Portrait of Barack Obama
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Barack Obama on Climate Change

Strong climate action advocate (strong)

Barack Obama views climate change as the greatest threat facing future generations, stating this explicitly in his speeches, including the State of the Union Address. He consistently maintained that this challenge requires forceful action from the United States and the international community.

Throughout his two terms, Obama's administration worked to reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions and integrate climate concerns into economic policy and national security planning. His administration emphasized cutting carbon pollution, increasing clean energy usage, and leading international negotiations.

Obama recognized the U.S.'s particular responsibility to lead, given its historical status as the largest carbon emitter, and worked with other major emitters like China to establish joint commitments. He expressed a refusal to condemn future generations to a planet beyond fixing, which drove his commitment to ambitious climate plans.

Context

Barack Obama addressed climate change as President with the authority to direct major federal policy across domestic regulation and international diplomacy. He emphasized that the U.S. had a particular responsibility to lead globally, especially as the world's largest emitter when he took office.

His administration integrated climate goals with economic recovery efforts, seeking to use stimulus spending to boost a clean energy economy. The President acknowledged that while transitioning the entire global economy takes time, immediate and forceful action was necessary to avoid irreversible damage.

Actions Taken

  1. Policy Initiative
    Announced a new national climate action plan focusing on cutting carbon pollution, preparing the country for climate change impacts, and leading global efforts.
  2. Regulation
    Directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end limitless dumping of carbon pollution from power plants and set new pollution standards for power plants.
  3. Emissions Reduction Goal
    Set a goal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by about 17% from 2005 levels by the end of the decade, and doubled electricity generated from wind and solar power.
  4. International Agreement
    Made an historic announcement with China in Beijing, committing the U.S. to double the pace of carbon pollution cuts and China to limit its emissions for the first time.
  5. International Treaty
    Signed the Paris Agreement on climate change during his second term [cite: context]
  6. Conservation/Drilling Restriction
    Permanently banned new offshore oil and gas drilling in most United States-owned waters in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans using the Outer Continental Shelf Act [cite: context]

Key Quotes

No challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.

State of the Union Address January 20, 2015 — Stating the seriousness of the climate threat in a major address.

I refuse to condemn your generation and future generations to a planet that's beyond fixing. And that's why today I'm announcing a new national climate action plan...

Georgetown University Speech June 26, 2013 — Announcing his administration's framework for climate action.

The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.

State of the Union Address January 20, 2015 — Linking climate change to national security concerns.

Related Positions

  • Keystone XL Pipeline Obama expressed he would reject the pipeline if it increased carbon pollution and later vetoed a bill authorizing it [cite: context].
  • NASA Funding He shifted NASA's focus away from the Moon-return program toward earth science projects, aligning with environmental observation priorities [cite: context].

Criticism

Opponents/Republicans

His administration's plans, such as the Clean Power Plan, were seen as harmful and unnecessary, leading to efforts to nullify them upon the change of administration.

Some Climate Scientists/Advocates

While supportive of his ambition, some felt his actions, such as the final Climate Action Plan, fell short of the full scope of action scientists advised was necessary to limit emissions.

Comparison

Obama's administration took steps to address climate change that contrasted with the preceding administration, such as setting new emission reduction goals and signing the Paris Agreement. His successor, Donald Trump, immediately moved to eliminate Obama's Climate Action Plan upon taking office in 2017, reversing key environmental directives.