Jimmy Carter Pushed Climate Change Concerns 45 Years Ago
2025-01-09
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1When Jimmy Carter ran for president, he wanted the color green to be used in his campaign instead of red, white and blue.
2Green showed up on almost everything related to his campaign.
3It was meant to show the importance he placed on environmental policy.
4Nearly 50 years later, environmental activists celebrate the legacy of Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100.
5They say he was concerned about protecting the environment and climate issues.
6Manish Bapna leads the Natural Resources Defense Council.
7Bapna said Carter was ahead of his time because he was calling for cuts in gas emissions before anyone else was talking about "climate change."
8Former Vice President Al Gore received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for helping to put the climate crisis on the political agenda.
9Gore called Carter "a lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement."
10President Carter approved the first U.S. efficiency standards for passenger vehicles and household appliances.
11He created the U.S. Department of Energy which supported energy research.
12He more than doubled the amount of wilderness area under National Park Service control.
13Carter asked Americans to save energy through personal sacrifice, including driving less and turning down their heat in winter during worldwide fuel shortages.
14He reduced the temperature in the White House in the winter.
15He wore a sweater during his talks to the nation instead of a traditional suit.
16He pushed renewable energy aiming to reduce dependence on oil and gas.
17Carter left office in 1981 shortly after receiving a report linking the use of oil, coal and gas, called fossil fuels, to rising carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere.
18Carter's top environmental advisers urged "immediate" cuts to the burning of carbon fuels to reduce what scientists called "carbon dioxide pollution."
19The report called for limiting worldwide average temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
20Thirty-five years later, the 2015 Paris climate agreement set a similar goal.
21Although Carter wanted to depend more on renewable energy, his push toward U.S. energy independence aided the oil industry.
22Steven Nadel is head of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
23He said Carter had the right idea to support research and development organized by the Energy Department.
24Carter's environmental interests began in his boyhood when he hunted and fished and worked on his father's farmland.
25Randall Balmer is a professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
26Balmer has written about Carter's faith, saying Carter saw himself as a caretaker of the natural resources that God created.
27Carter won the presidency at a time of energy shortages, partly caused by unrest in the Middle East.
28Nadel wrote that national security and economic interests came together with Carter's religious beliefs and love of nature.
29Carter called the energy crisis "the moral equivalent of war."
30As inflation increased and gasoline shortages spread, Carter called for individual sacrifice and action on renewable energy.
31"Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns," Carter said in 1979.
32He also said: "But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning."
33More than 100 million Americans watched Carter's speech.
34Years later, Carter said it predicted future calls for strong, direct action on energy.
35Jay Inslee is the governor of Washington state.
36Inslee said: "You can say the Carter presidency is still producing results today."
37Inslee ran a 2020 presidential campaign that pushed for climate action.
38"I've learned in politics that timing is everything," he noted.
39I'm Jill Robbins.
1When Jimmy Carter ran for president, he wanted the color green to be used in his campaign instead of red, white and blue. 2Green showed up on almost everything related to his campaign. It was meant to show the importance he placed on environmental policy. 3Nearly 50 years later, environmental activists celebrate the legacy of Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100. They say he was concerned about protecting the environment and climate issues. 4Manish Bapna leads the Natural Resources Defense Council. Bapna said Carter was ahead of his time because he was calling for cuts in gas emissions before anyone else was talking about "climate change." 5Wearing sweaters and setting standards 6Former Vice President Al Gore received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for helping to put the climate crisis on the political agenda. Gore called Carter "a lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement." 7President Carter approved the first U.S. efficiency standards for passenger vehicles and household appliances. He created the U.S. Department of Energy which supported energy research. He more than doubled the amount of wilderness area under National Park Service control. 8Carter asked Americans to save energy through personal sacrifice, including driving less and turning down their heat in winter during worldwide fuel shortages. He reduced the temperature in the White House in the winter. He wore a sweater during his talks to the nation instead of a traditional suit. He pushed renewable energy aiming to reduce dependence on oil and gas. 9Dealing with climate change 10Carter left office in 1981 shortly after receiving a report linking the use of oil, coal and gas, called fossil fuels, to rising carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere. Carter's top environmental advisers urged "immediate" cuts to the burning of carbon fuels to reduce what scientists called "carbon dioxide pollution." 11The report called for limiting worldwide average temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Thirty-five years later, the 2015 Paris climate agreement set a similar goal. 12The goal of energy independence 13Although Carter wanted to depend more on renewable energy, his push toward U.S. energy independence aided the oil industry. 14Steven Nadel is head of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. He said Carter had the right idea to support research and development organized by the Energy Department. 15Stewarding God's creation 16Carter's environmental interests began in his boyhood when he hunted and fished and worked on his father's farmland. 17Randall Balmer is a professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Balmer has written about Carter's faith, saying Carter saw himself as a caretaker of the natural resources that God created. 18Condemning consumerism 19Carter won the presidency at a time of energy shortages, partly caused by unrest in the Middle East. Nadel wrote that national security and economic interests came together with Carter's religious beliefs and love of nature. 20Carter called the energy crisis "the moral equivalent of war." As inflation increased and gasoline shortages spread, Carter called for individual sacrifice and action on renewable energy. 21"Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns," Carter said in 1979. He also said: "But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning." 22More than 100 million Americans watched Carter's speech. Years later, Carter said it predicted future calls for strong, direct action on energy. 23Jay Inslee is the governor of Washington state. Inslee said: "You can say the Carter presidency is still producing results today." Inslee ran a 2020 presidential campaign that pushed for climate action. "I've learned in politics that timing is everything," he noted. 24I'm Jill Robbins. 25Bill Barrow reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 26______________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28legacy - n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past 29emissions - n. (pl.) gases released as a result of industrial or biological processes 30agenda - n. a list of things to be considered or done 31role model - n. someone who another person admires and tries to be like 32efficiency standard - n. requirements put in place by governments on the auto industry to produce vehicles that use fuel more effectively with the aim of using less fuel 33appliance - n. a machine used in the home that does housework such as washing clothes or dishes 34sweater - n. a piece of warm clothing worn on the upper body 35equivalent - n. having the same value, use, or meaning 36consume - v. to use fuel, time, resources, or similar things 37What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments Section.