At the Berlin Victory Column, Barrack Obama assured his audience that the USA will take climate change seriously in the future. Shortly before that, Al Gore had announced that America could change over to 100 % renewable electricity within ten years – if the political will is there.

It is remarkable that both Obama as well as his Republican rival John McCain agreed with Al Gore. This week it became known that in 2007 for the first time, the USA produced more wind energy than Germany, up to now the world leader in wind energy: Is America going green?
 
For a long time, many US groups have been urging President Bush to commit himself more to the protection of the climate. But he is committed to the American oil and nuclear industry, which financed his election campaigns and for whom he is waging his war about oil in Iraq. With this President, sustainable climate protection was simply not feasable. This is what Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, herself very committed to fighting climate change, had to accept time and time again: Angela Merkel, who has a degree in natural science, could only shake her head in private about her climate-ignorant colleague from the US.
 
Of all industrial countries, the USA is greatest waster of energy and thus the world’s leading climate offender. Should Obama become President, the USA could, together with Europe, reactivate their historic responsibility for world order and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 % by 2050.
 
The next US-President – Obama or McCain – must make the protection of the climate their top priority and be present personally at the crucial climate conference in Copenhagen in 2009.
 
As well as a rapid development of renewable energies, it is equally important to build up a system of emission trading like in Europe. The revenue from this should flow into an international climate protection fund. From this fund, climate-change protection projects in the poor countries which are most affected, could be financed. Deserts could become green, deforestation could be stopped and environmentally friendly energy technologies could be promoted in all developing and threshold countries. Under these conditions, China and India, Brasil and South Africa are prepared to play their part in  combatting climate change.
 
This finally offers a great chance for the future of the next generations and for new environmentally friendly managment in the whole world. In the post-Bush era, America cannot afford to miss this chance either.
 
Whether Obama or McCain: The USA is going green!

Source:
Franz Alt 2008