Greenpeace climbers have just hung a banner on Mt. Rushmore!

by Mike Gaworecki

July 8, 2009

Three Greenpeace climbers have hung a banner on the face of Mount Rushmore to issue a challenge to President Obama: "America honors leaders, not politicians: Stop Global Warming.”

Watch it live in our streaming video: www.greenpeace.org/rushmore

This is just one of several actions Greenpeace has staged today as world leaders gather in L’Aquila, Italy for the G8 meeting.

Global warming is an environmental crisis the likes of which we’ve never faced before, but so far, our leaders seem content to play politics with the issue. Yet, given the powerful forces who are actively working to delay action, addressing it adequately will require bold leadership, not political dealing. The banner hang on Mount Rushmore is intended to press President Obama to be a leader in establishing science-based global warming policy not just here in the U.S., but also internationally at the UN climate change discussions to be held in Copenhagen this December.

The science is clear on the fact that we need to reduce our emissions by 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80-95% by 2050.  If we do less than that, we risk crossing a tipping point that will bring about the worst impacts of global warming – devastating floods, droughts, wildfires, and storms. 

Unfortunately, the House of Representatives recently passed a climate bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), that sets targets far below those mandated by science — largely because the fossil fuels industries were allowed a huge amount of influence in revising the legislation. The bill is so weak that it may actually spur a new generation of dirty coal and dangerous nuclear plants.

The excuse we’re given is that this legislation is all that is politically feasible.  But the climate doesn’t care about what’s politically feasible. If we don’t take action in line with the science, we face catastrophic climate change.

In President Obama’s inaugural address, he vowed to "restore science to its rightful place." ACES, which will soon be voted on in the Senate, falls woefully short of that mark. Sign our petition now to call on President Obama to honor his commitment to restoring science by being a true leader, not a politician.
 

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