Louis Bacon1:10
Really thrilled to hear that I was chosen to be the first speaker tonight, and I thought that had special meaning and that there was a special recognition or accolade that was given to me, until my clever wife pointed out that the awards were probably going to be given out in alphabetical order. Thank you, Gabrielle, for setting me straight, as usual. But all the honorees tonight, in whatever order we're introduced, I'll feel the same thing: that this is a great organization, and we share a real appreciation for the work that the Foreign Policy Association does, its mandate of informing, engaging, and inspiring citizens to participate in the change report soon to be released. As someone who believes deeply about informing, engaging, and inspiring others to protect our environment, I cannot imagine a more important or timely report from such an organization. Just yesterday, in fact, the president delivered a commencement speech at the Coast Guard Academy in which he discussed the national security implications of climate change. We cannot, however, depend on studies or speeches alone to spur action on climate change, as well-meaning as the efforts are, as good as the science is, and as critical as the recommendations are. We live in a world where governments face extreme political and budgetary constraints; therefore, it is incumbent upon the private sector to join movements and join conservation activists' campaigns, sometimes with and sometimes against local governments. Although our commitment spans across North America, from New York to Colorado to my home state of North Carolina, we also support international efforts such as Oceans 5 and Oceans Unite, both important initiatives bringing marine conservation to the forefront of our political consciousness. We've worked in Panama with local conservationists to try to stop unregulated and unreported fishing and to curtail logging in the rainforest, and in particular in the Bahamas we have supported conservation efforts to save threatened land and marine areas. It's a place I care deeply about, which has felt like a second home for the last 25 years. As a developing country, it's been independent for only 40 years. It's one place where U.S. foreign policy could give leadership for the Bahamas and other regional powers. The Bahamian government has made great progress in conservation of their spectacular natural resources, committing to protect 20% of their coastal and marine habitats by the end of this decade. They are also working hard to update defenses against illegal fishing and poaching and strengthen oversight of fisheries and aquaculture. But unfortunately, the Bahamas does not yet have a comprehensive environmental safety net. For instance, there is no environmental protection agency, so environmentalists are unable to hold accountable those responsible for the common occurrence of oil spills fouling waters and developers destroying precious coral reefs. This is an example where a coherent, comprehensive U.S. foreign policy on climate change, such as the one recommended by the FPA's report, would be extremely influential and impactful. So I'd like to conclude where I began: simply say thank you very much for this great honor, thank you to the FPA for this award, and thank you especially, Tom. And I'd like to congratulate my fellow honorees, whom you'll soon be meeting in whatever order they show up, that we are all proud to receive recognition from an organization that takes its mandate so seriously and allows that mandate to be realized. In essence, the great philosopher Voltaire said, 'Men argue, nature acts.' It is now our job to make sure the arguments end and the responsible action on climate change moves ahead swiftly. Thank you again.
