The Need for Bold Leadership
| Date | 01 January 2009 |
| Author |
39 ELR 10064 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORT ER 1-2009
As President-elect Barack Obama assesses the current
state of environmental law and policy, he will face
two large challenges: (1) legislative gridlock that has
blocked action on a wide range of environmental issues for
too many years; and (2) the daunting but important task of
addressing global climate change. The key to meeting both of
these challenges successfully is bold leadership.
The leadership needed to meet these two challenges
requires two different but complementary attributes. First, he
will require a vision and understanding of what is needed for
current and future generations. Second, he will need a sensitiv-
ity and appreciation for what can be accomplished in the short
term to create and start us on the path to long-term solutions.
In recent years, the media, interest groups, and some poli-
ticians have stressed partisan differences on environmental
law and policy. To be sure, there are important differences
between the parties on these issues. However, it is important
to remember that local or regional differences, often unrelated
to political parties, can lead to legislative gridlock that is just
as difficult to untangle. Environmental law and policy have a
long history and tradition of bipartisan cooperation and lead-
ership. If we can honor and repeat that history and tradition,
it will serve us well.
One of the lessons I learned from my years in the U.S.
Senate was the importance of making legislative adjustments
and accommodations to ensure progress without sacrificing
important principles and goals. The phrase my colleagues
and I often used was: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of
the good.”
That didn’t mean we backed away from vigor ous debate
or tough votes, but it did mean that there were times when
we and those on the ot her side of the debate were willing
to negotiate in good faith, find common ground, and make
accommodations to avoid gridlock. On occasion, we incurred
the wrath of nongovernmental advocates who were pressing
for more aggressive legislation. More often than not, our
“allies turned critics” eventually came to appreciate our
judgment that some progress was better than no progr ess
and continued gr idlock.
The threat of global climate change is an enormous problem
that demands presidential attention and bold leadership. The
problem is usually presented as an issue of environmental law
and policy. However, the problem and the solution—moving
to a low-carbon future—go far beyond questions of environ-
mental policy. Significant environmental, economic, and inter-
national security issues come together under the umbrella of
climate change.
As the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban
Ki-moon, has noted: “Many of the challenges we face, from
poverty to armed conflict, are linked to the effect of global
warming.” Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli-
mate Change (IPCC) and others explain how global warming
could lead to conflicts over land and water, to environmental
refugees, and to failed states in already vulnerable parts of
the world.
The reports warn that hundreds of millions of people could
be forced from their homes because of rising sea levels, floods,
and more intense drought—creating large numbers of climate
refugees searching for safe places to live. T he reports also
warn that over one-half billion people could be affected by
malnutrition, and almost two billion people could be without
enough water. These effects could be the result of many fac-
tors, including uncontrolled climate change.
If we fail to change course, the implications for world peace
and stability are profound. The stakes are high, but there is
reason for optimism. After years of ha lting progress, public
opinion has finally reached a tipping point. People the world
over are ready to move forward toward clear, bold goals. With
the Kyoto Protocol set to expire at the end of 2012, govern-
ments from around the world met in Bali last year. More than
190 countries, including China, India, and the United States,
agreed to a process known as the Bali Action Plan. The goal
is to have a new, post-Kyoto agreement ready for signature at a
meeting in Copenhagen in 2009.
Moving to a low-carbon future will not happen in a timely
manner if the United States continues to rely solely on volun-
tary measures. While divisions remain, I am convinced that
most Americans want our country to be a leader, not a laggard,
in dealing with this issue.
The United States is responsible for a significant portion of
global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on both an absolute and
a per capita basis. So we have a responsibility to address the issue.
The Need for Bold Leadership
Long-term vision and understanding paired with short-
term pragmatism will create successful leadership
by George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell is the former U.S. Senate Majority Leader.
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