The past decade was America's hottest on record. We're seeing more droughts, floods, and wildfires than ever before. Climate change is happening, and the effects are visible all around us.
But a lot of people still have questions about climate change: what it means, how bad it really is, and what we can do to fight it.
To be fully committed in the fight against climate change, we have to understand why it's such a serious issue.
Several months ago, I testified before the House Science Committee about the President's Climate Action Plan. The plan contains a number of actions to reduce carbon pollution, prepare the U.S. for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to fight global climate change.
Most of the questions at the hearing, however, weren't about the plan itself -- they were about whether human-caused climate change is a reality.
Other countries are realizing the gravity of this problem, and are already taking action on the issue. In the wake of the historic joint climate announcement by the U.S. and China two nights ago, the importance of American leadership in the fight against climate change cannot be understated.
Fortunately, a majority of Americans believe that climate change is real, but there's still a lot of confusion and misinformation out there. That's why it's critical that we take every opportunity to set the record straight, and to make sure that everyone's as informed and knowledgeable about it as possible.
And I want to do everything I can to help.
Hope to hear from you soon,
John
Dr. John P. Holdren
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
The White House
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
The White House
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