For Immediate Release
July 1, 2015
Breaking the Ice: Obama Seeks to Cement Climate Change Legacy
During a 3-day visit to Alaska, President Obama pressed for action by the world community and pledged increased actions by the U.S. to avert climate change.
Alaska has experienced the fastest rate of warming during the past 20 years of any large surface of the earth. Contacted by NBC News, FREE’s Dr. Byrne commented on the President’s efforts, stressing the improved science which points to undeniable human impact and noting the economic benefits of stronger action.
What this means:
The U.S. has the highest per capita emissions of greenhouse gases among the major economies of the world. It is also the incubator of some of the most important policy and technology innovations which can be used to dramatically and affordably lower emissions.
Leadership by the President of the U.S. will be needed at the Conference of the Parties in Paris (November 30 – December 11, 2015) negotiating next steps for world action under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to keep the rise in global surface temperature below 2º C.
Read the NBC News story and quotes from Dr. Byrne.
Note: In addition to leading FREE, Dr. Byrne is director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, University of Delaware.