Planes Roar Over Obama's Climate Change Speech In Moment Of Irony

Obama's Climate Change Speech Nearly Drowned Out By Planes

"The year that I took office, my administration pledged to reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions by about 17 percent," he declared as an airliner nearly drowned him out.

The irony of the fossil fuel-powered jets nearly disrupting a presidential climate change speech was quickly noted on Twitter.

Greehouse gas line drowned out by roaring airplane. Pretty amazing moment.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 25, 2013

Transportation accounted for 28 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Center for Biological Diversity notes that planes account for three percent of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions and the U.S. is responsible for nearly half of global CO2 emissions from aircraft.

In his speech, Obama said it's "not right" and "not safe" that "power plants can still dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the air for free." The president's plan includes efforts to cut U.S. carbon dioxide pollution from new and existing power plants, along with expanded renewable energy development on public lands.

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