New Hope For A Planet In Peril: Change In Political Climate Opens Door For Climate Change Action

In his victory speech last night, President-Elect Barack Obama called on
America to defend a “planet in peril”
as one of the three great challenges of our time (see our “Quote of the Week”).

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of National Wildlife Federation, said
today: “President-elect Obama and the incoming
Congress offer new hope that Americans will come together to repower
America with clean energy that
revitalizes our economy and defends a planet in peril from the climate
crisis. With all the talk about red
states and blue states leading up to the election, 2008 is the year that the
electoral map turned green with support across the nation for clean energy.

“This election was powered by a voting
public that wants dramatic and meaningful change, especially for a new energy
future. Over the past months, 340,000 of
America’s youth signed the Powervote
pledge and mobilized behind a push for a clean energy economy that creates green
jobs and secures our climate.

“I am filled with hope for the days
ahead, but also feel the urgency of the wasted years behind us as the clock
ticks down for our planet and our economy. NASA scientist James Hansen warned Congress this summer that the next two
years will be our ‘last chance’ to boldly change course before global warming
overwhelms our ability to control it.

“The National Wildlife Federation looks
forward to working with President-elect Obama and lawmakers on both sides of the
aisle to pass strong global warming legislation that invests boldly in clean
energy, caps and cuts the pollution that causes global warming, and restores
America’s natural
resources.

"The action plan must be comprehensive and measure up to what
scientists tell us is needed. After eight years of denial and delay, we can’t
afford to wait any longer.”