President Obama's 2014 UN Climate Summit Speech

At the United Nations yesterday, President Obama made a very good speech on climate change in which he emphasized on some key points: Climate change is not just an “urgent and growing threat”; it’s the most important and consequential issue of the 21st Century. The science is undeniable, as are the signs of rising danger all around us. We know what we have to do to combat that threat. We are dangerously close to condemning the next generation to a future that “is beyond our capacity to repair.”

However, the most interesting and important part of the speech may have been the implicit acknowledgment of the limitations that are likely to continue to constrain action for the foreseeable future.

He said:

“Today, I am here personally, as the leader of the world’s largest economy and its second largest emitter, to say we have begun to do something about it….but let me be honest, none of this is without controversy. In each of our countries, there will be interests that will be resistant to action. And in each country, there is a suspicion that if we act and other countries don’t, that we will be at an economic disadvantage. But we have to lead…

“Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating this problem. We embrace our responsibility to combat it. We will do our part. And we will help developing nations do theirs. But we can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation, developed and developing alike. Nobody gets a pass.”

I love the part where he said "Yes this is hard, but there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating this problem, we embrace our responsibility to combat it. We will do our part." That shows respect, honesty and responsibility on the part of america.