Dakota Resource Council responds to UN Climate Report

MINOT, N.D (KMOT) – Earlier this week, the head of the state’s Petroleum Council pushed back on the UN’s climate report to significantly reduce fossil fuel production.

Your News Leader wanted to know what the Dakota Resource Council thinks of the report.

Scott Skokos, the executive director of the council, said the warnings from the UN are nothing new.

He said those reports are peer-reviewed and factual and that North Dakota needs to follow the recommendations to transition to cleaner energy, even if it’s going to take a couple of decades.

“They have sunken costs in their infrastructure and their business model does not allow for them to entertain the idea of transitioning to clean energy,” said Skokos.

He said while parts of the state attempt to capture carbon, his organization disagrees with that solution because of possible long-term risks.

He added the Dakota Resource Council is working on expanding electric transportation throughout the state. He said they are also working with the EPA on crafting federal rules to reduce methane emissions.

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