05:30 pm
Obama’s First Semi-Official Foreign Policy Statement
It’s on climate change, delivered electronically to the Bipartisan Governors’ Global Climate Summit, which was hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger today. Even though there’s not much new here in terms of policy, it’s still worth watching:
The tone and message are consistent both with his acceptance speech and with his recent appointment of foreign policy veterans to key White House posts. In case you can’t watch the Intertubes, a couple of pull quotes:
Few challenges facing America – and the world – are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear. Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We’ve seen record drought, spreading famine, and storms that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season. Climate change and our dependence on foreign oil, if left unaddressed, will continue to weaken our economy and threaten our national security.
Given everything else on the new Administration’s plate, it’s refreshing to see Obama take a stand on something that he easily could have pushed to the side in the name of expediency and/or putting out bigger fires. I think it points to his vision of the interconnectedness of the various issues his Administration will have to confront. For example, confronting climate change isn’t possible without a greater commitment to green tech, which in turn will help reduce dependence on oil, which in turn will help address climate change.
The speech also reinforces what I’ve called his pragmatic internationalism:
And once I take office, you can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations, and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change.
Two phrases stand out: “engage vigorously” and “new era of global cooperation.” The former implies that under an Obama Administration, the United States will take the lead in addressing the fundamental challenges facing the world. The latter makes it clear that when that happens, the Untied States no longer will go it alone.
All in all, not a bad first pronouncement on global issues.