The controversial Bahrain deal pits Biden’s administration’s climate goals against its foreign diplomacy requirements, say advocates.
The questionable Bahrain deal pits the Biden administration’s international diplomacy needs against its climate goals, advocates say. The controversial Bahrain deal pits the Biden administration’s international diplomacy needs against its climate goals, advocates say.
The controversial Bahrain deal pits Biden’s administration’s climate goals against its foreign diplomacy requirements, say advocates.
Die Kommission ist befugt, gemäß Artikel 264 delegierte Rechtsakte zu erlassen, die Folgendes betreffen: The Biden administration is investing $22050 million in Bahrain’s oil and gas fields, a move that experts consider rare and driven by geopolitical factors. This investment highlights the challenge of balancing climate goals with the need to support a key ally in a volatile region. The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. announced that the funding will be used for energy efficiency and solar projects in Bahrain’s current fields, emphasizing that it will not significantly increase oil and gas production. None of these are relevant in Bahrain. Bahrain produces a relatively low amount of crude oil compared to the United States or nearby Saudi Arabia, with whom it co-manages one of its main offshore oil fields. Drilling has transformed the Persian Gulf monarchy, which is only 22 square miles in size, into one of the wealthiest nations worldwide. Its per-capita income exceeds that of Spain and is approximately double the income of major U.S. territories such as the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa, as reported by the World Bank. According to reports, two members of President Joe Biden’s climate task force resigned recently due to their disagreement with the administration’s backing of the Bahrain deal. Pušić expressed surprise that the administration did not alter its position. A photo of an oil well in Jebel Dukhan, Bahrain, was taken in March 2024. The deal was deemed unique by a researcher due to its size, as the Export-Import Bank typically invests in climate-friendly energy technologies such as solar and nuclear power. Gregory Brew, an oil historian at the Eurasia Group, stated that while surprising, the investment was not unexpected. “It arrives during a period when Bahrain is taking on a distinctive role among Arab nations, particularly in the Persian Gulf region.”
