English subtitles for clip: File:2013-06-29 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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The President:
Hi, everybody.

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A few days ago, I unveiled
a new national plan

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to confront the growing threat
of a changing climate.

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Decades of carefully reviewed
science tells us our planet

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is changing in ways that
will have profound impacts

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on the world we
leave our children.

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Already we know that
the 12 warmest years

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in recorded history

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have all come
in the last 15,

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and that last year was the
warmest in American history.

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And while we know no
single weather event

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is caused solely
by climate change,

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we also know that,

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in a world that's getting
warmer than it used to be,

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all weather events
are affected by it --

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more extreme droughts, floods,
wildfires, and hurricanes.

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Those who already feel the
effects of a changing climate

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don't have time to deny it.

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They're busy
dealing with it --

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the firefighters who brave 
longer wildfire seasons;

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the farmers who see crops
wilted one year

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and washed away the next;

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western families worried
about water that's drying up.

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The costs of these events
can be measured

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in lost lives and livelihoods,

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lost homes and businesses,

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and hundreds of billions
of dollars

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in emergency services
and disaster relief.

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And Americans across the country
are already paying the price

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of inaction in
higher food costs,

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insurance premiums,
and the tab for rebuilding.

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So the question is not
whether we need to act;

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the question is whether we
will have the courage to act

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before it's too late.

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The national climate
action plan I unveiled

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will cut carbon pollution,

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protect our country from
the impacts of climate change,

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and lead the world
in a coordinated assault

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on a changing climate.

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To reduce carbon pollution,

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I've directed the 
Environmental Protection Agency

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to work with states and
businesses to set new standards

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that put an end to the limitless
dumping of carbon pollution

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from our power plants.

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We'll use more clean
energy and waste less energy

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throughout our economy.

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To prepare Americans

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for the impact of climate change 
we can't stop,

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we'll work with
communities to build smarter,

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more resilient infrastructure to
protect our homes and businesses

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and withstand more
powerful storms.

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And America will lead global
efforts to combat the threat

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of a changing climate by
encouraging developing nations

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to transition to cleaner
sources of energy

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and by engaging our
international partners

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in this fight.

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For while we compete
for business,

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we also share a planet,

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and we must all shoulder
the responsibility

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for its future together.

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This is the fight America
can and will lead

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in the 21st century,

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but it will require all of us, 
as citizens, to do our part.

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We will need scientists
to design new fuels

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and farmers to grow them.

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We'll need engineers
to devise new technologies

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and businesses to
make and sell them.

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We'll need workers
to man assembly lines

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that hum with high-tech
zero-carbon components

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and builders to
hammer into place

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the foundations for
a new clean-energy age.

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We'll need to give
special care to people

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in communities unsettled
by this transition.

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And those of us in positions
of responsibility

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will need to be less
concerned with the judgment

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of special interests
and well-connected donors

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and more concerned with
the judgment of our children.

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If you agree with me,
I need you to act.

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Educate your classmates
and colleagues,

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your family and friends.

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Speak up in your communities.

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Remind everyone
who represents you,

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at every level of government,

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that there's no contradiction

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between a sound environment
and a strong economy,

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and that sheltering
future generations

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against the ravages
of climate change

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is a prerequisite
for your vote.

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We will be judged as a people,
as a society,

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and as a country on
where we go from here.

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The plan I've put forward
to reduce carbon pollution

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and protect our country from
the effects of climate change

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is the path we need to take.

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And if we remember
what's at stake,

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the world we leave
to our children,

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I'm convinced that this is a
challenge that we will meet.

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Thanks,
and have a great weekend.