The introductions and formalities are over.
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Most of the Republican presidential campaigns have criticized many of Obama’s climate change and environmental moves, saying they will hurt US economic growth.
But as the leaders left Paris, negotiators from 195 countries were left to work on a draft text of more than 50 pages still riddled with disagreements.
Obama has said he intends to veto the legislation, but the actions are symbolic and meant to undermine the stance of the United States during the two weeks of negotiations taking place in this suburb north of Paris.
In those same remarks, Obama said of the Republicans: “Right now, I’m going to try to stay out of the campaign season … partly because I can’t keep track of all the candidates …”
“I think when you weigh the costs and benefits against these so-called legally binding obligations they don’t add up”, the Wisconsin Republican said, adding that the public wants measure that won’t impede job creation.
Noting that there is a gap in support provided to developing nations, the BASIC countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – said that the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol is an important step and instrument to implement the convention ahead of the agreement.
He said negotiators should insist upon “a single transparency mechanism that all countries are adhering to”. The encounters highlighted one of the biggest debates in the effort to reach an worldwide accord to fight global warming: how much aid rich countries should give poor ones to help them adapt to climate change and reduce their emissions.
Even the Pope weighed in on the magnitude of the conference.
“I look forward to reviewing what deal emerges from [the United Nations talks in Paris], and plan to invite administration officials to testify before the Senate EPW Committee on what was accomplished at the expense of American tax dollars”, he said. He added that any president must consider the concerns of countries around the world, because the United States’ credibility and global leadership depend on them. They are the largest producers of greenhouse gases. Industrialised countries must take the lead in acting to address climate change and provide support to developing countries, the group said in a statement addressing the plenary chaired by Laurent Fabius, French foreign minister and chair of current round of talks.
Obama has spent months prodding other countries to make ambitious carbon-cutting pledges to the agreement, which he hopes will become the framework for countries to tackle the climate issue long beyond the end of his presidency in early 2017.
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Under the rule, the power sector’s carbon dioxide emissions will have to be cut by at least 32 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030. “We’ve multiplied wind power threefold, and solar power more than twentyfold, helping create parts of America where these clean power sources are finally cheaper than dirtier, conventional power”. At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged Chinese cooperation on climate and the war on terror.
