In Houston, Texas, police arrested eight climate activists Monday as they held a nonviolent protest and briefly blocked a street near the CERAWeek Energy Conference. Protesters demanded an end to oil and gas drilling and limits on petrochemical and plastics production. Inside the conference, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that climate change was a “side effect of building the modern world.” Wright said oil, gas, coal and nuclear power are essential, and he promoted a proposed $44 billion, 800-mile pipeline to carry natural gas from the Arctic Circle to Alaska’s southern coast, where it would be liquefied for export.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright: “During the last administration, there were far more restrictions on Alaska producing oil, gas and minerals than there were on Iran. We’ve sanctioned Alaska more than we’ve sanctioned Iran. So, that, of course, is just nuts.”