Friday, May 19, 2006
Bill Clinton: Global Warming Bigger Threat Than Terrorism
Ex-president Bill Clinton said Saturday that global warming is a bigger threat to the future of America than terrorism.
Speaking to the graduating class at University of Texas' Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, Clinton insisted:
"Climate change is more remote than terror but a more profound threat to the future of the children and the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren I hope all of you have."
Clinton explained: "It's the only thing we face today that has the power to remove the preconditions of civilized society."
The theme is not a new one for the former president. Last September, he predicted that New York City would eventually be devastated if the U.S. didn't start taking global warming seriously.
"We know if something doesn't happen to slow this warming down, whole island nations in the Pacific will be flooded," he told CNN's Larry King. "We'll lose 50 feet of Manhattan Island in New York within the next 50 years if we don't do something to turn this around."
Still, Clinton said Saturday that he was optimistic that the global warming crisis can be solved, "assuming we get off our butts and do something about climate change in a timely fashion."
"I think we should be in the Kyoto climate change system," Clinton said, without noting that while president, he declined to sign the Kyoto Protocols.
Ex-president Bill Clinton said Saturday that global warming is a bigger threat to the future of America than terrorism.
Speaking to the graduating class at University of Texas' Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, Clinton insisted:
"Climate change is more remote than terror but a more profound threat to the future of the children and the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren I hope all of you have."
Clinton explained: "It's the only thing we face today that has the power to remove the preconditions of civilized society."
The theme is not a new one for the former president. Last September, he predicted that New York City would eventually be devastated if the U.S. didn't start taking global warming seriously.
"We know if something doesn't happen to slow this warming down, whole island nations in the Pacific will be flooded," he told CNN's Larry King. "We'll lose 50 feet of Manhattan Island in New York within the next 50 years if we don't do something to turn this around."
Still, Clinton said Saturday that he was optimistic that the global warming crisis can be solved, "assuming we get off our butts and do something about climate change in a timely fashion."
"I think we should be in the Kyoto climate change system," Clinton said, without noting that while president, he declined to sign the Kyoto Protocols.
