The Importance of U.S. Leadership in Confronting the Global Climate Challenge

Recently, our country began to break through on U.S. leadership in confronting global warming. In a surprise address delivered to the Global Climate Summit last Thursday, President-elect Obama pledged to usher a “new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change.”

Delivered ahead of next week’s international UN-Climate negotiations in Poland, the address marked a stated commitment from the incoming Obama administration to tackle climate change. This is great news for those of us who are concerned about the state of natural world, and have wondered how action on global warming could accelerate without US leadership!

During his first few months in office—and throughout his presidency—we’ll be working to show the new administration that many Americans stand behind Obama and hope he commits to to his promise to bring change and work “with all nations to meet [the climate] challenge in the coming years.”

The challenges brought by global warming definitely requires a “global” solution. That’s why we need to quickly lay the groundwork for a fair and comprehensive international treaty to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and protect those who are most vulnerable. To do that, the first step is to pass legislation here in the U.S. that calls for domestic action while also allowing us to better work with other nations.

Please join us now, and in the months to come, as we call on the next President of the United States to not only recharge our energy economy, but also to reengage America on the international solutions to confronting the climate challenge.