World Wildlife Fund WWF Climate Blog

WWF: Obama Plan Marks First Step Toward a Climate-Ready America

  • Date: 25 June 2013
  • Author: Lou Leonard

In a press release issued by World Wildlife Fund on 25 June 2013, WWF's Lou Leonard, VP of Climate Change, issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama's announcement today about his administration's efforts to address climate change.

“With communities around America facing growing wildfires, rising sea levels and more extreme weather, today President Obama took an important step to chart our way to a safer future. His speech recognizes how critical it is to prepare Americans for the dangerous impacts here today and reduce carbon pollution to limit the grave risks on the horizon.

"The President's plan wouldn’t reduce carbon pollution as much as scientists say is needed, but he rightly zeros in on executive branch actions, rather than waiting any longer for Congress. This common sense approach is refreshing in a city increasingly known for the opposite. We have the tools to steer our way forward and it’s well past time to use them.

"President Obama rightly sees this as an all-hands-on-deck moment requiring a government-wide plan, including action on pollution from the largest source of US emissions -- existing dirty power plants. Recognizing that the US needs to meet its international commitments and strongly support robust international action is also crucial as the world works to forge a new global climate pact by 2015.

"Like President Kennedy’s moonshot speech a generation ago, what we need next is a strategy that identifies our destination and how fast we will move to get there. We have the technology and the business case to meet science-based climate goals by the end of this decade. Cities such as Cincinnati and Cleveland are showing leadership by getting off of dirty fossil fuels and moving towards 100% renewable energy today. As the President fills in the details of his plan, the best science should serve as his compass if we are to find the way to safer shores.”

Online Resources

President Obama's Video Speech Teaser

Remarks by the President on Climate Change at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., 25 June 2013

The President’s Climate Action Plan. Executive Office of the President, June 2013.

Infographic on the President’s Plan.