“This one trend, climate change, affects all trends”, Mr. Obama said at a news conference in Paris.
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Recognizing this possibility, a concerned President Barack Obama said part of the climate agreement soon to be hammered next week should be legally binding.
A group of 43 countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are now calling for a new deal to limit global warming to 1.5º C above pre-industrial levels, rather than the two-degree target the Paris meeting hopes to reach.
“I know some have asked why the world would dedicate some of our focus right now to combating climate change, even as we work to protect our people and go after terrorist networks”, he said.
Obama, at a press conference outside of Paris, said he was confident America would live up to its commitments under the deal and that his successor, whoever that might be, would not abandon it.
This entire conversation is depressing for several reasons. The atmosphere here at the conference is very optimistic, despite the tremendous uncertainty and risks climate change poses. It’s hardly an exotic argument anymore, yet Republicans still get the vapors every time someone like Bernie Sanders brings it up. In fact, US Secretary of State John Kerry had last month made that explicit when he said the agreement to come out of Paris would “definitely not be a treaty”.
Facing such alarming projections, the leaders of nations responsible for about 90 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions have come bearing pledges to reduce their national carbon output, through different measures at different rates.
“I actually think we’re going to solve this thing”.
Mr Obama said he expected the United States could uphold its climate commitments to help other countries meet their energy goals.
“A global carbon tax is unlikely to emerge from the United Nations climate summit”.
French President Francois Hollande said he was encouraged by the start of talks that are planned to run until December 11. It also stands as a challenge to Republican senators.
“Russia not only prevented the increase of greenhouse emissions, it has reduced them”, he said, promising a 70% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2030.
A handful of the world’s richest entrepreneurs, including Bill Gates, have pledged to double the $10 billion they collectively spend on clean energy research and development in the next five years.
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Environmentalists said the Prime Minister must match his words on the world stage with action at home, after the Government made a series of moves to curb support for renewables, energy efficiency and a £1bn competition to develop technology to capture and store carbon emissions from power plants.
