Statement of EDF President Fred Krupp on the State of the Union Address

“It was inspiring to hear the President of the United States, in this most distinguished of settings, once again make clear that climate change is a national priority. As the president said, ‘no challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.’ I was especially pleased to hear him emphasize, ‘I am determined to make sure American leadership drives international action.’

“It was also inspiring to see Nicole Hernandez Hammer sitting with the First Lady. She is a mom and a climate scientist who is achieving remarkable success in her work with Moms Clean Air Force, a powerful advocacy group that EDF helped launch. Her presence tonight was another sign that this administration understands that climate change is a pressing issue. 

“The impacts of climate change threaten all Americans, so it’s vital that we continue to address it. Since the last State of the Union address, America has taken some big steps in the right direction. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed its Clean Power Plan, which will put the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from power plants. The President announced a plan to regulate methane emissions from oil and gas operations. And the U.S. and China announced efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“But it’s critical that we keep moving toward a clean energy future. We need our leaders — in the White House, in Congress, and at the state and local level — to support these and many other measures that put American ingenuity to work to address climate change. The President’s words tonight are a promising sign that we will.” 

                    - Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund