Obama: ‘Much more to do’ on climate change
President Obama praised his administration on Saturday for the progress it has made combating climate change over the past seven-and-a-half years, but pressed Americans to step up their resolve to save the environment in his final six months in office.“There’s still much more to do. But there’s no doubt that America has become a global leader in the fight against climate change,” Obama said in the weekly White House address. “And if we keep pushing, and leading the world in the right direction, there’s no doubt that, together, we can leave a better, cleaner, safer future for our children.”
The progressive president cited a number of domestic victories that have decreased Americans’ energy bills, including multiplying the availability of wind power threefold and solar power thirty-fold, lowering the price of clean power sources and bringing carbon pollution levels from the energy sector to its lowest level in 25 years.
While the auto industry has experienced record sales in recent years, that surge is not hurting the environment despite more vehicles on the road. The Obama administration has implemented new standards to ensure the distance cars and light trucks go on a gallon of gas increases every year through 2025.
But the changes Americans have seen unfolding all around them are only the beginning, Obama explained.
The White House plans to release a second round of fuel efficiency standards, but these will be for heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, the U.S. will move forward on its goal to achieve 50 percent clean power across North America by 2025 through partnerships with Canada and Mexico.
“Together, we must continue to work domestically and build upon the progress we’ve made along with other countries – such as the Paris Agreement, the most ambitious climate change agreement in history,” Obama said.
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