Republican governors tout green bona fides even as ESG becomes politically toxic as ‘woke’ climate change virtue signaling

Republican governors across the US have been trumpeting their states’ green bona fides even as the anti-ESG clatter from GOP lawmakers shows few signs of abating.

Alaska’s Mike Dunleavy said his state has the potential to be a “global leader” in low and even no-carbon energy. Wyoming’s Mark Gordon said his state is known for its “forward thinking’’ on the environment and climate. North Dakota’s Doug Burgum said he expects his state to achieve “carbon neutrality” by 2030. The governors’ comments were made over the past two months during their annual State of the State speeches.

Their remarks about the nation’s energy transition contrast with statements from other Republicans, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, who’ve condemned Wall Street for weighing environmental, social and governance factors in their financing decisions. At the same time, dozens of anti-ESG bills have been introduced by state legislators who have derided efforts to address climate change as “woke.”

“There’s clearly a disconnect between the anti-ESG rhetoric and the energy transition,” said John Miller, policy analyst at Cowen Inc. in Washington. “While there’s been a long-term skepticism of climate change among Republicans, there’s recently been an evolution of economies happening in their states.”

As these Republican governors championed their oil, gas and coal industries, they acknowledged the need to embrace all types of energy, including wind, solar and nuclear—an approach that GOP politicians commonly refer to as “all of the above.” Some of the governors also emphasized their states’ abilities to capture and store carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Their recent speeches follow last year’s passage of the landmark US climate bill that promises to unleash some $370 billion for clean-energy projects.

Learn more: Fortune