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The White House
The Cost of
Inaction
John Podesta
Hey, everyone --
The facts are in. The science is definitive. The question is no longer
whether climate change is happening, but whether we can afford not to
act.
In the western United States, changes in our climate are fueling
wildfire seasons that are longer and more intense -- putting people,
communities, and businesses at risk.
As we’re seeing right now, wildfires unquestionably have devastating
impacts on the lives of many Americans. This weekend, California
declared a state of emergency as two major wildfires scorched acres of
land, threatening towns and forcing many to evacuate. These are just
two of the 14 fires that are currently burning throughout the state.
Make no mistake: The cost of inaction on wildfires and climate change
is too high a price for Americans to pay, particularly when we have a
chance to address this right now.
Watch as President Obama's Science Advisor Dr. John Holdren breaks down
exactly why this is a problem that we must meet head-on -- and pass it
along to someone who needs to see it.
As a new report from the Council of Economic Advisors points out, the
consequences of climate change reach beyond our environment. The
impacts of climate change threaten our homes, our health, and our
economic prosperity. In fact, delaying action for a decade would
increase the cost of responding to climate change by 40 percent.
President Obama has been taking action on all fronts to reduce the
harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are warming our planet, to make
our communities more resilient to climate impacts, and to take the lead
on the international stage. In June, he announced a competition to help
Americans build a stronger capacity to protect their homes and
neighborhoods from natural disasters.
If the question is, "Do we protect the lives, the economy, and the
future of the American people?", the answer should always be a
resounding "yes."
Check out the President's action plan to learn more about what we can
do to take the lead on addressing global climate change:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change
Thanks,
John Podesta
Counselor to the President
The White House
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