President Barack Obama says he’ll unveil a national plan to combat climate change in a speech Tuesday. On the online White House video, Obama said:
We’ll need all of our citizens to do our part to preserve God’s creation for future generations.
Here’s Obama in the White House video announcement of his upcoming speech:
The president added that he’ll lay out his vision for reducing carbon pollution, preparing the U.S. for the effects of climate change and leading other nations in the global effort.
Obama’s speech Tuesday afternoon at Georgetown University will come the day before he leaves for a weeklong trip to three African nations. He added:
There’s no single step that can reverse the effects of climate change. But when it comes to the world we leave our children, we owe it to them to do what we can.
He says scientists must design new fuels and energy sources, and workers must prepare for a clean energy economy.
Obama isn’t saying what specifics he plans to lay out. However, White House aides have suggested the plan will include renewable energy and energy-efficient appliances and buildings. The plan is also expected to involve the Environmental Protection Agency using its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate heat-trapping pollution from coal-fired power plants.
Obama intends to make climate change a second-term priority, calling it the “global threat of our time.” However, a recent survey from Pew Research Center found that climate change was very far down on the policy priority survey. In fact, it was at the bottom along with the president’s other second term agenda item – gun control, immigration, then climate change.
