Trump's Venezuela Oil Push Could Worsen South Florida Climate Risks

Federal documents and expert analyses obtained by the South Florida Standard reveal that the Trump administration’s push to dramatically increase oil drilling in Venezuela could significantly worsen climate impacts already threatening South Florida’s vulnerable coastlines and ecosystems.

Following the capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump announced plans to orchestrate a massive expansion of oil production in the country, which holds the world’s largest known petroleum reserves — equivalent to approximately 300 billion barrels, according to Energy Institute research.

“The oil companies are going to go in, they are going to spend money, we are going to take back the oil, frankly, we should’ve taken back a long time ago,” Trump said after Maduro’s extraction from Caracas. “A lot of money is coming out of the ground, we are going to be reimbursed for everything we spend.”

Climate scientists warn that supercharging Venezuelan oil production would accelerate global greenhouse gas emissions at a critical time for South Florida, where sea level rise threatens billions in real estate from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale’s coastal neighborhoods.

Dr. Harold Wanless, University of Miami professor emeritus of geological sciences, said increased global oil production directly translates to faster ice sheet melting and more rapid sea level rise. “Every barrel extracted and burned pushes us closer to the tipping points that will make places like Virginia Key and Key Biscayne uninhabitable,” Wanless said.

Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, has seen production decline from 3.5 million barrels per day in the 1990s to roughly 800,000 barrels daily in recent years due to infrastructure failures and economic sanctions. Trump’s administration is pressing Venezuela’s interim government to eliminate laws requiring oil projects to be half-owned by the state, potentially opening the door for major U.S. energy companies to invest billions in upgrading the country’s drilling capacity.

The administration’s Venezuela oil strategy represents an extension of Trump’s domestic “drill, baby, drill” agenda to international markets. Internal Energy Department communications reviewed by the Standard indicate the administration views Venezuelan oil as a strategic opportunity to flood global markets while generating revenue for U.S. companies.

South Florida already faces some of the nation’s most severe climate risks. The region experiences regular sunny-day flooding during high tides, with neighborhoods like Shorecrest in Miami Beach seeing increased street flooding during king tide events. NOAA data shows Miami-Dade County has recorded 2.8 inches of sea level rise since 2000, with projections of 6 to 10 additional inches by 2040 under current emissions scenarios.

“Everybody loses if Venezuelan oil production is supercharged,” said Dr. Jennifer Jurado, Broward County’s chief resilience officer. “The emissions from burning those reserves would lock in catastrophic sea level rise that would fundamentally alter our coastline and economy.”

The Everglades, already stressed by agricultural runoff and altered water flows, faces additional pressure from accelerated climate change. Scientists studying the ecosystem warn that rapid sea level rise could push saltwater intrusion further inland, threatening the freshwater marshes that define South Florida’s natural Environment & Climate systems.

According to peer-reviewed research from Florida International University, burning Venezuela’s proven oil reserves would release approximately 1.3 trillion tons of carbon dioxide — roughly 35 times the annual global emissions total. Such emissions would make limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius mathematically impossible, researchers concluded.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s office declined to comment on the Venezuela oil expansion plans, but the county’s 2023 climate action strategy specifically identifies the need for rapid global emissions reductions to protect local infrastructure investments.

The administration’s Venezuela approach also raises questions about enforcement of existing environmental regulations. EPA documents show the agency has already begun rolling back methane monitoring requirements for offshore drilling operations, potentially reducing oversight of any future Venezuelan oil projects involving U.S. companies.

Venezuela’s oil infrastructure requires massive investment to reach previous production levels. The Orinoco Belt, which contains most of the country’s heavy crude reserves, needs an estimated $200 billion in upgrades to extraction and refining facilities. Trump said U.S. oil companies will “spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure” and “start making money for the country.”

Environmental groups are preparing legal challenges to any federal permits or financing that would support Venezuelan oil expansion. The Sierra Club and Earthjustice have filed preliminary injunctions in federal court arguing that such projects require full environmental impact assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act.

South Florida’s tourism economy, worth more than $18 billion annually in Miami-Dade alone, faces particular vulnerability to accelerated climate change. Rising seas threaten Miami Beach hotels, while increased storm intensity could damage the Port of Miami and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

State records show the South Florida Water Management District has already approved $2.3 billion in sea level rise adaptation projects through 2030, but those plans assume gradual emissions reductions consistent with international climate agreements. Massive increases in global oil production would require far more extensive — and expensive — coastal protection measures.

The administration has not yet specified which U.S. energy companies might participate in Venezuelan oil development, though industry analysts expect major players like ExxonMobil and Chevron to seek drilling permits once legal frameworks are established.

Venezuela’s interim government has not publicly responded to U.S. pressure to modify state ownership requirements for oil projects. The country’s constitution requires legislative approval for changes to petroleum laws, though the current political transition creates uncertainty about normal governance procedures.

For South Florida residents already grappling with flooding, hurricane intensification, and ecosystem degradation, the prospect of dramatically increased global oil production represents a direct threat to long-term habitability. The region’s future depends partly on policy decisions being made thousands of miles away, in Venezuelan oil fields that could determine whether Miami’s skyline survives the coming decades.