From Poznan To Copenhagen: Road Ahead Must Be A Fast Track

Two weeks of negotiations over a new international climate
agreement just finished in Poznan,
Poland, with a
new presidential administration poised to take the reins in less than one
month.

National Wildlife Federation President and CEO Larry
Schweiger attended, and offered a response:

“Many countries are showing a greater commitment to stop
dangerous climate change, but success also depends on the U.S. rejoining
global climate negotiations and for us to do our fair share by dramatically
cutting global warming pollution at home. We must also help those least
responsible for global warming to adapt to the serious consequences.

“President-elect Obama needs to quickly assemble his Copenhagen ‘Dream Team’ and Congress must pass a strong
climate bill in 2009, so we will arrive in Copenhagen in a year prepared to sign a new
global climate agreement.

“The U.S.
is at a pivotal moment. Our economy is on the edge, but so is the climate. We
can dig our way out of our economic crisis with a green shovel by developing
aggressive solutions to the climate crisis that cut our dependence on oil,
transform our energy economy and safeguard our natural resources.

 “The science is
crystal clear. We must act now if we are to prevent the worst consequences of
global warming to people and nature.

“We can and must devote extraordinary attention in the next
12 months to working at home and together as a global community on solutions
that will reduce global warming pollution and jumpstart a new clean energy
future, and assist developing countries to cope with climate change.

“The road ahead must be a fast track. Delay is not an
option.”

Published: December 16, 2008