Obama says parts of climate deal must be binding

President Barack Obama says he’s confident the world will forge a major climate change agreement in the coming weeks.

The U.S. will meet commitments to help finance developing nations’ efforts to reduce carbon pollution, President Barack Obama said, challenging congressional Republicans who have fought most of his environmental policies.

The U.S. has not been willing to go there – but Waskow thinks the ultimate Paris agreement has to find some way of grappling with this problem of very real climate harm. After decades of struggling negotiations and the failure of a summit in Copenhagen six years ago, some form of agreement – likely to be the strongest global climate pact yet – appears all but assured by mid-December.

The White House today announced additional commitments from 73 companies that have joined the American Business Act on Climate Pledge.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other top Republicans have warned other countries not to trust any deal Obama may strike.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, urging fellow world leaders to pursue cuts in man-made carbon dioxide emissions, said: “We should ask what will we say to our grandchildren if we fail….”

The reason there is some optimism is the bottom-up approach to the Paris talks. “Whoever is the next president of the United States if they come in and they suggest somehow that that global consensus – not just 99.5% of scientists and experts but 99.5% of world leaders – think this is really important I think the president of the United States is going to think this is really important”.

The US has also insisted that countries come up with their own targets for cutting emissions – and that these remain entirely voluntary.

“There are countries like Saudi Arabia which rely very largely on oil revenue for their economic survival”. Most of the 200 countries participating have put forward individual carbon reductions goals, with each country laying out specifically how they will contribute.

“China really should make its voice heard in this concert of climate change”, he said.

He then explained the commonalities between the fight against climate change and against terrorism. But he says to hold each other accountable, it’s critical that “periodic reviews” of those commitments be legally binding.

Speaking in Paris Tuesday, Obama said parts of a global climate agreement should be legally binding.

“Lots of countries and lots of civil society will be looking to Canada to lead a march toward a 100 per cent renewable energy future and away from fossil fuels completely”, she says. “Over the past century, the United States has put more carbon into the atmosphere than any other country, and a just transition requires the U.S.to make more ambitious emissions cuts”, said Amanda Starbuck, Rainforest Action Network’s climate and energy program director.

President Obama spoke from a climate change summit in Paris and called for nations to tackle climate change now.

The Hawaiian-born Obama referred to himself as “an island boy”, saying he understands the beauty and fragility of island life.

At the same time, African countries pointed out they need new ways of generating power to ensure everyone has access.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he and President Obama have a shared understanding on how to move toward a political settlement in Syria, but added that incidents like the recent downing of a Russian warplane by a Turkish fighter jet stymie broader cooperation against extremism.

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.

African leaders also stressed the need to do something about the Lake Chad region, where the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has been carrying out bloody attacks.

“Yes, I am”, he said with a smile, before being ensnared in yet another selfie.

The climate conference began Monday with an unprecedented gathering of world leaders outside Paris.