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On November 19, 2008, Barack Obama addressed the Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, California, via satellite. During his speech, he promised "a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change." This statement seemed to be supported by Congress, who voted Henry Waxman, a long-time supporter of legislation fighting climate change, into the position of Energy and Commerce Chairman. Certainly, there is hope that the United States is about to embark on a mission to curb climate change, the only question left is how it will be done.
During his address, President-elect Obama offered some goals that provide an insight into his planned approach to the problem. He stated that, through regulation and policy changes, the United States could reduce its emissions to the 1990 level by 2020. He continued by saying that these levels could be reduced a further 80 percent by 2050. Though the timeline is long, the reductions are notable.
The key to these reductions, Obama implied, was an investment in new technologies. He proposed a $15 billion investment in private-sector enterprises developing and implementing new green technologies. At a time in which the nation, and the world, is suffering from an economic slump, this investment could be the beginnings of a "Green New Deal," which would stimulate the economy and fight climate change.
Though it is not the only answer to the problems of increasing emissions, spiraling climate change, and global warming, it could be a strong step towards a viable, sustainable, solution.
For more on the latest in environmental politics, check out Focus Earth: November 22, 2008: U.S. Tackles Global Warming & Western Water Woes.
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