As an inhabitant of Great Britain, I tend to pay much more attention to the back-biting politics here at home, rather than in the distant United States of America; choosing to listen to idiots screwing everything up in parliament, rather than idiots screwing everything up in congress. However, since Barack Obama was elected as president way back in 2008, I began to take more of an interest in politics across the pond, and the leading role he played.
This was not just because Obama seemed more intelligent than some of the brain dead cretins that had preceded him before. Not just because he seemed to show great empathy for the poorer members of his nation. Not just because he was tolerant and supportive of the LGBT community, and not just because he didn't seem to let his christian faith cloud his judgement and fuel all of his decision making like most other american politicians seem to do. I mainly took more of an interest in american politics because the great man was, and continues to be, making the world pay attention to the truly devastating threats to the environment that, for some horrifying reason, seems to be of little importance to the majority of the american public. Barack Obama has always impressed me with his determination to make people aware of how fragile our planet is, and how important it is to respect and care for it, if we as well as the other organisms are to continue to survive for years to come. And this really shows in the great mans track record of environmental achievements.
Protection of natural eco-systems:
Barack Obamas administration shows great respect to natural eco-systems, and have invested 2 billion dollars in restoration efforts for environments such as the Everglades and the California Bay Delta; environments that must be kept healthy and bio-diverse for the good of the wildlife, the american public, and the rest of the planet. The Obama administration was also behind the creation of the largest network of ocean reserves on the planet, extending the original "Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument reserve" (originally created by former president Bush) to six times its original size, while creating policies banning fishing, extraction of resources, and human interference within it. This will allow marine fauna from coral, crustaceans, whales and plant-life found nowhere else on earth to remain in their healthy, harmonious state.
Wildlife trafficking:
The Obama administration has created a wildlife trafficking strategy which aims to support and work together with non-governmeantal conservation groups and local communities, to provide enforcement in the fight against the barbaric plight of wildlife traffickers. The aim is also to prosecute increased numbers of ivory hunters, poachers, and collectors for the illegal pet trade in Africa and Asia, while also decreasing the high demand for wild animals through the education of the public.
The protection of waterways:
Of course wildlife populations aren't the only victims of ecological upheaval; The human public is as well. Which is why Obamas administration (in conjunction with the EPA) is acting to provide much needed protection for natural waterways such as rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and streams, and to restore polluted waterways to life-sustaining health through the "clean water rule". Obama has also recently vetoed a republican bid to kill this clean water rule, allowing american waterways that so many depend on to continue to have adequate protection.
"...too many of our waters have been left vulnerable. Pollution from upstream sources ends up in the rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters near which most Americans live and on which they depend for their drinking water, recreation, and economic development. Clarifying the scope of the Clean Water Act helps to protect these resources and safeguard public health."“
-Obama's vetoe message
Every kid in the park initiative:
Obama has proven himself to truly understand the importance of natural eco-systems, renewable energy, and the curbing of wildlife trafficking. But what he has also shown himself to be fully aware of is how vital it is to teach the young about wildlife and the environment. Which is why the Obama administration has created the "Every kid in a park initiative". The aim of this initiative is to give every child the ability to visit and explore the astonishing national parks found in the United States of America. And back in September, all children in the fourth grade (ages 8 or 9) were given passes that allowed free access to these wonderful places, and the opportunity to witness the wildlife and impressive landscapes that america has to offer.
Paris Climate summit:
If you have kept up with the obstacles and republican backlash that the President has had to overcome over the last 7 years, you may have noticed that his views on man-made climate change and his attempts to rectify a dire environmental situation have commonly come under fire. However, the Obama administration really came into its own when it took a leading role during the iconic "Paris Climate summit", urging other countries to play their part in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and to be transparent about the levels of emissions they release, while creating an agreement that can be modified as new scientific evidence comes to light in the future, and that can't be easily overturned by the republicans. Although many claim the paris agreement is far from fool-proof, it is widely considered to be a strong turning point towards a cleaner, more environmentally friendly world. The fact that a year before it, President Obama vetoed a republican bill to extend the now infamous XL oil pipeline that would have caused great environmental damage, while releasing large quantities of fossil fuel emissions, also played a major part in garnering him much needed respect during the summit.
"America is now a global leader when it comes to taking serious action to fight climate change,”
There is so much more I could mention about the Obama administration environmental success stories, which has truly done much more for for the natural world than it is given credit for. As Barack Obama nears the end of his presidential career, republicans have been claiming that he is a failure, and that he has achieved little since he was first elected. Well, if we ignore his other great achievements (decreasing unemployment, providing poor americans with free healthcare etc), and just look at the environmental achievements I have listed above, can you honestly say the man is a failure? Can you really?
-Thomas Glen
Check out my page: Facebook.com/goodnaturepage
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