Marrakech – On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama attempted to rally 125 world leaders at the UN summit on climate change, saying that they were “the last generation” with the ability to take action to avert a global catastrophe, the Congressional site the Hill reported.
He said that every nation had a responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that “no one gets a free pass.” He outlined the actions the United States was taking to address the problem and said that it was time that other countries begin following suit.
“For all the immediate challenges we gather to address this week … there is one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent and growing threat of a changing climate,” President Obama said. He promised to assist poorer countries to achieve this goal, defend against devastating weather caused by climate change, and help with the provision of scientific data and advanced technology. He also signed an executive order on climate resilience against drought and other natural catastrophes when planning international aid and investing overseas
He emphasized that countries should work together as a global community.
“We cannot condemn our children and their children to a future that is beyond their capacity to repair,” Obama said. “Not when we have the means and the technological innovation and scientific imagination to begin repairing it right now.”
The United States was criticized at the Copenhagen climate change conference in 2009 for not reducing carbon emissions sufficiently. President Obama said that the US will not announce its post-2020 targets for cutting carbon emissions until early next year. Countries that have thus far failed to reduce carbon omissions include China and India. Large, expanding economies pushing for growth find reducing carbon emissions difficult, because it would mean cutting back on growth prospects. Poor countries find the cost of reducing carbon emissions prohibitive, so the US President’s offer of help will be welcome.
