From the Chesapeake Bay to the world, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reasserts America’s global leadership on the climate crisis. It was a great honor to welcome U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to our Annapolis headquarters on April 19, 2021.
Secretary Blinken chose our Philip Merrill Environmental Center—the first LEED Platinum building in the world—as the setting for his speech, "Tackling the Crisis and Seizing the Opportunity: America’s Global Climate Leadership." With the Bay as the backdrop, he laid the groundwork for America’s foreign policy and the global leadership role the U.S. must play in the climate crisis.
We often hold up the efforts to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a model for environmental restoration. We advocate for state and federal leaders to work together to clean up the Bay’s 63,000-mile watershed. While there’s more work left to do, the Bay has responded. We’re seeing more wildlife, cleaner water, and a better quality of life for residents in the watershed.
We hope the global response to climate change will be similar—countries working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Doing so will ensure a healthy Earth for future generations and increase economic opportunity as the transition toward sustainable infrastructure continues. After four years of climate complacency in the U.S., it was inspiring to hear the Secretary speak about the United States’ desire to recommit to its role as a global leader in improving the environment.
This video features excerpts from Secretary Blinken's speech. View the speech in its entirety.
