This is not something that we’re used to a president doing. Obama is in Alaska right now. Yesterday he officially changed the name of 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley to Denali in respect of Native Americans. Today or tomorrow, he’ll appear in Bear Grylls’ survival show “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
Obama is a politician so, of course, he has an agenda with this appearance. He wants to observe the effects of climate change in Alaska while taping the show.
This 3-day trip to Alaska is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to build support for new carbon dioxide capping legislation for US power plants. Obama also wants to raise awareness about the rapid pace of climate change.
Obama will be the first sitting president to visit the Alaskan Arctic on this trip. He’ll also be visiting glaciers, meeting fisherman, and talking with native leaders about sea rise, shrinking glaciers, and melting permafrost.
In early August, Obama unveiled plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions from US power plants by 33% in the next 15 years.
