Barak Obama has delivered a speech about climate change at the second time oath at White House. He said we, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

We welcome such speech from the most powerful state leader of the world. Barak Obama may take initiative from two ways, home and aboard. At home, Obama will use his executive power for controlling carbon dioxide emissions through regulation of coal plants and better efficiency. But the attempt to pass the carbon bill will be complex because Republican-controlled House of Representative can side-step domestic policy which failed so miserably in his first term through congress. But he can raise his arguments by presenting record of heat waves and super-storms. His positive attitudes to progress at climate change issue at home will be an essential pre-requisite to success in international negotiations. He has to walk the talk to persuade other nations to do the same. Good sign, John Kerry, as secretary of state, will have joined this term.

For any change about the mater, one thing is essential, China, America's rising rival and as the world's foremost superpower, must be walking on the same track. New president of China Xi Jinping, who addressed the nation to be free from corruption, has been placed in his office from November but Obama has not yet meet him.

We have seen crowed global conference where diplomats discussed through sleep-derive and inch by inch run up progress failed. As climate change is fast happening, much faster than one would have expected, time knock to us for taking some actions for saving Shasha (Daughter of Barak Obama) generation. We hope Mr Obama will begin and invite other leaders for improving our vulnerability.

Md Mahiul Kadir

Disaster Management

University of Dhaka

mohiulkadir@yahoo.com