President Obama Explains How He Plans To Tackle Climate Change Head-On During Georgetown Speech (VIDEO)

During a speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, President Obama announced his intentions to sign an executive order enabling him to make good on a priority laid out in his first presidential campaign to address the increasing threat of global climate change. In his speech he revealed a plan for sweeping measures to prepare for climate change, cut carbon pollution in America and help lead international efforts to address global climate change.

"I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change and speed the transition to more sustainable energy," he said.

Obama encouraged the consideration of America's strengths, particularly in research, technology and innovation, as major factors that put the United States in the position to and take responsibility for tackling the challenges associated with global warming.

For his proactive attack on climate change, Obama is switching his approach in terms of how to accomplish what needs to be accomplished in the time frame it needs to be accomplished by. He says he will rely on his executive authority to pass the necessary measures because passing legislation on climate policy would be a nearly impossible feat in Congress, where viewpoints on the issue are both strong and deeply divided.

"If Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will," he said.

In terms of his plans to cut carbon pollution in America, Obama will approach the hurdle from several angles. Five major goals are identified in accomplishing this.

First is to deploy clean energy. To achieve this, the plan is to cut carbon pollution from the nation's power plants, promote American leadership in renewable energy and to unlock long-term investments in clean energy innovation.

The next step in this goal is to build a 21st century transportation sector by increasing fuel economy standards and developing and deploying advanced transportation technologies. Step three is to cut energy waste in homes, businesses and factories. Fourth is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by curbing the emissions of methane, for example, and to preserve the role of forests in mitigating climate change.

To prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change, the plan is three-fold.

First is to build stronger and safer communities and infrastructures. Next is to protect the U.S. economy and natural resources through a number of approaches. Among them: conserving land and water resources, maintaining agricultural sustainability, managing drought and preparing for future floods, the latter a lesson highlighted by the impact of Superstorm Sandy. The final step in preparation for climate change impact is to use sound science to manage said impacts.

"The question is not whether we need to act," he said. "The overwhelming judgment of science, of chemistry and physics and millions of measurements has put all that to rest."

Lastly, the details on Obama's plan to lead international efforts to address global climate change...a two step process.

Primarily the president seeks to work with other countries to take action to address climate change. How? In many ways. Among them: reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, negotiating global free trade in environmental goods and services, leading global sector public financing towards cleaner energy and strengthening global resilience to climate change.

"The question is whether we will have the courage to act before it's too late," he said. "And how we answer will have a profound impact on the world we leave behind, not just to you, but to your children and grandchildren. As a president, as a father and as an American, I'm here to say, we need to act."