US halts new natural gas export facilities

US President Joe Biden's administration announced yesterday it was pausing new liquified natural gas (LNG) export facilities, citing the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis by accelerating the transition from fossil fuels. It comes as the president looks to shore up his liberal base in a tough election rematch later this year against likely Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has falsely called human-caused global warming a "hoax" and vowed to torpedo his Democratic opponent's climate agenda. "This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time," said Biden in a statement. "While MAGA Republicans willfully deny the urgency of the climate crisis, condemning the American people to a dangerous future, my Administration will not be complacent." The US is the world's leading LNG exporter, averaging 11.6 billion cubic feet (328 million cubic metres) per day according to the tracker CEDIGAZ, with seven terminals currently in operation. Under the plan, new export applications would be subjected to an indefinite review considering climate and wider environmental and economic impacts.