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Obama, at U.N. Climate Summit, Calls for Vast International Effort Obama, at U.N. Climate Summit, Calls for Vast International Effort
(about 1 hour later)
UNITED NATIONS — President Obama, emboldened by the use of his executive powers to fight climate change at home, sought to marshal more than 100 world leaders on Tuesday behind a vast international effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and curb global warming. UNITED NATIONS — President Obama, emboldened by the use of his executive powers to fight climate change at home, sought on Tuesday to marshal more than 100 world leaders behind a vast international effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and curb global warming.
But Mr. Obama, in pledging that the United States would set ambitious new targets to cut emissions in advance of critical global climate talks next year, will leave much of the hard work to his successor, or even the president after that. And in many countries, the mechanisms for achieving deep cuts in carbon emissions remain as politically and economically difficult as ever.But Mr. Obama, in pledging that the United States would set ambitious new targets to cut emissions in advance of critical global climate talks next year, will leave much of the hard work to his successor, or even the president after that. And in many countries, the mechanisms for achieving deep cuts in carbon emissions remain as politically and economically difficult as ever.
“Yes, this is hard,” Mr. Obama said to the United Nations General Assembly chamber, “but there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate.”“Yes, this is hard,” Mr. Obama said to the United Nations General Assembly chamber, “but there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate.”
Nonetheless, he warned that the efforts would fail without significant cooperation from countries around the world. “We we can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation, developed and developing alike,” the president said. "Nobody gets a pass.” Nonetheless, he warned that the efforts would fail without significant cooperation from countries around the world. “We can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation, developed and developing alike,” the president said. “Nobody gets a pass.”
“Today, I call on all countries to join us, not next year or the year after that, because no nation can meet this global threat alone,” he said.“Today, I call on all countries to join us, not next year or the year after that, because no nation can meet this global threat alone,” he said.
The daylong climate summit meeting, organized by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, showcased how climate change has become a genuinely global preoccupation, but also reinforced the divides between developed and developing countries The daylong climate summit meeting, organized by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, showcased how climate change has become a genuinely global preoccupation, but also reinforced the divides between developed and developing countries.
Mr. Obama promoted the executive action he announced this year, which mandates cutting pollution from the nation’s power plants by 30 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2030. The United States, he said, would meet its previous pledge to reduce the nation’s overall carbon emissions by 17 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2020. Mr. Obama promoted an executive action he announced this year that mandates cutting pollution from the nation’s power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. He said the United States would meet its previous pledge to reduce the nation’s overall carbon emissions 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.
Reciting record-setting temperatures and a litany of natural disasters, from hurricanes and wildfires to droughts and floods, Mr. Obama tried to raise the urgency of climate change at a United Nations meeting that has been dominated by fears of terrorism. Reciting record-setting temperatures and a litany of natural disasters, from hurricanes and wildfires to droughts and floods, Mr. Obama tried to raise the sense of urgency surrounding climate change at a United Nations meeting dominated by fears of terrorism.
“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it,” Mr. Obama said.“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it,” Mr. Obama said.
Much of the attention at this summit meeting has focused on China, the world’s largest carbon emitter. President Xi Jinping chose not to attend the meeting, sending Zhang Gaoli, his vice premier, who presented his own figures to make the case that China was doing its part. Much of the attention at this summit meeting has focused on China, the world’s largest carbon emitter. President Xi Jinping chose not to attend the meeting. Instead, he sent Zhang Gaoli, his vice premier, who presented his own figures to make the case that China was doing its part.
China’s carbon intensity, Mr. Zhang said, was down 28 percent this year from 2005 levels; renewable energy accounts for 24 percent of China’s installed capacity; and the nation was on track to meet its goal of reducing emissions by between 40 percent and 45 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2020. China’s carbon intensity, Mr. Zhang said, is down 28 percent this year from 2005 levels; renewable energy accounts for 24 percent of China’s installed capacity; and the nation is on track to meet its goal of reducing emissions 40 percent to 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.
“As a responsible major developing country, China will make an even greater effort to address climate change and take on international responsibilities that are commensurate with our national conditions,” Mr. Zhang said.“As a responsible major developing country, China will make an even greater effort to address climate change and take on international responsibilities that are commensurate with our national conditions,” Mr. Zhang said.
As a political display, the parade of speeches was the largest gathering ever of world leaders devoted to climate change. It followed a Sunday march through New York of more than 400,000 people, the largest political demonstration on climate change. As a political display, the parade of speeches was part of the largest gathering of world leaders ever devoted to climate change. It followed a march of more than 400,000 people in New York on Sunday, the largest political demonstration on climate change.
“We need to take action now to limit global temperature rise,” said the United Nations Secretary-General, General Ban Ki-moon, in opening the session. “We need all hands on deck to ride out this storm.” “We need to take action now to limit global temperature rise,” said Mr. Ban, the United Nations secretary general, in opening the session. “We need all hands on deck to ride out this storm.”
But neither marches nor speeches yield policy, and now, in world capitals, the hard work of translating rhetoric into government action will get underway – or, in some cases, will not. But neither marches nor speeches yield policy. And now, in world capitals, the hard work of translating rhetoric into government action will get underway — or, in some cases, will not.
Experts say that in the coming months, the clearest indication of how serious governments are about following through on this week’s lofty pledges will be whether they quickly harness teams of economists, energy experts and data analysts to draft aggressive new energy plans – and then work to build political support for such plans. Experts say that in the coming months, the clearest indication of how serious governments are about following through on this week’s lofty pledges will be whether they quickly harness teams of economists, energy experts and data analysts to draft aggressive new energy plans — and then work to build political support for such plans.
The aim of this week’s summit talks is to start efforts to broker a deal next year in Paris that will bind the world’s largest carbon polluters – the United States, China, Russia, India, the European Union, Brazil, Japan, and others — to enacting laws to cap their use of the coal that supplies billions of people with cheap electricity, and the oil and gasoline that fuel the planet’s cars and trucks. The aim of this week’s talks is to start efforts to broker a deal next year in Paris that will bind the world’s largest carbon polluters — the United States, Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Russia, and others — to enacting laws to cap their use of the coal that supplies billions of people with cheap electricity, and the oil and gasoline that fuel the planet’s cars and trucks.
That means enacting politically controversial policies such as taxing carbon pollution, creating market-based “cap-and-trade” programs, or creating new regulations. That means enacting politically controversial policies such as taxing carbon pollution, creating market-based “cap and trade” programs, or setting new regulations.
Climate-change experts generally expressed enthusiasm about Mr. Obama’s speech, noting that it was the first time the United States had addressed such a gathering after instituting sweeping measures of its own.Climate-change experts generally expressed enthusiasm about Mr. Obama’s speech, noting that it was the first time the United States had addressed such a gathering after instituting sweeping measures of its own.
“You have to act domestically to have any credibility with international partners on this issue,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the climate and energy program at the World Resources Institute.“You have to act domestically to have any credibility with international partners on this issue,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the climate and energy program at the World Resources Institute.