How Sexy is Obama's Sustainability?

Written by guest writer Ben Brysacz

When members of one political camp are chanting “Drill, baby, drill,” it’s not particularly challenging to figure out who’s more environmentally-friendly. Take a look at Obama’s webpage and you’ll find a few bullet points about his plan to increase fuel economy standards, create millions of green jobs building hybrid cars and weatherizing homes, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. These are goals that most of us embrace. Yet some environmentalists might think Obama’s plans are watered down, that they are not strong enough. What they don’t understand is that sustainability encompasses more than the nuts and bolts of environmental policy, and that we need a President who enacts sustainable policies across the board.

First, Obama’s approach to foreign policy is pragmatic and dynamic. Ending our dependence on imported oil from Venezuela and the Middle East will open new opportunities for the next President. He might, for example, make a stronger case for women’s rights in the face of an illiberal Saudi regime. More importantly, he would deprive autocratic rulers of the windfall profits that sustain them. Obama’s emphasis on diplomacy and strong alliances will reduce the likelihood of war, the least sustainable of all human activities.

Governments can pour money into clean technology, greenhouse gas reduction, and environmental protection with sparse results, but it takes a sustainable, private market for green products to effect lasting change. That’s why Obama’s approach unites the interests of free market entrepreneurs with those of environmental activists, harnessing the market to serve noble social goals. In the process of helping Detroit become competitive and clean, an Obama administration would be fostering job opportunities for high school and college graduates in communities that are struggling today. The same goes for clean wind and solar industries – we can make sustainability a family business, one that sustains generations of Americans.

Finally, Obama’s candidacy illustrates his political sustainability. Even today there are Americans who do not believe we should focus on environmental policy. Some don’t believe climate change is human-caused. Even among those of us who prioritize this issue, there is significant disagreement about the way forward. Obama’s campaign has never taken these challenges for granted. According to the accounts of friends and acquaintances throughout his past, Obama takes opposing viewpoints seriously and treats respectfully those who disagree with him. Perhaps his greatest achievement so far has been to create a consensus about the problems we must solve: failing healthcare systems, a damaged international reputation, and global warming to name a few. That is a crucial first step, and one that we cannot afford to ruin by alienating people. Over the next four years, I hope we will see an Obama administration that builds consensus on environmental issues, and pushes meaningful, workable legislation through Congress, knowing when and where compromise is appropriate. He could do more than protect the environment; he could transform American values, and make environmental stewardship a hallmark of our national identity.

Even if we elect Obama, change will be tough. Then again, this election isn’t about unrealistic change, it’s about change we can believe in.