Chris Wright, a Denver energy company executive who denies that climate change is a pressing threat, is President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Energy.
Why it matters: If confirmed, the appointment puts Wright — an evangelist for the oil and gas industry and decreased regulation — in a position to expand production and redirect billions in climate and energy-related spending from the Inflation Reduction Act.
State of play: Wright is the CEO of Liberty Energy, a fracking services company with 2,000 employees. He sits on the boards of modular nuclear reactor company Oklo Inc. and global mining company EMX Royalty Corp.