Today's Article
The climate report
shows that global
climate disruption
probably will have a
large number of
damaging effects on
the United States.
shows that global
climate disruption
probably will have a
large number of
damaging effects on
the United States.
The American Spark
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U.S. Climate Change Report Reveals Need for Immediate Action
By Cliff Montgomery - July 24th, 2009
John Holdren, President Obama’s Science and Technology Adviser, on June 16th released a major study on
the problems that America may soon face thanks to global climate disruption.
This report is the first scientific study on climate conditions to be released by the Obama Administration. The
Government Accountability Project (GAP)--"the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization,"
according to its website--has stated that the report also is "the most significant U.S. climate impact
assessment since the first National Assessment was issued in 2000."
“It’s time to start making up for eight lost years under an administration that left the federal government AWOL
in dealing with this problem,” GAP Climate Science Watch Program Director Rick Piltz stated in a June 16th
press release.
The new study, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, has enjoyed a rather high visibility thanks
to the Obama White House. The administration also touts an up-to-date website for the United States Global
Change Research Program, which delivers a clear, straightforward analysis of the impact that continued global
warming is likely to have on each segment of America.
For GAP and many other groups, such concern is a welcome change from the Bush Administration's denials
and lack of interest about climate change. But there still are fundamental problems to be addressed.
“Right now the United States doesn’t have the policies, institutions, and research in place to deal with the
consequences of climate disruption...There is a void in the federal system that such a planning and
preparedness capability must now be created to fill,” said GAP's Rick Piltz.
“We have inherited the situation left behind by the Bush Administration, under which, with climate change, we
witnessed a familiar modus operandi: deny and misrepresent the intelligence; suppress honest
communication; block the proactive use of government to diagnose and solve problems; evade government
accountability; and thereby fail to sufficiently prepare for urgent challenges and impending crises.”
The climate report--a wide-ranging scientific study by a number of top scientists and experts--reveals that
global climate disruption probably will have a large number of damaging effects on the United States.
The assessment suggests that among these impacts will be a stress on water resources, which will worsen the
effect of regional droughts. It also will be an added drain on already strained water supplies in the West.
The study reveals a need for tough climate change legislation. The more America curtails its greenhouse gas
emissions, the greater its chance of limiting harmful impacts on our air, our water and our food supplies.
“The report shows that the need for strong climate change legislation is about more than clean energy and
green jobs,” Piltz stated in GAP's press release.
"It's [also] about the potentially devastating costs and consequences of inaction. The need to jump-start
federal action is urgent and should not be delayed by the daunting challenge of enacting major legislation to
establish a cap-and-trade system for reducing emissions," continued Piltz.
"The Obama Administration can take important steps right now on its own initiative. This will require White
House leadership. The President should talk to the American people about the findings of this new report,
about why climate change is an urgent problem, and about the risks of inaction,” he added.
But will Obama actually do this? Only time will answer such a question. He often has said the right things, such
as this statement on global warming in March:
"So we have a choice to make. We can remain one of the world's leading importers of foreign oil, or we can
make the investments that would allow us to become the world's leading exporter of renewable energy. We
can let climate change continue to go unchecked, or we can help stop it. We can let the jobs of tomorrow be
created abroad, or we can create those jobs right here in America and lay the foundation for lasting prosperity."
Strong words. But whether the president will follow up these words with strong actions remains to be seen.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - July 24th, 2009
John Holdren, President Obama’s Science and Technology Adviser, on June 16th released a major study on
the problems that America may soon face thanks to global climate disruption.
This report is the first scientific study on climate conditions to be released by the Obama Administration. The
Government Accountability Project (GAP)--"the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization,"
according to its website--has stated that the report also is "the most significant U.S. climate impact
assessment since the first National Assessment was issued in 2000."
“It’s time to start making up for eight lost years under an administration that left the federal government AWOL
in dealing with this problem,” GAP Climate Science Watch Program Director Rick Piltz stated in a June 16th
press release.
The new study, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, has enjoyed a rather high visibility thanks
to the Obama White House. The administration also touts an up-to-date website for the United States Global
Change Research Program, which delivers a clear, straightforward analysis of the impact that continued global
warming is likely to have on each segment of America.
For GAP and many other groups, such concern is a welcome change from the Bush Administration's denials
and lack of interest about climate change. But there still are fundamental problems to be addressed.
“Right now the United States doesn’t have the policies, institutions, and research in place to deal with the
consequences of climate disruption...There is a void in the federal system that such a planning and
preparedness capability must now be created to fill,” said GAP's Rick Piltz.
“We have inherited the situation left behind by the Bush Administration, under which, with climate change, we
witnessed a familiar modus operandi: deny and misrepresent the intelligence; suppress honest
communication; block the proactive use of government to diagnose and solve problems; evade government
accountability; and thereby fail to sufficiently prepare for urgent challenges and impending crises.”
The climate report--a wide-ranging scientific study by a number of top scientists and experts--reveals that
global climate disruption probably will have a large number of damaging effects on the United States.
The assessment suggests that among these impacts will be a stress on water resources, which will worsen the
effect of regional droughts. It also will be an added drain on already strained water supplies in the West.
The study reveals a need for tough climate change legislation. The more America curtails its greenhouse gas
emissions, the greater its chance of limiting harmful impacts on our air, our water and our food supplies.
“The report shows that the need for strong climate change legislation is about more than clean energy and
green jobs,” Piltz stated in GAP's press release.
"It's [also] about the potentially devastating costs and consequences of inaction. The need to jump-start
federal action is urgent and should not be delayed by the daunting challenge of enacting major legislation to
establish a cap-and-trade system for reducing emissions," continued Piltz.
"The Obama Administration can take important steps right now on its own initiative. This will require White
House leadership. The President should talk to the American people about the findings of this new report,
about why climate change is an urgent problem, and about the risks of inaction,” he added.
But will Obama actually do this? Only time will answer such a question. He often has said the right things, such
as this statement on global warming in March:
"So we have a choice to make. We can remain one of the world's leading importers of foreign oil, or we can
make the investments that would allow us to become the world's leading exporter of renewable energy. We
can let climate change continue to go unchecked, or we can help stop it. We can let the jobs of tomorrow be
created abroad, or we can create those jobs right here in America and lay the foundation for lasting prosperity."
Strong words. But whether the president will follow up these words with strong actions remains to be seen.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
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