Latino Organizations Call On Obama To Act On Climate Change

As President Barack Obama attempts to mitigate a fierce immigration battle, at least 18 Latino organizations are beseeching him to turn his sights on another issue that is increasingly impacting issues nationwide. The groups said in a letter last week that the president must address climate change to protect the interests of the large percentage of Latinos working in the agricultural sector, Think Progress reported. The organizations asked that Obama begin efforts to cut pollution from power plants.

"Our members and supporters share your concerns about climate change and are eager to see your administration act now," the letter stated, noting that curtailing climate change would create a healthy future for the country.

Not only is climate change a danger to Latinos working in agriculture, but studies have shown that 48.4 percent of Latinos live in environments where the ozone exceeds the threshold value set by the federal government, meaning Latinos are generally more exposed to smog. A disproportionate amount of Latinos also suffer extensive damages to health and homes during times of natural disasters caused by climate change.

Obama responded to the letter by openly pushing his long-fought-for goal of 17 percent reduction of CO2 by 2020. The current carbon emissions are 9 percent lower than they were in 2005 due to decrease in vehicle exhaust levels and renewable energy options. Obama said in his State of the Union address that he is willing to use his executive power if Congress fails to act on climate change through a market-based plan.

The president told environmentalists and critics of the Keystone XL pipeline at a closed-door fundraiser that a plan for climate chance is in the works. It is rumored that the plan will target greenhouse emissions, though details have not yet been released.