Obama’s Charge on Environment

Jan 23, 2013 Editorial

In modern politics, meaning politics after the French Revolution of 1889, it becomes useful to distinguish between two tendencies among its practitioners: one to preserve the status quo and the other to initiate change. One must not automatically assume that the former group, usually called ‘conservatives’, are necessarily backward. They have been proven right in showing that ‘change’ does not automatically mean ‘progress’ and in fact can actually lead to regression.
The others, dubbed ‘liberal’ or ‘progressive’, are much more sanguine about change: ‘nothing ventured; nothing gained’ appears to be their motto. In President Obama’s inauguration speech, he located himself most solidly and evidently, unapologetically, in this camp. In his first term he had attempted to temper his liberal approach as he reached across the aisle to find common ground with his conservative opponents, the Republicans, to confront the most serious economic crisis confronting their country since the great depression of the 1930s.
But he ended up pleasing neither those in his Democratic party, who felt he was weaselling out from his commitments to the party’s ideology, nor his opponents who believed he was not going far enough in their direction. He has now made a clarion call for a liberal agenda in his last four years at the helm of what is still the only superpower standing. The rest of the world will obviously be affected by the programmes he will be initiating if he keeps to his rhetoric.
The most dramatic change could come in the moribund climate change agenda. In his speech, Obama vowed to “respond to the threat of climate change,” warning that “failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.” The most positive endorsement of climate change action from his inaugural podium in front of the Capitol was cheered by environmentalists who felt the issue got short shrift during Obama’s presidential campaign last year. The issue never arose during three presidential debates and got scant attention on the campaign trail.
Obama pitched some of his comments directly at climate change sceptics, subtly invoking the memory of the super-storm Sandy that damaged the Northeast last October. “Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science,” Obama said, “but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.”
While Obama did not offer details of his environmental plans in a speech dedicated towards giving the nation a sense of direction for the next four years, he emphasized the importance of America striving toward “sustainable energy sources,” such as wind and solar power that generate few heat-trapping emissions blamed for climate change.
Casting investment in clean energy technology as an economic solution for the nation, as well as an environmental one, he seemed to be invoking his ‘Sputnik moment” comment in his previous inaugural speech. He was alluding then to the need for the US to make massive investments in one area of national endeavour that would pull the rest of the country along in its wake. “The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult,” Obama said. “But America cannot resist this transition. We must lead it.”
The commitment to action on the issue of Climate Change fits quintessentially within a progressive agenda. Normally progressives would be emphasising changes needed in the social agenda that are identified as stifling progress. Obama has not been reticent on these – witness his challenges on gay rights; jobs; poverty alleviation and the economy etc.
But the “Climate Change” agenda recognises that some aspects of our physical environment are also adversely affected by human activity – and that what has been caused by humans can be reversed by humans. With President Obama’s public commitment and without his need to worry about seeking another term, it should be easier for him to work much more sedulously towards a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.
For us in Guyana, a new Protocol would cover funding for REDD+ commitments made by Guyana as well as for mitigation efforts necessary to deal with rising sea levels.

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Obama’s Charge on Environment

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