Rick Perry tells climate hecklers the oil industry is ‘saving lives’

Washington Examiner | John Siciliano | September 25, 2017

Energy Secretary Rick Perry scolded climate change activists at an oil conference on Monday by telling them that the oil industry saves lives.

The two activists heckled Perry while he was delivering remarks in Washington, D.C., to the National Petroleum Council, including one who said, "people's lives are on the line," alluding to the impact of fossil fuels on the Earth's temperature. Many scientists blame the burning of fossil fuels for heating the planet with potentially disastrous consequences.

But Perry said the oil industry is helping, not hurting.

"This industry is leading the world in affecting the climate and affecting the climate in a positive way," Perry said. "I'm proud to be a part of this industry. You want to talk about saving lives, that's what we are doing."

"It upsets me when some guy stands up and says, ‘What are you going to do, you're killing people,'" Perry added, according to Bloomberg. "No sir. You want to kill people, you take energy away from them and you see how those north African countries will be treated."

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