Pres. Obama to Unveil Plan to Address Climate Change

Environment Oregon

Portland, OR—In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, record drought in many states, and the largest wildfires Oregon has seen in over a century, Pres. Obama has announced he will unveil a climate action plan on Tuesday designed to cut the carbon pollution fueling global warming and advance clean energy solutions. Environment Oregon and many other organizations applauded the announcement.  

“Oregon is already paying a price as global warming fuels more wildfires, damaging storms and dangerous heat waves,” said Sarah Higginbotham, State Director with Environment Oregon. “Protecting our children from even more devastating consequences demands bold leadership. President Obama realizes this and we hope his plan will truly begin to safeguard our children’s future.”  

One aspect of the plan that Environment Oregon and others will be watching closely is how it addresses carbon pollution from power plants. Despite being the largest sources of the carbon pollution fueling global warming, power plants have no federal limits on the amount of carbon pollution they can spew into our air. The president’s plan could take a pivotal step toward changing that.

“President Obama’s climate plan should clean up the largest global warming polluters and advance clean energy solutions, to help protect Oregonians and future generations from more severe weather and other consequences of global warming,” said Higginbotham. “In addition to cleaning up carbon pollution from power plants, we will look for the president’s plan to advance energy efficiency measures and expand renewable energy—two critical steps toward getting the nation on track to a truly clean energy future.”

Residents of Oregon have voiced support for Pres. Obama’s action, and more than 3.2 million Americans submitted public comments last year in support of the president setting limits on carbon pollution from power plants.

Left unchecked, global warming is likely to result in everything from more intense storms to more costly wildfires here in Oregon. Scientists have warned that time is short to make the necessary cuts in carbon pollution to protect future generations from the worst consequences of global warming.  

Cities and states across the country have been successfully implementing climate action plans and renewable energy solutions. Oregon’s renewable energy standard has helped put Oregon on a path to getting 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. These programs have helped cut carbon pollution, and paved the way for Tuesday’s plan for federal action from Pres. Obama.

“Environment Oregon, and our thousands of members and supporters stand ready to assist the president in taking ambitious steps to cut global warming pollution,” concluded Higginbotham.