All In The Timing

President Obama’s speech on Tuesday in which he put forth his proposed new climate change plan has garnered reactions from every corner of the climate change debate. The speech focused on three areas: Cutting carbon pollution in America, preparing the U.S. for the impacts of climate change, and making sure the U.S. leads efforts on the international stage to address global climate change. So, what should we make of the President’s speech? One thing to keep in mind is that it is all about the timing. The “steady as she goes” thread that runs throughout the entirety of the speech is about not raising the ire of both a public already shell shocked from the economic crash and a not so obliging Congress, while reassuring environmentalists and major players watching around the globe that his administration still holds climate change a top priority. Some environmentalists scream that it’s too little too late. Others dismiss it as just rhetoric. Still others are hollering “foul” and that if Obama was so all fired up and concerned about climate change he would have started working on solutions in his first term. It will be very interesting to see what happens when push comes to shove.