U.S. Will Keep Commitments in Paris Climate Deal, Obama Says

In a less-than-shocking development, President Obama said Tuesday he expects a Democrat to follow him into the White House – but he added that even a Republican successor will be interested in doing something about climate change.

What She Said on Climate Change: “The most consequential, urgent, sweeping collection of challenges we face as a nation and a world.” .

President Obama compared global warming to ISIS in remarks made during a press conference in France Tuesday.

The president called climate change a massive, generational problem that is “about the hardest thing for any political system to absorb” because its effects are gradual, diffuse, and often difficult to measure.

“We’re eagerly awaiting a picture of the banner in Paris amongst world leaders”, said Madeline Ryder, a developmental practice graduate student and the committee chair of the Students for Sustainability Energy and Climate Committee. “I implore you to advance on the substance in a way that allows us to respect the strong mandate given by the diverse heads of state and government yesterday”.

In Paris, Obama said “periodic reviews” of targets that each country sets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be enforceable by law. It’s been more than a decade since the Pentagon began issuing alarming reports warning that climate change will become a major national security threat. That treaty required only rich countries to cut their emissions, while this time the goal is for everyone to pitch in.

World leaders launched an ambitious attempt on Monday to hold back the earth’s rising temperatures, with French President François Hollande saying the world was at “breaking point” in the fight against global warming. “If the president wishes to sign the American people up to a legally binding agreement, the deal must go through the Senate”, he said in a statement. He says he understands the beauty and fragility of island life.

COP 21 is more promising than past conferences because 153 countries, including the U.S., China and Russian Federation, have submitted their INDCs amid a heightened sense of crisis fueled by the frequent occurrence of extreme weather events. Along with some 20 other industrialized nations, they plan to increase spending in that area from $10 billion to $20 billion over the next five years.

Obama further cited Bill Gates, who recently announced a multibillion-dollar clean energy project that will be supported by Mark Zuckerberg, Alibaba CEO Jack Ma and Richard Branson, according to ScienceAlert.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivers a speech for the opening day of the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) at Le Bourget, near Paris, France, Nov. 30, 2015. The talks, which will continue through December 11, are aimed at getting world leaders to agree to a commitment that will help get the world on track to limit warming to 2°C.

Republicans in Congress and in statehouses have sought to block Obama’s efforts to reduce US carbon emissions, including new rules limiting pollution from coal-fired power plants.

But, heaping pressure on negotiators, researchers for the respected group Climate Action Tracker said Tuesday (Dec 1) the clock was now ticking even faster than before.