One of the goals that Obama is trying to take is to reduce greenhouse emissions.  As it’s stated in the article he made a commitment to reduce the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The Obama Administration has made progress by doubling generation of electricity from wind, solar, and geothermal, and by establishing historic new fuel economy standards. This can help President Obama achieve his goal by 2020.

One of the initiatives Obama is trying to take is to build a 21^st– Century Transportation Sector. Heavy-duty vehicles are currently the second largest source of greenhouse emissions within the transportation sector. In 2011, the Obama Administration finalized the first-ever fuel economy standards for model year 2014-2018 for heavy-duty trucks, buses, and vans. These standards will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 270 million metric tons and save 530 million barrels of oil. During its second term, the President’s Administration will partner again with industry leaders and other key stakeholders to develop post-2018 fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles to further reduce fuel consumption through the application of advanced cost-effective technologies and continue efforts to improve the efficiency of moving goods across the U.S.

Biofuels have an important role to play in increasing our energy security, fostering rural economic development, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. The Department of Energy’s eGallon informs drivers about electric car operating costs in their state.

Another initiative President Obama is taking is cutting energy waste in homes, businesses, and factories. Energy efficiency is one of the clearest and most cost-effective opportunities to save families money, make our businesses more competitive, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He is firstly trying to establish a goal for energy efficiency standards, then to reduce barriers to investment in energy efficiency, after expanding the president’s better buildings challenge.

Another step that Obama is trying to take is to preserve the role of forests in mitigating climate change. The forests in the United States play scathing role in addressing carbon pollution, removing nearly 12% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions each year. As our forests stay alive and become bigger the percent of removal becomes larger. When facing the change of climate it increases the risk of wildfire, drought, and pests, and the capacity of the forests to absorb carbon gets smaller. Pressures to develop forest lands for urban or agricultural uses also contribute to decline to forest carbon sequestration. Conservation and sustainable management can help to ensure our forests continue to remove carbon from the atmosphere while also improving soil and water quality, reducing wildfire risk, and otherwise managing forests to be more resilient in the fact of climate change. The Administration is working to identify new approaches to protect and restore our forests, as well as other critical landscapes including grasslands and wetlands, in the face of a changing climate.