President Trump Energy and Climate Technology Policy Timeline: Executive Orders, Statements and More

President Donald Trump -- on the first day of his second presidency -- signed multiple Executive Orders (EOs) designed to boost fossil fuel energy production while reversing former President Joe Biden's climate technology and electric vehicle (EV) initiatives.

According to Trump's America First Priorities, he plans to "unleash American energy by ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism, streamlining permitting, and reviewing for rescission all regulations that impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals."

Among the key moves: Trump is pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord for the second time. The first time occurred in June 2017. Participating in the accord puts the United States at an economic disadvantage, Trump asserted in 2017 -- though at the time Trump said he was open to negotiating "a deal that's fair." That move never materialized under Trump. Instead, the U.S. rejoined the Paris Climate Accord in 2021 under President Biden.

While Trump's expected moves in 2025 and beyond may undermine numerous climate technology initiatives, they can't fully stop American's green transition, former Biden climate advisor Ali Zaidi told Wired.

President Trump: Energy and Climate Technology Policy Timeline

Here's a timeline of Trump's second presidency, and associated energy policies. Check back regularly for updates:

January 20, 2025:

• Countering President Biden: Trump revoked a total of 78 executive orders signed by Joe Biden, including one that aimed to make 50% of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. electric by 2030, SeekingAlpha reported.
• Executive Order - Declaring a National Energy Emergency: This executive order prioritizes the production and transportation of "crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals, as defined by 30 U.S.C. 1606 (a)(3)." The order did not mention solar energy, and a separate order pushed back against Wind Energy.
• Executive Order - Unleashing American Energy: This eliminates the Electric Vehicle mandate but nevertheless emphasizes the search for rare earth minerals, "which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states."
• Executive Order - Retreating from Offshore Wind Energy: Here are the details.
• AI Executive Order Rescinded: Trump rescinded a 2023 executive order signed by Biden, which was aimed at regulating and managing the risks from AI, SeekingAlpha reported. AI proponents have argued that regulating AI too early could harm U.S. competitiveness against China and other AI-hungry economies.
• Executive Order - DOGE: This Executive Order established the Department of Government Efficiency to implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by "modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." Read between the lines, and DODE is not only about making the federal government more efficient, but it may also greatly impact IT spending decisions, buying decisions, and technology consumption, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.
• Executive Order - Exiting the Paris Agreement: An Executive Order, called Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements, will remove the U.S. from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• Sworn in: Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, and immediately announced America First Priorities that include exiting the Paris Climate Accord.

Note: Blog posted January 20, 2025. Check back regularly for timeline updates.