Rumor has it that President Barack Obama may finally be
stepping up his fight against climate change. Listed as one of his top three
priorities for his second term, climate change has yet to be seriously
addressed by the White House, and many are concerned that it will be left
behind.
But recent news has been encouraging on that front; one
environmental group says the White House has given positive signals indicating
it’s considering hosting an environmental summit aimed at addressing climate
change.
The Resource Innovation Group, based out of Oregon, is
hopeful. Executive director Bob Doppelt said, “What we talked about with the
White House is using it as catalyst not just for the development of a national
strategy but for mobilizing people all over the country at every level.”
“What I think has excited the White House,” Doppelt
continues, “is that it does put the president in a leadership role, but it is
not aimed at what Congress can do, or what he can do per se, so much as it is aimed at apprising the American public
about how they can act.”
Despite recent pushes from campaign groups and major donors,
President Obama has yet to outline a
strategy on climate change. Some are growing impatient.
“The clock is ticking,” said Jeremy Symons, who is senior
vice-president for conservation and education at the National Wildlife
Federation (NWF). “The threat is urgent, and we would like to see a commitment
in time for the president to address it in the State of the Union address. That
would be the window I see. We can’t wait forever.”
The devastation left in the wake of Superstorm Sandy left a
clear window for the president to gain political power on climate change, but
that moment is nearly past now that the immediate threat is gone. But advocates
for climate change remain hopeful that President Obama will follow through with
his promised dedication to addressing climate change.
“What NWF members are asking for is a clear commitment and a
plan from the president to make tackling climate change a priority in his
second term, with concrete steps forward. A summit can be an important part of
bringing that together, but it’s not the end goal,” Symons said. “First and
foremost President Obama needs a plan.”
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