Obama goes for green growth

US President Barack Obama unveils what he called "the biggest, most important step we have ever taken" in tackling climate change. Supported by Clinton.

Prior to the game-changing COP 21 in Paris, which is set to agree global emissions by country, and the UN Sustainable Development summit in September, President Obama has revealed the extent to which he is committed to mitigating the effects of global catastrophe.

The aim of the revised Clean Power Plan is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from US power stations by nearly a third within 15 years.

Individual US states will have emissions goals.

The measures will place significant emphasis on wind and solar power and other renewable energy sources.

"I’m convinced no challenge provides a greater threat to the future of the planet," Mr Obama said. "There is such a thing as being too late."

The revised plan will aim to cut carbon emissions from the power sector by 32% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.

"We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change, and the last generation to be able to do something about it," Mr Obama said. He likened the plan to taking 166 million cars off the road in terms of environmental impact. He called taking a stand against climate change a "moral obligation".

"Scaremonging" tactics will not work to stop the proposal, he said.

"If we don’t do it nobody will. America leads the way forward… that’s what this plan is about. This is our moment to get something right and get something right for our kids," he said.

The Clean Power Plan sets standards to reduce CO2 emissions by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030, which is 9% more than the proposed rules previously set forth by the Obama administration.

It sets carbon pollution reduction goals for power plants and requires states to implement plans to meet goals. States have until September 2016 to submit plans, but must comply by 2022.

The Administration believes the plan will boost the COP 21 in Paris in December and encourage other countries to submit their own plans.

Each US state will have an emission-cutting goal assigned to it and must submit a proposal to the Environmental Protection Agency on how it will meet the target.

Mr Obama said the new limits were backed up by decades of data showing that without action the world faced more extreme weather and escalating health problems.

"Climate change is not a problem for another generation. Not any more," Mr Obama said.

"My administration will release the final version of America’s Clean Power Plan, the biggest, most important step we have ever taken to combat climate change."

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she would defend the plan if she was elected to replace Mr Obama.

"This will be an issue in the 2016 election and because the Democrats have a far more responsible policy position, it will allow them to prevail."

It is believed the revised plan will aim to keep the share of natural gas in US power generation at current levels.

The president sees this plan as the cornerstone of his attempt to secure a global treaty on climate change in Paris at the end of the year. But he needs that conference to succeed almost as much as the beleaguered UN process needs him.

Getting a deal in the French capital may help "save the world" from the worst ravages of climate change. It would also make it very difficult for his successor to unravel the Clean Power Plan.

The big question for the president is how to ensure that these carefully crafted rules don’t end up in the recycling bin of history.

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle