President Obama To Join Paris Climate Pact 'As Soon as Possible'

[big_dog]

Source: The Hill 58 minutes ago

President Obama is planning to formally join the Paris climate agreement “as soon as possible,” a top adviser said. Brian Deese gave the update Monday at a White House briefing with reporters in advance of Obama's trip this week and next to Asia

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/293703-obama-to-sign-onto-paris-climate-pact-as-soon-as-possible-adviser

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Sept 1 or 2 maybe?

[sheshe2]

1. Rec and Kick.

Thank you Obama.

[forest444]

2. I take it he doesn't need approval from fossil fuel harlots in the GOP.

[pampango]

3. "Obama worked to structure the Paris deal so that it would not be defined as a treaty requiring

a two-thirds vote of the Senate for ratification. The pact also would not require legislative approval in some other countries.

That has invited criticism from congressional Republicans and their allies, who say Obama evaded Congress in committing the United States to major greenhouse-gas emissions cuts.

The pact commits the United States to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. But none of the emissions targets for any country are binding."

Sad that the Paris agreement had to be structured to avoid a veto by a republican congress.

It would be better if the emissions cuts were mandatory and enforceable but that would require congressional approval.

[karynnj]

4. The approach that succeeded was completely designed around that limitation

Reading the various articles as they finalized the agreement, it was very clear that the US role was critical - not because it was leading the effort, but because it was imperative that the US and countries like China and India by involved. A solution was limited by what the US could do.

In fact, in 2012, when Kerry spoke to Obama he is quoted as saying that he told Obama that he would like climate change progress to be a signature effort - as women's and children's issues were for Clinton. At that time, he was told, and most environmental groups agreed, that there was little chance of diplomatic success on this.

That changed in 2013, in Kerry's first meeting in China where he spoke to people he long knew from attending the climate change summits - especially Bali - where even the Bush administration credited him with working with the third world nations to help the UN get the Bali agreement. Kerry told Obama that negotiations were possible. A team of people negotiated the pact with US/China that made other agreements in the Lima summit. These led directly to the Paris climate accord.

Obama deserves huge praise for investing the time and energy of his administration and the political capital needed to achieve that deal. When the accord was signed at the UN, Secretary Kerry came out to sign for the US with a two year old granddaughter to make the point that this was important for the future. https://www.yahoo.com/sy/ny/api/res/1.2/9fSA1pfOJsdabXp5ef34HA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/

[TomCADem]

5. Climate change: Where Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump stand

Of course, Hillary and Trump are on two different planets on the issue of climate change.

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_30303295/climate-change-where-hillary-clinton-donald-trump-stand

WASHINGTON (AP) -- THE ISSUE: It's as if Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump live on two entirely different Earths: one warming, one not.

Clinton says climate change "threatens us all," while Trump tweets that global warming is "mythical" and repeatedly refers to it as a "hoax." Measurements and scientists say Clinton's Earth is much closer to reality.

As heat-trapping gases in the air intensify and hot temperature records shatter, global warming is taking a toll on Americans' everyday life : their gardens, air, water, seasons, insurance rates and more.

WHERE THEY STAND

Trump calls attempts to remedy global warming "just a very, very expensive form of tax." He tells coal miners he'll get their jobs back. Solar power now employs four times more people than coal mining.

Clinton proposes to spend $60 billion to switch from dirty fossil fuels to cleaner energy. She says clean energy is needed, otherwise it would "force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate change." She promises to deliver on the President Barack Obama's pledge that by 2025, the U.S. will be emitting 30 percent less heat-trapping gases than in 2005.