Protecting is not a priority for this administration.
Finally, Trump's new drilling policy in Alaska is a careless step that endangers the environment, speeds up climate change, and disregards indigenous rights. At a time when the world should move towards renewable energy, this decision is held for old, harmful industries. If nothing is done to stop it, the results can be destructive - not only for Alaska, but the entire planet.
Works Cited:
Dang, Sheila, and Valerie Volcovici. Oil industry unlikely to rush to Alaska despite Trump's call to drill. Reuters, 23 Jan. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-industry-unlikely-rush-alaska-despite-trumps-call-drill-2025-01-23/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Bye, Hilde-Gunn. "Trump Signs Order to Maximize Resource Development in Alaska." High North News, 22 Jan. 2025, https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/trump-signs-order-maximize-resource-development-alaska.
Harcharek, Nagruk. "Letter: Iñupiat Demand Say in Development of Alaska's Oil and Gas." Financial Times, 24 Feb. 2025, https://www.ft.com/content/5f0f72e9-30e9-4865-8d19-c7180fb43e3a.
"Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-alaskas-extraordinary-resource-potential/.
Queen, Jack. "Environmental Groups Sue to Block Trump's Offshore Drilling Expansions." Reuters, 19 Feb. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/environmental-groups-sue-block-trumps-offshore-drilling-expansions-2025-02-19/.
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