[danans]

> So this is obviously dumb and short-sighted. But also ... why do they need it?

It's more about propaganda and fodder for lawmakers who will try to use it to justify fossil fuel promotion legislation.

It's not fooling anyone though. Most of the world - including the US - is well aware of that increasing GHGs are warming the atmosphere. Those whose livelihood depends on existing climate patterns is already feeling the effects.

Some just don't care because they believe they are insulated from the effects, and gain huge amounts of wealth and power from a short term boost in fossil fuel demand. In their fever dream, they might wish that the world at large somehow forgets the physics of GHG emissions, but that's unlikely.