"We only get one planet": Obama launches Clean Power Plan on a global note

"This is the single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against climate change."

By

Published August 3, 2015 4:19PM (EDT)

                       (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
(Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Few government regulations come with their own trailer, but the White House released one for the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan on Sunday, along with the broad outline of what the Plan entails, giving everyone a solid day to process and get their talking points in order. It seemed that all that remained to do during the official announcement today was sell it, but in the event Barack Obama acted like he didn't have to. Looking relaxed in front of a crowd of EPA employees who frequently broke into not only applause but cheers and whoops, the president adopted a triumphant and determined tone, calling the Plan, "the single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against climate change." He declared the science settled, the problem clear, and America's role in solving it obvious. When he did go on the attack it was against cynicism and despair that nothing could be done, or that the United State's contributions would be insignificant. He positioned America as the world's leader in the run up to the Paris climate talks in December, and ended with a evocation of NASA's recent "Blue Marble" photo to strike a global note of urgency: "We only get one home. We only get one planet. There's no Plan B."

Watch the full speech below:


By

MORE FROM