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*[[Barack Obama's Energy & Environment Policy Transition Team]]
SW: add State of the Union
{{climate change}}[[File:ObamaCopenhagen.jpg|right|thumb|Official White House photo]]U.S. President-elect [[Barack Obama]] stated during the 2008 Presidential election campaign that "global warming is real, is happening now and is the result of human activities. The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years. Glaciers are melting faster; the polar ice caps are shrinking; trees are blooming earlier; oceans are becoming more acidic, threatening marine life; people are dying in heat waves; species are migrating, and eventually many will become extinct. Scientists predict that absent major emission reductions, climate change will worsen famine and drought in some of the poorest places in the world and wreak havoc across the globe. In the U.S., sea-level rise threatens to cause massive economic and ecological damage to our populated coastal areas."<ref>[http://obama.3cdn.net/4465b108758abf7a42_a3jmvyfa5.pdf "Barack Obama's Plan to Make America A Global Energy Leader"], Obama)*, accessed November 2008.</ref>
Subsequent to his election, Obama has made addressing climate change a common theme of some of his major speeches.
:"Ladies and gentlemen, there is no time to waste. America has made our choice. We have charted our course. We have made our commitments. We will do what we say. Now I believe it's the time for the nations and the people of the world to come together behind a common purpose. We are ready to get this done today -- but there has to be movement on all sides to recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk; it’s better for us to choose action over inaction; the future over the past -- and with courage and faith, I believe that we can meet our responsibility to our people, and the future of our planet. Thank you very much."<ref>* Barack Obama, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-morning-plenary-session-united-nations-climate-change-conference "Remarks by the President at the Morning Plenary Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference"], White House, Office of the Press Secretary, December 18, 2009.</ref>
With slow progress being made in the official negotiations, Obama led negotiations with a small number of other countries and subsequently briefed a select group of U.S. journalists on the outline of what was later announced as the [[Copenhagen Accord]]. Key statements he made at the briefing were:<ref name="Briefing">Barack Obama, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-during-press-availability-copenhagen "Remarks by the President during press availability in Copenhagen"], Office of the Press Secretary, December 18, 2009.</ref>
:"Today we've made meaningful and unprecedented -- made a meaningful and unprecedented breakthrough here in Copenhagen. For the first time in history all major economies have come together to accept their responsibility to take action to confront the threat of climate change."
:"Now, this progress did not come easily, and we know that this progress alone is not enough. Going forward, we're going to have to build on the momentum that we've established here in Copenhagen to ensure that international action to significantly reduce emissions is sustained and sufficient over time. We've come a long way, but we have much further to go."
:"To continue moving forward we must draw on the effort that allowed us to succeed here today -- engagement among nations that represent a baseline of mutual interest and mutual respect. Climate change threatens us all; therefore, we must bridge old divides and build new partnerships to meet this great challenge of our time. That's what we've begun to do here today ... And around the world, energy is an issue that demands our leadership. The time has come for us to get off the sidelines and to shape the future that we seek. That's why I came to Copenhagen today, and that's why I'm committed to working in common effort with countries from around the globe. That's also why I believe what we have achieved in Copenhagen will not be the end but rather the beginning, the beginning of a new era of international action."<ref>Barack Obama, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-during-press-availability-copenhagen name="Remarks by the President during press availability in CopenhagenBriefing"], Office of the Press Secretary, December 18, 2009.</ref>
==In the Aftermath of COP15==
:"So even though we have a long way to go, there’s no question that we’ve accomplished a great deal over the last few days. And I want America to continue to lead on this journey, because if America leads in developing clean energy, we will lead in growing our economy and putting our people back to work, and leaving a stronger and more secure country to our children. That's why I went to Copenhagen yesterday and that's why I will continue in these efforts in the weeks and months to come."
In a later interview on PBS, Obama said "I think that people are justified in being disappointed about the outcome in Copenhagen. What I said was essentially that rather than see a complete collapse in Copenhagen, in which nothing at all got done and would have been a huge backward step, at least we kind of held ground and there wasn't too much backsliding from where we were. It didn't move us the way we need to. The science says that we've got to significantly reduce emissions over the next - over the next 40 years. There's nothing in the Copenhagen agreement that ensures that that happens. ... And we were able to at least agree on non-legally binding targets for all countries - not just the United States, not just Europe, but also for China and India, which, projecting forward, are going to be the world's largest emitters."<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/july-dec09/obama_12-23.html "Obama on Health Reform Politics, Copenhagen Climate Outcome"], PBS Newshour, December 23, 2009.</ref>
== State of the Union, 2010==
In his January 2010 State of the Union Address, Obama stated:<ref>Barack Obama, <[http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-state-union-address "Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address"], The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, January 27, 2010.</ref>
:"We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities -- (applause) -- and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. (Applause.) And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)"
:"We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities -- (applause) -- and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. (Applause.) And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)"
:"I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy. I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But here's the thing -- even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation. (Applause.)"
==Articles and Resources==
===Related SourceWatch Articles===
*[[Barack Obama statements on coal]]
*[[Barack Obama statements on nuclear power]]
