President-elect Obama made a surprise "appearance" via video during Governor Schwarzenegger's Welcome Speech at the Governor's Climate Summit, being held today (Nov 18) and tomorrow at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. PE Obama repeated his pledge to combat global warming, to create green jobs, and to improve national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. He also extended his support to states, corporations, and nations that wish to join the fight against anthropogenic climate change.
The Governor's Climate Summit represents a historic effort to stimulate a dialogue among the nation's governors, corporations, and international representatives about actions to reduce the negative consequences of human-caused global warming. The summit provides a forum for new partnerships and new ideas to fight global warming. It also acts as a prelude for the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks in December 2009. Information about the Governor's Climate Summit can be found http://site.governorsglobalclimatesummit.org.
The conference opened at 1040am today with a welcome speech by Governor Schwarzenegger. Fortunately, it is being webcast live so that those of us who weren't invited can listen in. (I tried to get an invite but to no avail!)
The Governor thanked the many people on his staff, the sponsors of the summit, and his co-hosts, including Governor Crist of Florida, who contributed to the conference. He then talked about California's historic and controversial legislation, AB 32, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He went on to say that all of the attempts to thwart California's efforts will change in January.
Though California was alone in its early efforts, he remarked that now "the revolution has soldiers."
Much to the audience's surprise, Governor Schwarzenegger introduced a video by President-elect Obama.
PE Obama opened by summarizing the challenge we face:
Few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute. The facts are clear. Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We've seen record drought, spreading famine, and strongs that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season.
Thanking the governors and businesses who have worked to confront the challenge, , often at odds with their government, he noted that:
Too often Washington has failed to show the same kind of leadership. That will change when I take office. My Presidency will mark a new chapter in American leadership on climate change.
He iterated his pledge to create 5 million new green jobs. He committed the US to a cap-and-trade legislation that reduces greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020, and an additional 80% reduction by 2050. He pledged to invest $15 billion a year to develop green technologies. He spoke about the importance of these investments for our economy and our national security.
He ended with this promise:
Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response. The stakes are too high. The consequences are too serious. Stopping climate change won't be easy and it won't happen overnight. But I promise you this, when I am President, any governor who is willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House, any company that is willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington, and any nation that's willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America.
As the next speaker noted, what a difference an election makes!
Let's hope we can turn our new President's words into the action they deserve.
Archived webcasts of all of the Climate Summit talks over the next two days are available at the UCTV web site, http://www.uctv.tv/...
UPDATE: Mucho thanks to Blue VA for providing the YouTube link!