|
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/us/politics/23obama.text.html?ref=environment Obama’s Speech on Climate ChangePublished: September 22, 2009Following is the prepared text of President Obama's speech on Tuesday at the United Nations, as released by the White House. Good morning. I want to thank the Secretary-General for organizing
this summit, and all the leaders who are participating. That so many of
us are here today is a recognition that the threat from climate change
is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing. Our generation's response
to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it
– boldly, swiftly, and together – we risk consigning future generations
to an irreversible catastrophe. No nation, however large or
small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising
sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods
threaten every continent. More frequent drought and crop failures breed
hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive.
On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their
homes as climate refugees. The security and stability of each nation
and all peoples – our prosperity, our health, our safety – are in
jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out. And
yet, we can reverse it. John F. Kennedy once observed that "Our
problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man." It is true
that for too many years, mankind has been slow to respond to or even
recognize the magnitude of the climate threat. It is true of my own
country as well. We recognize that. But this is a new day. It is a new
era. And I am proud to say that the United States has done more to
promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight
months than at any other time in our history. We're making our
government's largest ever investment in renewable energy – an
investment aimed at doubling the generating capacity from wind and
other renewable resources in three years. Across America, entrepreneurs
are constructing wind turbines and solar panels and batteries for
hybrid cars with the help of loan guarantees and tax credits – projects
that are creating new jobs and new industries. We're investing billions
to cut energy waste in our homes, buildings, and appliances – helping
American families save money on energy bills in the process. We've
proposed the very first national policy aimed at both increasing fuel
economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and
trucks – a standard that will also save consumers money and our nation
oil. We're moving forward with our nation's first offshore wind energy
projects. We're investing billions to capture carbon pollution so that
we can clean up our coal plants. Just this week, we announced that for
the first time ever, we'll begin tracking how much greenhouse gas
pollution is being emitted throughout the country. Later this week, I
will work with my colleagues at the G20 to phase out fossil fuel
subsidies so that we can better address our climate challenge. And
already, we know that the recent drop in overall U.S. emissions is due
in part to steps that promote greater efficiency and greater use of
renewable energy. Most importantly, the House of Representatives
passed an energy and climate bill in June that would finally make clean
energy the profitable kind of energy for American businesses and
dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One committee has already
acted on this bill in the Senate and I look forward to engaging with
others as we move forward. Taken together, these steps represent an historic recognition on behalf of the American people and their government. We understand the gravity of the climate threat. We are determined to act. And we will meet our responsibility to future generations. But though many of our nations have taken bold actions and share in
this determination, we did not come here today to celebrate progress.
We came because there is so much more progress to be made. We came
because there is so much more work to be done. It
is work that will not be easy. As we head towards Copenhagen, there
should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front
of us. We seek sweeping but necessary change in the midst of a global
recession, where every nation's most immediate priority is reviving
their economy and putting their people back to work. And so all of us
will face doubts and difficulties in our own capitals as we try to
reach a lasting solution to the climate challenge. But difficulty
is no excuse for complacency. Unease is no excuse for inaction. And we
must not allow the perfect to become the enemy of progress. Each of us
must do what we can when we can to grow our economies without
endangering our planet – and we must all do it together. We must seize
the opportunity to make Copenhagen a significant step forward in the
global fight against climate change. We also cannot allow the old
divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years
to block our progress. Yes, the developed nations that caused much of
the damage to our climate over the last century still have a
responsibility to lead. And we will continue to do so – by investing in
renewable energy, promoting greater efficiency, and slashing our
emissions to reach the targets we set for 2020 and our long-term goal
for 2050. But those rapidly-growing developing nations that will
produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades
ahead must do their part as well. Some of these nations have already
made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy.
Still, they will need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to
stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand
behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest
emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together. There is no other
way. We must also energize our efforts to put other developing
nations – especially the poorest and most vulnerable – on a path to
sustainable growth. These nations do not have the same resources to
combat climate change as countries like the United States or China do,
but they have the most immediate stake in a solution. For these are the
nations that are already living with the unfolding effects of a warming
planet – famine and drought; disappearing coastal villages and the
conflict that arises from scarce resources. Their future is no longer a
choice between a growing economy and a cleaner planet, because their
survival depends on both. It will do little good to alleviate poverty
if you can no longer harvest your crops or find drinkable water. That
is why we have a responsibility to provide the financial and technical
assistance needed to help these nations adapt to the impacts of climate
change and pursue low-carbon development. What we are seeking,
after all, is not simply an agreement to limit greenhouse gas
emissions. We seek an agreement that will allow all nations to grow and
raise living standards without endangering the planet. By developing
and disseminating clean technology and sharing our know-how, we can
help developing nations leap-frog dirty energy technologies and reduce
dangerous emissions. As we meet here today, the good news is that
after too many years of inaction and denial, there is finally
widespread recognition of the urgency of the challenge before us. We
know what needs to be done. We know that our planet's future depends on
a global commitment to permanently reduce greenhouse gas pollution. We
know that if we put the right rules and incentives in place, we will
unleash the creative power of our best scientists, engineers, and
entrepreneurs to build a better world. And so many nations have already
taken the first steps on the journey towards that goal. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- |
- [geo] Obama's speech on climate change John Nissen
- [geo] Re: Obama's speech on climate change Eugene I. Gordon
