Anchorage, September 1 (RHC)-- U.S. President Barack Obama has challenged world leaders to act urgently on climate change or "condemn our children to a world they will no longer have the capacity to repair." 

On Monday, Obama opened an international conference on the Arctic being held in Alaska by emphasizing the U.S. role in creating the climate crisis.  Obama said: "The fact is that climate is changing faster than our efforts to address it.  That, ladies and gentlemen, must change.  We’re not acting fast enough." 

Obama’s remarks come just weeks after his administration granted permission to Shell to drill for oil in the Arctic, a move critics say will accelerate climate change. 

Meanwhile, Obama is also expected to propose the U.S. Coast Guard acquire and build new icebreaking ships that can operate in the Arctic in an effort to keep pace with Russian and Chinese fleets.