Prominent Environmental Leaders Call on U.S. to Limit Rise in Global Temperature

With heightened urgency prompted by new scientific findings of the consequences of global climate change, 47 national and regional environmental leaders are calling on President Obama to restrict greenhouse gas emissions and commit the United States to a new global treaty that limits the rise in average temperature to 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

The appeal, contained in a letter delivered to the White House on June 26, is meant to influence the administration's position at the G8 summit that starts July 8 in L'Aquila, Italy. The environmental leaders, representing prominent organizations from both coasts and the Heartland, warned that the "failure to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius will have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable nations and communities and will dramatically increase the need for adaptation in the future."

The environmental leaders cited data from the U.S. Global Change Research Program that predicts dramatically intensifying heat, drought, flooding, and ocean acidification. They said the administration has a duty to "reassure citizens in the United States and around the world that our leaders understand the threat that is before us and are courageously taking the steps necessary to protect us."

Download the full letter here

About U.S. Climate Action Network

U.S. Climate Action Network (USCAN) is the largest network of organizations focused on climate change in the U.S. USCAN's mission is to support and strengthen civil society organizations to influence the design and development of an effective, equitable and sustainable global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure its implementation at international, national and local levels.