The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has designated expressions such as “climate change,” “emission,”..

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A coal-fired power plant in the United States [Photo = Reuters Yonhap News]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has designated expressions such as “climate change,” “emission,” “green,” and “decarbonization” as prohibited words, U.S. political media Politico reported on the 28th (local time).

According to an internal email obtained by Politico on the 26th, the DOE’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EEERE) updated the list of words to avoid and included the terms. “Avoid terms that do not fit the perspective and priorities of the current administration,” the email said.

The guidelines apply not only to external communications but also to internal communications, but also to federal funding applications, reports, and briefings.

Among the expressions that officials should not use are ‘energy conversion’, ‘sustainable’, ‘sustainability’, ‘clean energy’, ‘dirty energy’, ‘carbon footprint’, ‘CO₂ footprint’, ‘tax benefit’, ‘tax credit’, and ‘subsidy’.

“This is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to deny, silence, or reduce the reality of climate change,” Politico said, noting that “the words on the Energy Department’s list are at the heart of the EERE mission.”

The DOE did not immediately return Politico’s request for comment.

Earlier on the 23rd, in a keynote speech at a high-level session of the U.N. General Assembly, President Trump used harsh expressions such as “the biggest fraud ever committed around the world” and “green scams” on global climate change response and carbon reduction policies led by the U.N. and claimed that “the ‘carbon footprint’ is a scam made up by people with malicious intent.”

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U.S. President Donald Trump to address U.N. General Assembly [AP=Yonhap News]

DOE Secretary Chris Wright has also recently used a report made under his direction to deny scientific orthodoxy, reducing the role of emissions growth in climate extremization and arguing that the potential benefits of global warming are being underestimated.

In addition, Secretary Wright announced at a press conference on the 24th that he would cancel $13 billion (18 trillion won) in subsidies for renewable energy projects, saying, “If you don’t thrive on your own after 33 years, it’s not a proper business.”