It's about this
While most of the major media rely on the usual political operatives, the usual pundits, and the usual false equivalencies when discussing climate change,
The Guardian routinely publishes actual scientists, and
John Abraham is a regular contributor. He makes a powerful case for President Obama to lead in
opposing the Keystone XL pipeline:
These past years have cemented Obama’s legacy as a climate-aware president. They have also cemented the opposition (as if more cement was needed) as either too weak-minded to understand basic physics or too cowardly, favoring political expediency over the fate of future generations. This is one of those issues on which history books hinge. This was the time the USA took a leadership role to simultaneously reduce carbon pollution, adapt to the unavoidable changes in the pipeline, and build the energy infrastructure to lead in the future’s energy economy.
Abraham points to such Obama efforts as increased vehicle fuel efficiency standards, new and significant actions to limit emissions from coal power plants, modernizing the electrical grid, an international agreement on hydrofluorocarbons that proved that when the United States leads other nations follow, and last week's groundbreaking agreement with China to ramp up their use of renewable energy and reduce their use of dirty sources of energy, the latter putting pressure on Canada, Australia, Brazil and India to follow suit. And then Obama announced that the U.S. would contribute billions of dollars to help developing nations develop along clean energy lines, so they will be ahead of the game in their very process of industrializing. And now comes Keystone.
Of course President Obama’s role isn’t over. One issue still hanging over his presidency is the Keystone XL pipeline. A pipeline that, if approved, will increase exploitation of the world’s dirtiest fuel, will actually raise gasoline costs in the USA, and will result in the wrong signals for the future energy market. I certainly hope he will stop the pipeline and ensure his legacy. It would be a real shame if, after all his excellent actions, it is the pipeline he is remembered for.
On the other hand, the actions taken so far are as monumental as they are courageous. Courageous because President Obama’s actions, while helping average citizens, raise the ire of fossil fuel organizations that are happy to spend hundreds of millions of dollars against his party. And some in his own party have taken votes against his vision, not because they doubt the science, but because they are afraid of the political consequences. Where I’m from, we call that cowardice.
Abraham says the Keystone decision will be in the history books. It will help define President Obama's legacy, particularly in the face of great opposition.
As the extreme weather we are already seeing grows in intensity, as we face increasing economic costs from the changing climate, people will ask, “what were they thinking?” Certainly, those obstructionists will not be able to say they just didn’t know. They can’t say the scientists didn’t tell them; rather, they didn’t listen. The people who have stood in the way of dealing with climate change now own the consequences. Let’s not forget that.
Please read below the fold for more on this story.
As I wrote right after the election:
The next two years can be the moment in history when national consciousness finally awakens to the imminent danger of climate change. The next two years can be the moment in history when climate science itself finally supersedes politics, greed, and media complicity and incompetence in how people are distracted from or misperceive climate change. President Obama can make it happen. He can reject the Keystone XL pipeline. He can use every available means to implement responsible climate policies. He can dare Republicans to try to impeach him over his climate agenda, and force this nation finally to take a clear hard look at what the scientists actually are saying. He can point to the military leaders who say climate change is a national security issue. If the Republicans do try to remove him from office for being as bold as he must be on climate issues, the media will not be able to turn away. Everyone everywhere will be discussing climate change, and it will be impossible for the climate scientists to be ignored. The military experts will not be ignored. For every climate change denier the Republicans trot in front of the camera, the president will be able to present nearly a hundred to rebut. For every obscure and dishonest claim the Republicans make about climate, the president will be able to present the overwhelming scientific consensus. Climate change finally will be widely recognized as the critical issue it is.
Last week, the president himself made a succinctly powerful statement against Keystone:
So with respect to Keystone, I’ve been clear in the past, Pete, my position hasn’t changed, that this is a process that is supposed to be followed. Right now you have a case pending in Nebraska, where the pipeline would run through, in which a state court judge has questioned the plan. And until we know what the route is, it’s very hard to finish that evaluation. And I don’t think we should short-circuit that process.
I have also noted that, as policy matter, my government believes that we should judge this pipeline based on whether or not it accelerates climate change or whether it helps the American people with their energy costs and their gas prices. And I have to constantly push back against this idea that somehow the Keystone pipeline is either this massive jobs bill for the United States, or is somehow lowering gas prices.
Understand what this project is. It is providing the ability of Canada to pump their oil, send it through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be sold everywhere else. That doesn't have an impact on U.S. gas prices. You know what does have an impact on U.S. gas prices is the incredible boom in U.S. oil production and natural gas production that's taken place under my administration.
And if my Republican friends really want to focus on what's good for the American people in terms of job creation and lower energy costs, we should be engaging in a conversation about what are we doing to produce even more homegrown energy. I'm happy to have that conversation.
Let the weak be weak. Let the dishonest be dishonest. Let the reckless be reckless. Leaders lead. Members of Congress from both parties will reveal themselves in how they vote on Keystone XL. History will judge them accordingly. And history will judge President Obama in how he stands up to those who are weak, dishonest, and reckless. This moment is his.