Editor’s note: Arctic explorer Eric Larsen is trying to make it to the North and South Poles and the summit of Mount Everest in 365 days as part of an effort to raise awareness about climate change. Larsen joined us on American Morning before he set out on his Save the Poles expedition. Below is an excerpt from his online journal.

Larsen’s crew skiing across Antarctica. Courtesy: Eric Larsen, Save the Poles..

By Eric Larsen
From EricLarsenExplore.com

On Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute released a report demonstrating that President Obama has clear legal authority to commit the United States to reducing greenhouse gas pollution.

The report, titled “Yes, He Can: President Obama's Power to Make an International Climate Commitment Without Waiting for Congress”, concludes that the President need not wait for Congress to act before taking strong action to reduce U.S. emissions.

The report was released at an event hosted by Greenpeace at the conference site. The take away: President Obama's hands are not tied by Congress's lack of action or the grossly inadequate cap-and-trade bills currently under debate. President Obama can lead, rather than follow, by using his power under the Clean Air Act and other laws to achieve deep and rapid greenhouse emissions reductions from major polluters. The Constitution and existing domestic environmental laws give President Obama all the power he needs to join with other nations in making a real commitment to solve the climate crisis.

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Editor’s note: Arctic explorer Eric Larsen is trying to make it to the North and South Poles and the summit of Mount Everest in 365 days as part of an effort to raise awareness about climate change. Larsen joined us on American Morning before he set out on his Save the Poles expedition. Below is an excerpt from his online journal.

The plane Larsen flew in to Antarctica. Courtesy: Eric Larsen, Save the Poles.

By Eric Larsen
From EricLarsenExplore.com

None of us could believe our luck at the warm (relatively) weather and blue skies. So perfect were the conditions that we were more worried about sunburn than frostbite.

Antarctica! The place where my dreams have lived for so long. From our small temporary outpost nestled close to the Patriot Hills themselves all I can see is ice and sky. To feel important here is to simply ignore the vastness and grandure of this place. This is truly one of the last great frozen places left on the planet.

Being here now, I realize, I must double my efforts. This snowscape is so delicate. No longer immutable to change Antarctica, faces a dire fate unless we act now to reduce carbon emissions.

My fate is equally tied to this place for the next two months. What will I learn? How will I change? Right now there is still too much work to do before flying to our starting point at Hercules Inlet to be philosophical. TIA – this is Antarctica.

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