France to give Africa 2 billion euros for green energy

Obama exhorted leaders here to fight the enemy of cynicism – “the notion we can’t do anything” about the warming of the planet.

He said the bank will invest $12 billion (11.3 billion euros) in energy projects by 2020.

He added that the meeting symbolised a global “act of defiance” that proves the world stands undeterred by attacks linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in Europe and beyond.

World peace is at stake in the talks, he said.

“Our nations share a sense of urgency about this challenge and a growing realisation that it is within our power to do something about it”. French President Francois Hollande was more apocalyptic, warning the world was at a “breaking point” on climate change.

“My thoughts go out to those islands that may soon disappear…developed countries must take responsibility”.

Last week, Britain’s Prince Charles said that one of the “major reasons for this horror in Syria” was climate change.

In a series of some 150 opening speeches at the heavily guarded facility on the outskirts of Paris, most heads of state and prime ministers offered condolences to their French hosts, pivoting quickly, sometimes awkwardly, to the climate talks.

Monday’s agenda includes speeches by the leaders and environment ministers from a number of countries, including Germany, Iceland, Peru and Scotland. That treaty required only rich countries to cut their emissions, while this time the goal is for everyone to pitch in.

The German Economic Co-operation and Development Ministry also said it will contribute €3bn to the project before 2020.

As the conference kicked off, the Obama administration announced it was pledging $51 million to a global fund to help poorer countries adapt to climate change.

Meanwhile, he’s also partnered with Indian President Narendra Modi to launch an worldwide solar alliance of more than 120 countries. Targets that are not set for each of us but by each of us, taking into account the differences that each nation is facing. He urged leaders to “rise to this moment”, invoking the late Martin Luther King Jr.’s observation that there’s such a thing as being too late to a cause.

“The plight of refugees we see today… and increasing terrorism and radicalism, represents a small measure of what the world, mankind, will face if we do not tackle climate change”.

“You have now started the fundamental work”, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the negotiators.