Earth Day, 2016, 24453-24454 [2016-09826]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[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