President Obama said Thursday that protecting the world’s oceans from the threat of climate change is “personal” for him.
That is one of the reasons he announced the creation of the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. The announcement follows last month’s creation of the largest marine preserve in the world, larger than the state of Texas, off the coast of Hawaii.
The actions are part of his broad climate change agenda to reverse the warming trend in the world’s oceans. Many scientists blame greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels for raising the temperature of the Earth.
These actions are “personal to me,” he told a conference of international leaders in Washington at the third annual Our Oceans Conference. “I grew up in Hawaii. The ocean is really nice there.
“The notion that the ocean that I grew up with is not something that I can pass on to my kids and grandkids is unacceptable. It’s unimaginable,” Obama said.
“The commitment that we all make here today is vital for our economy, it’s vital for our foreign policy, it’s vital for our national security,” he added. “It’s also vital for our spirit.”
He said nations are going to have to act, and “act boldy,” to address climate change and its effects of raising ocean temperatures, causing more flooding and harming livelihoods such as the fishing industry in New England and elsewhere.
The oceans conference will underscore 100 new initiatives and contributions internationally to help the oceans, Obama noted. “It’s probably not enough, but it’s a pretty good down payment.”
