Get Energy Smart! NOW!

In his second substantive, issue-focused discussion since the election, President-elect Barack Obama spoke to the bipartisan governors’ meeting on climate change, with an extensive international audience. I recommend reading the speech (after the fold) and watching the video, but there are some key points worth calling out and perhaps just one important issue to raise.

This is a clear statement that Barack Obama’s discussion of energy and global warming issues during the campaign will translate directly into the White House and is core to the Administration.

I promise you this: When I am President, any governor who’s willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that’s willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington.

Obama makes a strong point about science and the view of it from the Oval Office come January 20th: “The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear.” In the new ‘bipartisan’ era, can we hope that denialists need not apply?

Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response. The stakes are too high. The consequences, too serious.

From reports from people in the room, this last-minute addition of a video greeting had a powerful impact, with a standing ovation in the room at its conclusion. Under President Obama, the United States will be a leader on climate change, and not a leader due to mounting CO2 emissions.

Here is text of the press release and President-Elect Obama’s comments, with some comments interspersed within it.

President Elect Barack Obama to Deliver Taped Greeting to Bi-Partisan Governors Climate Summit

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama will deliver a surprise message by video to the Bi-Partisan Governors Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, California this morning. Obama will discuss his commitment to marking a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process.

The hosts of the Summit include Governors of states who have been at the forefront of the climate debate: Governors Rod Blagojevich (IL), Charlie Crist (FL), Jim Doyle (WI), Arnold Schwarzenegger (CA) and Kathleen Sebelius (KS) as well as representatives of approximately 22 other states; government officials from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, the UK and others.

Obama didn’t “discuss is commitment,” he clearly and directly stated it, as you will see.

Let me begin by thanking the bipartisan group of U.S. governors who convened this meeting.

Few challenges facing America – and the world – are more urgent than combating climate change.

This is a strong statement … emphasizing “urgent”, placing it at the top of the in-box both in urgency and importance.

The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear

This has such meaning, such import, that the President-Elect believes this and states it so clearly. The Oval Office is in for real change.

Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We’ve seen record drought, spreading famine, and storms that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season.

Good that he pointed to multiple effects.

Climate change and our dependence on foreign oil, if left unaddressed, will continue to weaken our economy and threaten our national security.

And, climate change is linked to oil dependency, and this is economic security and national security at stake with climate change.

I know many of you are working to confront this challenge. In particular, I want to commend Governor Sebelius, Governor Doyle, Governor Crist, Governor Blagojevich and your host, Governor Schwarzenegger –all of you have shown true leadership in the fight to combat global warming. And we’ve also seen a number of businesses doing their part by investing in clean energy technologies.

People have been acting: in localities, states, businesses. But …

But too often, Washington has failed to show the same kind of leadership. That will change when I take office. My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process.

Yes, elections have consequences. The White House’s dogged commitment to inaction on Global Warming during the Bush-Cheney regime will be swept into history come January.

That will start with a federal cap and trade system.

Wow. Did Barack Obama just commit himself to passage of cap and trade legislation? This is not a minor item and will take serious Congressional action, especially to deliver something that meets basic principles.

We will establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them an additional 80% by 2050.

Okay, we’re at a heartburn issue, something of import. Sounds great, 1990 levels by 2020, no? Perhaps at first glance, but this falls short of what the International Panel on Climate Change, which is a conservative estimate of what is required, calls for. In fact, this target is weaker than the stated targets in the horribly inadequate Lieberman-Warner bill (which had 5% below 1990 levels in 2020). According to the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report: “To keep temperatures from rising above 3.5 degrees, the panel said, industrialized countries would need to reduce emissions by 25 percent to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.” The recent call on Obama from the environmental organizations on energy and climate calls for cutting US emissions 35 percent from current levels, or just on the bottom end of that 25-40 percent range.

Now, one reason to respect Barack Obama because it is clear that he is a learning man. The Barack Obama of two years ago is not the same Barack Obama on energy and global warming issues. President-Elect Barack Obama has a strong commitment to science and one can believe the targets could move if/when he is convinced of what is required to avoid catastrophic climate change. And, from another angle, once we start working seriously on energy efficiency, clean energy, and other GHG reduction efforts, it seems quite possible (if not probable) that our efforts could blow through any targets by accelerating and cascading success.

Further, we will invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private sector efforts to build a clean energy future. We will invest in solar power, wind power, and next generation biofuels. We will tap nuclear power, while making sure it’s safe. And we will develop clean coal technologies.

Okay, investments. YEAH! Solar, wind, next-gen biofuels, “safe nuclear power” all have roles in tackling climate change. “Develop clean-coal technologies”. Sigh. Perhaps Barack Obama should watch NBC and listen to Brian Williams “While you might have heard the phrase ‘clean coal’ during the presidential campaign, it’s actually an oxymoron. Wishful thinking.” Thinking about George the W and Iraq, Mr President-Elect, we’ve had enough wishful thinking. Its time to take a critical eye to “clean coal” and stop promoting it as a solution when it remains an uncertain and high-risk research and development project.

This investment will not only help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, making the United States more secure. And it will not only help us bring about a clean energy future, saving our planet. It will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis by generating five million new green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.

What can we say other than: YEAH! Let’s get to it, ASAP!

But the truth is, the United States cannot meet this challenge alone. Solving this problem will require all of us working together. I understand that your meeting is being attended by government officials from over a dozen countries, including the UK, Canada and Mexico, Brazil and Chile, Poland and Australia, India and Indonesia. And I look forward to working with all nations to meet this challenge in the coming years.

The Obama Administration will work with the international community to turn the tide on Global Warming’s rising seas.

Let me also say a special word to the delegates from around the world who will gather at Poland next month: your work is vital to the planet. While I won’t be President at the time of your meeting and while the United States has only one President at a time, I’ve asked Members of Congress who are attending the conference as observers to report back to me on what they learn there.

Obama is clear that he won’t undercut President Bush. But, this is a clear statement that those in at the discussions next month can look to Congressional attendees as people President Obama will listen to on these issues.

And once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations, and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change.

Eight years of inaction are over. Eight years of acting with arrogant disregard to global concerns are over. Eight years lost … are soon behind us, soon behind the U.S. and the globe.

Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response. The stakes are too high. The consequences, too serious.

What can one say other than: YES! YES! YES!

Stopping climate change won’t be easy. It won’t happen overnight. But I promise you this: When I am President, any governor who’s willing to promote clean energy will have a partner in the White House. Any company that’s willing to invest in clean energy will have an ally in Washington. And any nation that’s willing to join the cause of combating climate change will have an ally in the United States of America. Thank you.

No, thank you, Mr. President-Elect.