January, 29 2014, 12:11pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Joe Smyth
Greenpeace Communications
831-566-5647
Greenpeace Reaction to 2014 State of the Union Address
In response to President Obama's comments on climate change in his State of the Union address, Greenpeace Executive Director Phil Radford said:
WASHINGTON
In response to President Obama's comments on climate change in his State of the Union address, Greenpeace Executive Director Phil Radford said:
"It's good to hear that President Obama plans to move forward with his plan to address climate change, but unfortunately, his administration continues to undermine this plan by encouraging the extraction of coal, oil, and gas from our public lands and waters, unlocking huge quantities of carbon pollution. Adding insult to injury, the fossil fuel industry hopes to boost exports of its dirty energy abroad, from the Keystone XL pipeline to proposals to create huge coal and LNG export facilities.
"Fossil fuel extraction and exports are a major blind spot in the Obama administration's climate plan that will continue to undermine domestic and global efforts to reduce carbon pollution until the President takes seriously the simple test he proposed last year: "Our national interest will be served only if this project does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.
"If you want to bend history in one direction, you need to pick a side and put your all into it. Unfortunately, the President continues to stand right in the middle."
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
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