Live Earth Will Engage and Encourage Millions Around the World to Take Concrete Actions

The adverse environmental and economic impacts of global warming are clear and the science is undeniable. I commend Vice President Al Gore for his dedication to solving the greatest environmental challenge ever faced by humanity, and I am proud to be a signer of the Live Earth pledge. Live Earth will engage and encourage millions around the world to take concrete actions to prevent global warming and preserve our planet for future generations.

In Congress, we are leading by example. One of my first acts as Speaker was to create the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to focus Congress' attention on the impending climate crisis. Our Greening the Capitol initiative will immediately begin reducing the levels of carbon dioxide emitted by House operations and buildings, and reduce our overall energy consumption by 50 percent in just 10 years. We are going to take bold action throughout this Congress to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reverse global warming, and ensure that America is in the forefront in developing innovative technologies. We began by unveiling an energy proposal that declares independence from yesterday's thinking and invests in energy solutions of tomorrow -- making America more secure, leading to the creation of 'Green Jobs,' and combating global warming.

Working together, we can maintain the benefits of modern society -- and bring those benefits to the developing world -- while removing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. But we must act and we must act now.