Washington, D.C.—Following is a statement from Defenders of Wildlife President Jamie Rappaport Clark on climate change in President Obama’s State of the Union speech:

“President Obama’s statements about global warming in his State of the Union speech show that the administration takes this critical issue seriously. Our president has vowed to ‘reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.’ It’s now time to take serious action. As we’ve learned from Hurricane Sandy and other climate disasters that struck the United States last year, the effects of climate change are here and they aren’t going away.

“Reducing the impacts of storms, floods, droughts and fires demands a big-picture approach that helps both people and wildlife. In his second term, President Obama needs to tackle climate change head-on: restoring habitat that can help reduce the damage of severe storms, restricting carbon emissions and leading the world in sustainable energy.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.organd follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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