Every day, we are seeing and feeling the effects of climate change — here and across the globe. It poses a clear and present threat to our economic and national security. No country is immune from the consequences of climate change, and no country can act alone. Right now, we, as people, face a critical moment.
For the first time in history, we have a chance to put in place a global climate agreement that will spur countries to take ambitious action that will reduce carbon pollution, support clean energy, and ensure we deliver a planet that is worthy of future generations. That is why President Obama is heading to Paris on November 29th. He will meet with leaders of countries large and small — the world's largest emitters and the ones that are most at risk — to find a way we can collectively reduce global emissions.
Watch what the President had to say about it on his Facebook page:
Hello, Facebook! I finally got my very own page. I hope you’ll think of this as a place where we can have real conversations about the most important issues facing our country – a place where you can hear directly from me, and share your own thoughts and stories. (You can expect some just-for-fun stuff, too.)I’m kicking it off by inviting you to take a walk with me in my backyard – something I try to do at the end of the day before I head in for dinner. I say this often, but that’s because it’s always at the front of my mind: We’ve got to preserve this beautiful planet of ours for our kids and grandkids. And that means taking serious steps to address climate change once and for all. Now, we've made a lot of progress to cut carbon pollution here at home, and we're leading the world to take action as well. But we’ve got to do more. In a few weeks, I’m heading to Paris to meet with world leaders about a global agreement to meet this challenge.I hope you'll join me in speaking out on climate change and educating your friends about why this issue is so important. At a time when nearly three in four adults online use Facebook, this feels like a great place to do it. Share your thoughts in the comments, and pass this message on to folks you think need to see it.If we're all in this together, I'm confident we can solve this and do right by future generations.
Posted by President Obama on Monday, November 9, 2015
Under President Obama, we've already taken the lead on the world stage. The President's Clean Power Plan will cut emissions from the U.S. power sector — which makes up a third of U.S. emissions — by more than 30 percent by 2030 and save more than $50 billion in climate and health-related costs in the process. It's the largest step the United States has ever taken to combat climate change.
And under his leadership, other countries are following suit. China, Brazil, and more than 150 countries representing over 90% of global emissions have announced climate targets, or Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
In Paris, he will work with world leaders to secure an agreement that:
- Reflects ambitious climate targets from all countries;
- Puts in place a long-term framwork that incentivizes countries to ratchet down their emissions over time in a transparent way with a view to achieving a low-carbon transofrmation by the end of the century;
- Provides financial and technical support to the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In Paris, the President will meet with President Xi of China, Prime Minister Modi of India, and leaders of island nations including the Seychelles, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, St. Lucia, and Barbados, to disucss the existential challenge these countries face from rising sea levels.
No agreement can serve as the “silver bullet” to solve climate change. However, this agreement could help ensure that American action is met with global action to reduce the impact of climate change and preserve a planet that is worthy of our children. So check back here to get the latest from Paris, follow @FactsOnClimate, and learn what more you can do to help ensure the world joins the U.S. to #ActOnClimate.