Accepting Nobel Peace Prize, Obama cites climate change impacts on “our common security”

From the WWF Climate Blog

Following President Obama speech, WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts said:

“We congratulate President Obama on this prestigious award. It’s a testament to his ability to lead, inspire and work toward solutions to the serious challenges facing our world.

“We were pleased to hear the President in his acceptance speech state in no uncertain terms that taking swift and forceful action on climate change is core to building a just and lasting peace.

“The President’s first opportunity to act upon this principle will come quickly as he returns to Scandinavia next week to assert his leadership in Copenhagen in the fight against dangerous climate change. Disruptions in climate will lead to eruptions in conflict-prone areas around the world as sea levels rise, food and water shortages and other impacts force people from their homelands.

“The President has expressed his resolve to address the climate threat. Now the world is looking for assurance that the US will follow through on commitments made in Copenhagen, which can only come in the form of legislation. When the President arrives here next week, the world will be looking for him to announce that passing a climate bill through the Senate in early 2010 will be his next legislative priority.”

See:

* Remarks by the President at the Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize. Issued by the White House, 10 December 2009.
* WWF Statement on Obama Nobel Peace Prize Award. 10 December 2009.

Nick Sundt
Communications Director for Climate Change
WWF-US