Key facts
- US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US might leave the International Energy Agency if climate issues are not aligned.
- Wright stated his strong preference is to reform the IEA.
- The IEA has provided research and data to industrialized governments for over 50 years on energy security, supply, and investment.
- The United States provides about a quarter of the IEA's funding.
- The IEA has broadened its focus to include clean energy to help member governments meet Paris climate agreement goals.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated on Wednesday that the United States could consider leaving the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the organization does not align with US climate priorities. Wright stated that his strong preference is to reform the agency.
"We're either going to reform the IEA or we will leave the IEA. My strong preference is that we reform it," Wright said at an event in New York hosted by the Wall Street Journal.
The Paris-based IEA has been providing research and data to industrialized governments for over half a century to guide policy on energy security, supply, and investment. The United States contributes approximately a quarter of the group's funding.
In recent years, the IEA has expanded 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 transitioning away from fossil fuel reliance. However, the Trump administration and the oil industry have criticized the IEA's attention on climate change, urging the agency to concentrate primarily on oil, gas, and coal. Wright expressed a desire to reform the agency to "focus on its core mission - and deliver it well and thoughtfully - not scenarios that are more politically popular."