President Obama quotes Pope Francis as he unveils his Clean Power Plan

President Barack Obama announced plans on Monday to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years by nearly one third. In his address, the President made reference to Pope Francis' moral authority on climate issues, as made clear in his Encyclical Laudato si', saying "taking a stand against climate change is a moral obligation".

President Obama highlighted the dangerous level of emissions currently being produced by American power plants. His Clean Power Plan calls for coal-fired power stations to reduce emissions by 32 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.

"With this Clean Power Plan, by 2030, carbon pollution from our power plants will be 32 percent lower than it was a decade ago. The nerdier way to say that is that we will be keeping 870 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution out of our atmosphere," he said.

The plan also intends to promote cleaner, renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar generated power.

President Obama stressed the health benefits of cleaner air. "Over the past three decades, nationwide asthma rates have more than doubled. Climate change puts those Americans at greater risk of landing in the hospital. As one of America's governors has said, 'We're the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it.'"

The Clean Power Plan is widely seen as the cornerstone of President Obama's desire to secure a global treaty at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December, an event which Pope Francis' recently-released Encyclical Laudato si' also seeks to influence.

See the official film released by the White House on Obama's Clean Power Plan, and a film of President Obama's speech, here: www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change