| November 18, 2006 |  |
President-elect Obama's Speech on Global Warming Hits the Right Note, National Science Group Says
Statement by Kevin Knobloch, Union of Concerned Scientists
WASHINGTON (November 18, 2008) — President-elect Barack Obama today made it clear that change is coming to the federal government's approach to global warming. In a brief, four-minute address to the bipartisan Governors' Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, he promised that after eight years of denial and delay, his administration would take the international lead in combating climate change.
Below is a statement by UCS President Kevin Knobloch:
"We are thrilled to hear our next president call for swift and bold action on global warming so early in his transition. In his statement today, President-elect Obama made it clear he recognizes the urgent need for action, as climate scientists have long advocated. Even more important, the president-elect has shown that he is firmly committed to the right solutions: investment in clean energy and new jobs, cutting global warming pollution with a national cap-and-trade system, and fully engaging with the international community to ensure we have a truly global solution for climate change.
"We are pleased that he plans to address three of our most pressing challenges simultaneously. He said he will protect our national security by curbing our dependence on oil, put millions of Americans back to work with policies that will generate new green jobs, and combat climate change by dramatically cutting the pollution that causes global warming.
"President-elect Obama also cited the critical role many governors have played over the last eight years while we've suffered from a vacuum of presidential leadership on climate change. He plans to fill that vacuum. He stressed that those governors now will have a true partner in the Oval Office who will exercise the leadership that is so crucial to getting the job done."
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
