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Obama Making Calls to Negotiate Climate Deal, Kerry Says Obama Making Calls to Negotiate Climate Deal, Kerry Says
(35 minutes later)
LE BOURGET, France — Despite a domestic agenda consumed by his response to last week’s terrorist attack in California, President Obama is closely tracking the United Nations climate change negotiations outside Paris, Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview on Tuesday.LE BOURGET, France — Despite a domestic agenda consumed by his response to last week’s terrorist attack in California, President Obama is closely tracking the United Nations climate change negotiations outside Paris, Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview on Tuesday.
The president spoke by phone with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on Tuesday about an agreement under consideration here and conferred by phone earlier this week with President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Mr. Kerry said. The president spoke by phone with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on Tuesday about an agreement under consideration here and conferred by phone this week with President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Mr. Kerry said.
India and Brazil, along with China and the United States, are among the world’s top producers of greenhouse gases that warm the planet. The role of the four nations in reaching a deal to curb those emissions is crucial to the success of the negotiations.India and Brazil, along with China and the United States, are among the world’s top producers of greenhouse gases that warm the planet. The role of the four nations in reaching a deal to curb those emissions is crucial to the success of the negotiations.
In a separate discussion with reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Kerry said he had also been working the phones to reach a deal. He said he spoke Tuesday with Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, a country that is seen as a possible spoiler of a deal. Though the foundation of the Saudi economy could be threatened by an accord intended to turn the world away from fossil fuels like oil, Saudi Arabia is a desert nation that could also experience more devastating heat as a result of global warming.In a separate discussion with reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Kerry said he had also been working the phones to reach a deal. He said he spoke Tuesday with Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, a country that is seen as a possible spoiler of a deal. Though the foundation of the Saudi economy could be threatened by an accord intended to turn the world away from fossil fuels like oil, Saudi Arabia is a desert nation that could also experience more devastating heat as a result of global warming.
“He has pledged to help. I think the Saudis want an agreement,” said Mr. Kerry, who also spoke Tuesday with top Chinese officials.“He has pledged to help. I think the Saudis want an agreement,” said Mr. Kerry, who also spoke Tuesday with top Chinese officials.
The United States and China have jointly pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but the United States has been pushing for aggressive terms requiring countries to verify their reduced emissions in a step that the Chinese see as intrusive.The United States and China have jointly pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but the United States has been pushing for aggressive terms requiring countries to verify their reduced emissions in a step that the Chinese see as intrusive.
Mr. Kerry is here to lead the American negotiating team through a final deal, which could come as soon as Friday. He presented a plan for the coming days that includes a nearly-final draft of an agreement expected to be presented on Wednesday by negotiators who have been working since last weekend on an accord. The deal is intended to commit nearly every country on earth to enact plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Kerry is here to lead the American negotiating team through a final deal, which could come as soon as Friday. He presented a plan for the coming days that includes a nearly final draft of an agreement expected to be presented on Wednesday by negotiators who have been working since last weekend on an accord. The deal is intended to commit nearly every country on earth to enact plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
“From that, we will begin to work on the intense language leading into Friday,” Mr. Kerry told reporters.“From that, we will begin to work on the intense language leading into Friday,” Mr. Kerry told reporters.
The proposal is expected to include language regarding “loss and damage” — the legal term for the geographical and economic losses suffered by poor countries as a result of rising sea levels and increasing drought. The United States has accepted language that would place moral responsibility on the industrialized world for such losses, but it has stopped short of allowing language that would create legal liability for that damage.The proposal is expected to include language regarding “loss and damage” — the legal term for the geographical and economic losses suffered by poor countries as a result of rising sea levels and increasing drought. The United States has accepted language that would place moral responsibility on the industrialized world for such losses, but it has stopped short of allowing language that would create legal liability for that damage.
Mr. Kerry said he told officials from island nations in a meeting that insisting on liability could scuttle efforts to reach a deal. “The president came here and said we accept responsibility for what is happening,” Mr. Kerry said. “But if you want to end an effort to have people move responsibly to deal with this, then create a concept of liability.”Mr. Kerry said he told officials from island nations in a meeting that insisting on liability could scuttle efforts to reach a deal. “The president came here and said we accept responsibility for what is happening,” Mr. Kerry said. “But if you want to end an effort to have people move responsibly to deal with this, then create a concept of liability.”
As Mr. Kerry presses ahead with negotiations here, Republicans continue to signal to negotiators in Paris their disapproval of any such deal.As Mr. Kerry presses ahead with negotiations here, Republicans continue to signal to negotiators in Paris their disapproval of any such deal.
Senator Ted Cruz of the Texas, a Republican presidential candidate, led a hearing by the Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday entitled, “Data or Dogma? Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate Over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth’s Climate.” Mr. Cruz stocked the witness panel with people who question or deny the established science that burning greenhouse gases contributes to the warming of the planet’s atmosphere. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a Republican presidential candidate, led a hearing by the Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday titled, “Data or Dogma? Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate Over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth’s Climate.” Mr. Cruz stocked the witness panel with people who question or deny the established science that burning greenhouse gases contributes to the warming of the planet’s atmosphere.
Mr. Kerry said he was not deterred by Mr. Cruz’s effort. “We’ve been through this,” he said. “One professor is not going to negate peer-reviewed science.” He said that Republicans had also sought to undermine Mr. Kerry’s efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.Mr. Kerry said he was not deterred by Mr. Cruz’s effort. “We’ve been through this,” he said. “One professor is not going to negate peer-reviewed science.” He said that Republicans had also sought to undermine Mr. Kerry’s efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran.
“If we approached the Iran agreement listening to that, we never would have got an Iran agreement,” he said. “There are people that oppose whatever the president does because he’s the president.”“If we approached the Iran agreement listening to that, we never would have got an Iran agreement,” he said. “There are people that oppose whatever the president does because he’s the president.”
Beyond that, Mr. Kerry said that the negotiations in the two deals were very different. Beyond that, Mr. Kerry said the negotiations in the two deals were very different.
“One is seven countries sitting with one particular party where we haven’t had relations in 35 years,” he said of the Iran talks that involved six other world powers. “There are huge suspicions.”“One is seven countries sitting with one particular party where we haven’t had relations in 35 years,” he said of the Iran talks that involved six other world powers. “There are huge suspicions.”
On the climate talks, he said: “Here you have the entire planet, with the exception of 10 nations, all of whom have come to a fairly common understanding of the challenge, but have different interests and outcomes in mind.” On the climate talks, he said, “Here you have the entire planet, with the exception of 10 nations, all of whom have come to a fairly common understanding of the challenge, but have different interests and outcomes in mind.”