Washington, D.C.— Last week, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) hosted the Fourth Annual Conservative Climate Summit at the University of Utah, convening policymakers—including Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright—alongside business leaders, researchers, and community stakeholders to discuss practical, market-driven solutions to Utah’s most pressing natural resource challenges. The summit focused on addressing the state’s growing water demand, wildfire risk, and energy needs through innovation, partnership, and conservative principles of stewardship.
“The Conservative Climate Summit continues to show that conservatives are leading with practical, durable solutions for our environment and economy. Utahns care deeply about clean air, healthy forests, and reliable, affordable energy—and we know those goals are not in conflict,” Curtis said following the summit. “By championing innovation, empowering local communities, and responsible land and resource management, we can protect what makes Utah special without sacrificing our prosperity. The summit is about action over ideology, and this year’s program proved no different. I am grateful to the University of Utah for hosting us again this year and to everyone who came ready to engage in candid, solutions-driven conversation about the future of energy, water, and conservation in our state.”
The day’s agenda highlighted Utah’s leadership in next-generation energy and land stewardship, featuring conversations on renewables, nuclear, geothermal, and healthy forests/wildfire mitigation. The summit underscored Senator Curtis’s “all-of-the-above” approach to energy and his bipartisan work on forest management.
Background
- In 2021, then-Representative Curtis founded the Conservative Climate Caucus to ensure conservative voices and ideas shape national climate and energy policy. The caucus operates on a simple premise: the best environmental solutions come from innovation, not regulation; from markets, not mandates.
- Curtis has consistently advocated for energy independence and innovation, emphasizing that a strong economy and a healthy environment are not mutually exclusive—they are, in his words, “compatible and inseparable.”
- As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and now the U.S. Senate, Curtis has advanced policies promoting cleaner, more efficient use of fossil fuels, expansion of next-generation nuclear, and investment in geothermal and carbon capture technologies, key pillars of a reliable, all-of-the-above energy portfolio.
- This year’s summit featured robust discussions about Utah’s water future, renewable energy development, and resilient land management, and included remarks from U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who highlighted Utah’s national leadership in energy innovation and stewardship.
- Senator Curtis continues to lead a national conversation about how conservatives can address climate challenges through strength, stewardship, and smart policy, grounded in the same pioneer values of thrift, responsibility, and self-reliance that built Utah.
- He has consistently argued for a Republican presence at the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) climate summits, having attended several since 2021, arguing that without any Republicans at the climate table, there would be no good ideas.