Astronaut for Hire: U.S. to be a leader in combating climate change

U.S. to be a leader in combating climate change

11/18/2008 01:40:00 PM

President-elect Obama delivered a surprise speech today to the Governors' Global Climate Change Summit in California. This 2-day meeting arranged by Governator Schwarzenegger boasts over 600 delegates from more than 12 countries. In his speech, Obama emphasized the urgency of combating climate change and promised a "new chapter in American leadership on climate change." He pledged that the U.S. will participate in a global cap and trade system to reduce emissions to 1990 emission levels by 2020 and by an additional 80% by 2050. He also said he'd spend $15 billion per year to catalyze a clean energy private sector and create the so-called "green collar jobs" we've been hearing so much about during the election season. You can view the video below or from the change.gov website.