Obama Commits the U.S. to Climate Action!
We did it!
We've all been working hard to urge the next U.S. President to re-enage the United States with the rest of the world. 50,000 of you have sent invitations urging the President-elect to show that after eight years of inaction, we are ready to work with other countries to stop climate change.
Today, in an address delivered at the Governor's Climate Summit, President-elect Obama made the following statement:
"Let me also say a special word to the delegates from around the world who will gather in Poland next month: your work is vital to the planet. While I won’t be President at the time of your meeting and while the United States has only one President at a time, I’ve asked Members of Congress who are attending the conference as observers to report back to me on what they learn there."
Here's what Bill McKibben had to say in response:
"After sending President-elect Obama nearly 50,000 invitations to join the world in the fight against climate change, we're excited to see that he's done just that. With his video address this morning, he re-engaged the United States in the international climate process that we've shamefully ignored for the last eight years.
Obama is the first American president who seems really willing to engage reality on this front, and reality comes with a number now: 350, the safe upper limit for C02 in the atmosphere in parts per million. Now that he's re-committed the U.S. to the international process, we hope President-elect Obama will help steer it towards this important 350 target.
It's true that we wanted Obama to go to Poland in person, but it's nice that he's pioneering low-carbon ways to communicate with the rest of the world. A President who's worried about his carbon footprint is something we support."
And similarly, while we might not all be able to be in Poland this December either, we are most definitely sending the 350 message from around the world. Check out some of the latest 350 actions over the last few weeks:
There will be a number of people respresenting 350 at the UN climate talks in Poland, and they'll be sure to deliver all the great photos and stories of the movement we're building. It's time to hold all our governments accountable to take the bold actions we need to get back below 350.
The Science of 350
Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. Learn more about 350 – what it means, where it came from, and how to get there. Read More »
Featured Updates
Not Done Yet.
You've always counted on us to tell the truth, and it would be useless to pretend we're happy with the outcome of the Copenhagen climate talks.... Read Post »
Two Unusual Requests
Apologies again for bombarding you with updates, but we're in the final stretch here at Copenhagen and I hope you can join us in doing two unusual things. They're unusual things for us to ask, but this is an unusual moment.... Read Post »
Copenhagen: Inside and Outside
Since we're all working on the same team, we wanted to give you an inside/outside sense of all that's happening in one of the more important weeks in the history of this ball of rock and water we call the earth...Read Post »
To submit your photos and action reports to 350.org, please click here.
Understanding 350
- So, what is global warming and what's the problem anyway?
- And what does this 350 number even mean?
- If we're already past 350, are we all doomed?
- How do we create the political change to steer towards 350?
- How do we get the world on track to get to 350?
- How do we actually reduce carbon emissions to get to 350??
- Will this thing work? Will world leaders listen?
- Where did this 350 number come from?
- Isn't America the biggest source of the problem? What about China and India?
- 350 is just a number. Wouldn't "Climate Emergency" or "Clean Energy Now" be a better call to action?
- And what about all the other targets people are aiming for?
- Why October 24th?
- Why another organization--there are already too many things going on!
- Do you measure 350 in CO2 or CO2e?
More...
Donate to350
Support an international movement to solve the climate crisis. Whether 3.50, 35.00, or 350.00, euros, dollars, or pesos, your contribution helps us keep going.
***To make a donation, please visit http://www.350.org/donate***
350 Store
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350 Music
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Anonymous says... on Nov 19,2008
This is fantastic! You guys at 350, especially Bill, are true heros for your innovative ideas to bring this issue to the forefront. We're doing a Polar Plunge at Walden Pond on Dec. 6, 2:00 pm, International Climate Action Day, so that the world knows that US citizens are on board with the serious need to immediately address climate change.
Anonymous says... on Nov 19,2008
Together we can help sustain civilization.
YES WE CAN!
Pamela Rainsong says... on Nov 19,2008
I'm so very pleased and relieved that the United States is taking steps to address Climate Change! We need to move away from Fossil Fuels....
Antoine McGrath says... on Nov 19,2008
If anyone wants to choreograph 350 dancers on capitol hill I'll be one of them, and get 10 others to join in.
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