Whenradicalenvironmentalgroupsdenounce the United States use of fossil fuels, they often romanticize countries attempting to wean themselvesfromcoal, oil and natural gas as models for us to follow.But the reality is that these resources remain vital to Americasnationaland economicsecurity, and theonlyones more eager than greengroupsto end our countrys energy development are geopolitical rivals like Russia and China.For a world power like the United States, policies that restrict the production and use of our God-given natural resources would hand a strategic and economic advantage to authoritarian regimes. Unfortunately,environmentalzealots dont seem to understand this inherent problem with their agenda. Or worse, they simply dont care.Take, for example,Greenpeace, which was recentlyorderedto pay $667 million to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline following its campaign of deception and destruction.PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PURSUING ENERGY DOMINANCE CONGRESS SHOULDN'T GET IN THE WAYWhat Greenpeace and other extremistgroupsdont grasp is that their efforts to stop oil and natural gas development would weaken the United States, embolden rogue nations, hurt our economy and have very little, if any, impactonthe environment.Making the United States more dependentonrenewable energy would make the U.S. electricity grid less reliable and threaten the nations economy. Spain is a pertinent example.In April, thecountry braggedthat for the first time, it was runningon100% renewable energy. Later that month, a grid failure created a nationwide blackout that risked lives andcost the country nearly a half-billion dollars.Generating electricity solely through renewables makes electric grids more prone to collapse, and requires incredibly expensive upgrades to energy infrastructure that leads to higher electricity prices for consumers.THE PREDICTABLE OUTCOME OF CALIFORNIAS GREEN ENERGY POLICIES HAS ARRIVED AND IT'S A DISASTERTheInternational Energy Agency foundthat for every 10% increase in the portion of electricity generated by renewables, costs go up by more than 4 cents per kilowatt hour. As a result, countries like Germany pay more than 2.5 times the average electricity rate than the United States, and over four times higher than China.When countries like China or Russia can generate electricity more cheaply than their democratic rivals, they gain an important economic advantage. Chinas coal consumptionreached record highslast year, and its buildout of new coal power plants reached thehighest level of constructionin the last 10 years. Russia is theworlds second-largest exporter of natural gasand holds natural gas reserves that rival the U.S.When it comes to the environment, these countries are not extracting or using fossil fuels with the same care as American companies. In fact, thelargest carbon emitterin the world by a long shot is China. In 2020, Chinas emissionsexceeded those of all other developed nationscombined. As China and Russia continue to develop their fossil fuel resources, it will be essential that the United States do the same.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONGroupslike Greenpeace may continue their efforts to derail American fossil fuel projects, but policymakers should recognize that this agenda would have little impactonthe environment and a lasting and damaging impactonboth U.S.nationalsecurityand economic competitiveness.To protect the environment and preserve our democratic values, the United States must pursue an energy policy rooted in realism, not ideology. Whileenvironmentalactivism has a place in shaping a sustainable future,radicalefforts to dismantle fossil fuel development ignore a critical truth energysecurityisnationalsecurity.Abandoning domestic oil and gas production would not reduce global emissions, it wouldonly hand a strategic advantage to those who pollute more, care less and gain power when democracies self-sabotage.Groupslike Greenpeace may cloak themselves in the language ofenvironmentaljustice, but their actions serve to undermine the very stability andenvironmentalstewardship they claim to champion.America must remain energy-independent, competitive and strong because the worlds most polluting regimes wont sacrifice their energy dominance no matter what we decide to do.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM MIKE POMPEO