Obama highlights climate change on final presidential trip to Asia
President Barack Obama traveled to the remote, sun-scorched Midway Atoll on Thursday to highlight the threats that climate change and human activities pose to fragile ecosystems like the Northern Hawaiian Islands.
The Midway Atoll sits on the western edge of the Papahānaumokuākea* Marine National Monument, which through executive action, Obama expanded last week to the point where it is now the largest marine protected area in the world.
Obama quadrupled the monument's boundaries to 582,578 square miles, a swath that includes 7,000 marine species such as the Hawaiian monk seal, millions of endangered birds, sea turtles and ancient black coral.
* Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced "Papa-ha-now-moh-koo-ah-kay-ah"
and the Northern Hawaiian Islands are considered "America's Galapagos" for their rich biodiversity.
http://mashable.com/2016/09/02/obama-midway-atoll-climatechange/?utm_cid=mash-prod-nav-sub-st#d196R6RvWuqM
