[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 24453-24454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09826]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 80 / Tuesday, April 26, 2016 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 24453]]
Proclamation 9426 of April 21, 2016
Earth Day, 2016
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
On April 22, 1970, millions of people from every corner
of our country joined in common cause to demand basic
protections to safeguard our planet for future
generations. The first Earth Day helped transform the
ways we interact with the world around us, and it
changed how we view our impact on the natural world--
inspiring the creation of the Environmental Protection
Agency and landmark legislation that protects the air
we breathe, the water we drink, and the animals that
live alongside us. Today, we resolve to build on the
progress made in the nearly half-century since, and we
reaffirm our commitment to leaving a clean, healthy
Earth for our children and grandchildren.
Just as the people who came together on Earth Day in
1970 embraced their responsibility to preserve our
planet, today we face a threat that also requires
collective action. Human activity is disrupting the
climate, and the challenge of combating climate change
is one that will define the contours of our time. The
effects of climate change are already evident in
stronger storms, deeper droughts, more rapidly eroding
soil, and longer wildfire seasons--and as of last year,
14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred
since 2000. This urgent threat will worsen with each
passing year unless we act now.
No country can solve this challenge alone. This Earth
Day, nations from across the globe are gathering in New
York to sign an agreement reached by nearly 200
countries in Paris late last year that establishes an
enduring framework to reduce global carbon pollution
and set the world on a path to a low-carbon future.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries pledge to limit
global warming to 2 degrees Celsius at most, and to
pursue efforts to keep it below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Science tells us these levels will help prevent some of
the most devastating impacts of climate change,
including more frequent and extreme droughts, storms,
fires, and floods, as well as catastrophic increases in
sea level.
The Paris Agreement demonstrates what is possible when
the world is united by a common concern and a shared
purpose. The Agreement sets ambitious and specific
targets for each nation that are necessary to solving
the climate crisis. It applies to all countries,
establishes meaningful accountability and reporting
requirements, and brings countries back to the table
every 5 years to grow their commitments as markets
change and technologies improve. It also provides
financing mechanisms so developing economies can move
forward using clean energy, and it creates a
collaborative process through which countries can
establish and achieve their targets.
Key to reaching the Paris Agreement was principled
American leadership. Over the past decade, the United
States has cut our total carbon pollution more than any
other nation on Earth. We are committed to upholding
our responsibility in the global effort to combat
climate change and protect our planet, and my
Administration has taken action to reduce our carbon
pollution and lead the world in transitioning to a
clean energy future. For example, we have made
significant investments in clean energy--since I took
Office, the amount of electricity generated from wind
energy has
[[Page 24454]]
tripled, and the amount generated from solar energy has
increased more than thirtyfold. Last year, I announced
the first set of nationwide standards to end the
limitless dumping of carbon pollution from our
country's power plants. To prepare for the impacts of
climate change that we cannot prevent, we are working
with States and cities to help communities build
climate-resilient infrastructure. And I have protected
more public lands and waters than any other President
in history--more than 265 million acres.
We each have a role to play in ensuring that we do not
pass a world beyond repair on to our children. Everyone
must do their part, and as long as we unite to protect
the one planet we have, we can leave it in better shape
for future generations. On Earth Day, let us all accept
our individual responsibilities to care for the world
we live in, and let us marshal our best efforts toward
building a safer, more stable, and more sustainable
world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 22, 2016, as
Earth Day. I encourage all Americans to participate in
programs and activities that will protect our
environment and contribute to a healthy, sustainable
future.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2016-09826
Filed 4-25-16; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P