I want to welcome everyone here today to our "Wake Up Congress for Climate Action Rally."
I want to make sure everyone takes a moment to set their cell phones and other devices so that at 5:00 pm we all sound the alarm for climate action.
Climate change is happening all around us and we need to take action now. More than 97 percent of climate scientists say that human activities are causing climate change. From wildfires in the Western U.S., to droughts, to Superstorms, to forests dying from bug infestation, I say to Congress - open your eyes, get you heads out of the sand - see reality.
Experts tell us clearly that climate change is accelerating. The Department of Defense has sounded the alarm with the Center for Naval Analysis telling us that climate change is now a catalyst for conflict. Shouldn't this be enough to wake up Congress? Yes!
The Congressional Climate Assessment Report tells us that we could see a 10 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature. Shouldn't this be enough to wake up Congress? Yes!
NASA says that the melting of the west Antarctica's ice sheet has reached the point of no return, and it could raise sea levels 10 to 12 feet higher than previously predicted. Shouldn't that be enough to wake up Congress? Yes!
What more does Congress need? The reason we are here is to sound the alarm.
The first thing we must do is stop the denial. According to polls the American public recognizes that climate change is real and young people believe that climate deniers are ignorant or out of touch.
Second, we must stop attacking the President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which is critical.
Third, let us put a price on carbon, because carbon pollution costs lives and leads to higher ozone levels. It has a cost and will increase air pollution.
Congress -- do not go the way of China by throwing the environment under the bus.
Congress -- do not allow out of control floods, fires and drought to become our new way of life.
Climate change is happening now. That is why we are here pushing today and why we will continue pushing every day for meaningful action.
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