President Obama: “It begins with energy.”

ObamaCongressThat was how President Obama introduced his roadmap for economic recovery last night in his first address to Congress (read the text or watch the video).

The President knows we can’t silo our economic, energy, and climate crises –- and luckily for America, the same solutions that protect our climate for future generations will also repower our economy. That’s why President Obama made a clarion call to Congress: “send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America.”

Carbon is a greenhouse gas and one of the main drivers of global warming. Legislation that caps carbon will also drive renewable energy in America, turning investment away from dirty fossil fuels and towards clean energy like wind and solar power.

By making renewable energy profitable, a cap on carbon pollution will transform our energy future. It will create new jobs and new industries in a new, clean energy economy today while building long-term solutions to the threats of climate change.

President Obama cited the example of Greensburg, Kansas rising from the rubble of a tornado and rebuilding a cleaner energy future. In the same manner, America can rebound from our economic crisis by investing in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Our new reliance on clean energy will revitalize our economy, our security, and the future of our planet.

“The agenda is set," National Wildlife Federation President & CEO Larry Schweiger said late last night. "In 2009, we’ll turn vision into action and enact a cap on carbon pollution that repowers America with clean energy and meets our responsibility to protect America's natural resources."

Visit the National Wildlife Federation's Climate Action Center to learn more about how you can support President Obama's call for a carbon cap. Repower America's economy, protect our natural resources, and preserve our planet for our children and grandchildren? Yes, we can!

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Published: February 25, 2009