# Obama Commits to a Strong Cap-and-Trade System

*Published:* 2008-11-21
*Author:* Tony Kreindler

![Tony Kreindler](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2008/03/tony_kreindler.jpg)In a [video message](http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/president_elect_obama_promises_new_chapter_on_climate_change/) delivered this week to a bipartisan group of governors at a [global warming summit in California](http://site.governorsglobalclimatesummit.org/Agenda.html), President-Elect Obama made it clear that his [climate change priorities start with a cap and trade system](http://neinuclearnotes.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-addresses-governors-at-global.html) to reduce America’s global warming pollution and unleash a clean energy revolution.

> My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process. That will start with a federal cap-and-trade system. We’ll establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020, and reduce them an additional 80% by 2050. Further, we’ll invest $15 billion each year to catalyze private-sector efforts to build a clean-energy future.

`[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/hvG2XptIEJk" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]`

It’s a momentous statement that lights the fuse for climate change legislation in 2009. This is exactly what America and the world needs now – a strong cap-and-trade bill will [jump-start job creation](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2008/07/02/mapping_green_economy/) in new energy industries, and take a huge step toward solving climate change.

*This post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.*