US Republicans tout benefits of fossil fuels at COP27

Members of a Republican Congressional delegation on Friday took the stage at this year's U.N. climate talks to tout the benefits of fossil fuels.The climate negotiations taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh are all about curbing carbon emissions.The overwhelming consensus among scientists is that coal, oil and gas need to stay firmly in the ground to prevent global temperatures from rising to dangerous highs.

And the world is already facing the consequences: Sea-level rise, extreme weather and species extinction. "I think we need to decide as a world: do we hate greenhouse gas emissions or do we hate fossil fuels. It's not the same thing," said Rep. John Curtis (Utah), who is known for founding the Conservative Climate Caucus.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (Texas) said that replacing one fossil fuel — coal — with a slightly cleaner one — natural gas — would already result in big emissions cuts. Crenshaw criticized what he called "hyper alarmism" by "radical environmentalists." "Let's not lie to our children and scare them to death and tell them they're going to burn alive because of this," he said.

Shortly after the Republican delegation held its event, U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a speech in a packed hall.