Time to Stand Up for the People of Ukraine: Locking Future Generations Into Fossil Fuels Won't Help

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In recent days, the oil and gas industry and its apologists have sought to exploit the Russian invasion of Ukraine by pushing for policies that would lock future generations into decades of more dependence on fossil fuels.

Following is a statement from Manish Bapna, president and CEO of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“Like people everywhere, we are saddened and appalled by the death and suffering inflicted on the people of Ukraine by a brutal and unjustified Russian military invasion, and we are inspired by the courage and resilience the Ukrainian people have shown in these difficult days. We call for an immediate end to this unlawful assault, and we stand with those working to restore peace to Ukraine and Europe.

“Unfortunately, in this country, the oil and gas industry is trying to exploit this tragedy for financial gain. The industry seeks to roll back commonsense safeguards we all depend on to protect the environment and public health; expose more and more irreplaceable federal waters and land to the damage and danger of oil and gas drilling; and fast-track fossil fuel infrastructure. None of this will help stop the war, limit the suffering in Ukraine today or lower the energy prices we’re all watching rise at home and abroad. We need a better approach.

“Russia is an autocratic petro state using oil and gas money to finance military aggression. It is weaponizing energy exports to hold Europe hostage to a price and supply crisis of Moscow’s making. It’s one more reminder of why we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and speed the shift to cleaner, smarter energy sources that won’t condemn us to endless cycles of suffering and war while driving us headlong toward climate catastrophe.

“The industry attempt to lock future generations into decades more dependence on fossil fuels can do nothing to help the people of Ukraine today, but it would help to doom us to the worst consequences of climate change tomorrow. We must do better than that.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.