# Energy Secretary Says Climate Change Not Among Top Global Concerns  
**Published:** 2026-05-23T00:42:52.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/energy-secretary-says-climate-change-not-among-top-global-concerns

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told an energy summit in Utah on Thursday that [global warming is "nowhere close to the world's top five or 10 problems,"](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/) pushing back against climate concerns while promoting expanded energy production. The comments came during the Operation Gigawatt Summit in Park City, where Wright and other Trump administration officials outlined plans to accelerate nuclear energy development and other energy projects.

Wright, [confirmed as the 17th Secretary of Energy in February 2025,](https://www.energy.gov/person/chris-wright) said Americans should abandon what he termed "doomster" views around energy. [A longtime entrepreneur in fossil fuel and energy sectors,](https://www.energy.gov/person/chris-wright) Wright emphasized that "there's never been a better time to be alive" and urged people to embrace optimism about economic opportunities.

"The future is going to be awesome if we believe it's going to be awesome, and we make it to be awesome," Wright said at the event, which [aimed to coordinate efforts to accelerate energy production and modernize infrastructure](https://www.gigawattsummit.com/) in Utah. The summit brought together federal officials, energy industry leaders, policymakers and academics to discuss strategies for addressing growing energy demand.

Wright's remarks reflected the Trump administration's broader energy agenda. [As secretary, Wright has overseen rollbacks of climate change mitigation policies and promoted fossil fuel use.](https://www.energy.gov/person/chris-wright) The summit highlighted nuclear power as a centerpiece of that vision, with [discussions focused on accelerating deployment across nuclear, deep geothermal, natural gas and emerging technologies.](https://www.gigawattsummit.com/)

Utah has become a testing ground for the administration's nuclear ambitions. [Governor Spencer Cox and Secretary Wright discussed progress on President Trump's nuclear executive orders,](https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/operation-gigawatt-energy-progress/) with Wright noting that Utah represents [one of the top leaders in developing nuclear technology](https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/operation-gigawatt-energy-progress/) and praising the state's "welcoming business environment" for energy investment.

The summit also featured Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, who urged companies to capitalize on the current regulatory environment. "This is a moment to step on the gas, to invest, to believe in your company," Zeldin said, recommending energy companies [seek to "get as much built as possible before the end of this term."](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/)

During the summit, Utah and federal permitting officials signed [a memorandum of understanding to align state permitting timelines with federal environmental review timeframes for certain projects.](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/) Wright also praised Utah's application to host one of three proposed "nuclear lifecycle innovation" campuses that would support activities including uranium enrichment and waste management.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/22/repub/global-warming-is-nowhere-close-to-the-worlds-top-5-or-10-problems-energy-secretary-says/.