NEW YORK — President Obama called for an “ambitious” and “inclusive” climate agreement Tuesday at the United Nations climate summit, a shot at past attempts to strike international pacts that faltered due to holdouts such as China and India.
“We can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation,” Obama said. “Nobody gets a pass.”
Obama attempted to channel some goodwill building between the U.S. and China, the top two greenhouse gas emitters in the world. And while Obama didn’t make any new, splashy financial or emissions-cutting commitments Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli did when he said China would strive to head off emissions as soon as possible.
Obama noted he spoke with Zhang at the summit and referred to some of the climate and energy agreements the two nations have reached since Chinese President Xi Jinping, who didn’t attend the event, took office.
“We have a special responsibility to lead. That’s what big nations have to do,” Obama said of cooperation with China.
Experts said the implication of Zhang discussing “peak emissions” is that China is now considering the impact of greenhouse gas emissions across its economy and conveys a contrast from the country’s past negotiating position that restraining emissions would hinder growth.
“One thing that did strike me today about the Chinese comments was repeated reference, two or three times, to international responsibility,” Elliot Diringer, executive vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, told the Washington Examiner. “In the past, China was always quick to put their responsibility on others.”
Environmental groups said the comments from Obama and Zhang — who represent the top two global greenhouse gas emitters — could help breathe life into negotiations next year in Paris following a disappointing round of talks in 2009 in Copenhagen. Most scientists blame greenhouse gases for exacerbating climate change, mainly through burning fossil fuels.
“China’s remarks at the Climate Summit go further than ever before,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of energy and climate with the World Resources Institute. “The strong back-to-back statements by the two largest emitters send a clear signal that both countries will work seriously to put in place climate solutions domestically and reach an ambitious international agreement in Paris next year.”
Diringer said that nations have learned from the Copenhagen experience — one deal or moment won’t solve climate change. Therefore, any agreement will have to include some “forward-looking mechanism” to hold countries accountable, he said.
Finding that sweet spot may prove difficult.
Obama raised some of the complications that probably will arise in Paris: The domestic politics in the U.S. and elsewhere that could derail a deal and the potential unwillingness of big, emerging economies to accept emissions restraints.
“None of this is without controversy. In each of our countries, there will be interests that are resistant to action,” Obama said. “And in each of our countries there is a suspicion that if we act and others don’t, we will be at a disadvantage.”
Obama noted any international agreement must be “flexible,” a nod to some emerging economies that are concerned that a deal to curb emissions might restrain their growth. Negotiators are looking for a deal to cut emissions enough by 2020 to avoid a 2 degrees Celsius temperature increase by 2100.
The administration might have a hard time selling a legally binding pact to the Senate. Instead, the Obama administration appears to be looking for an agreement that would not require Senate approval. Ratification would require 67 votes, an unlikely event given resistance from Republicans and centrist Democrats who worry signing a deal might handcuff the economy if other nations don’t do the same.
China and India, for example, held out of the Kyoto Protocol because they argued signing it would keep millions in poverty. The Senate blocked ratification of the treaty in 1997, with the absence of China and India playing a significant role in that move.
But the Chinese government has had to respond to growing domestic concerns about air quality, which is coloring its recent interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
While carbon dioxide — a key driver of climate change — doesn’t cause the respiratory and heart problems associated with other pollutants, addressing carbon would likely involve shuttering older, dirtier power plants.
Although China and the U.S. appear to be converging a bit on climate, where new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands is less clear.
“Frankly, I’m not sure anybody knows at this stage,” Diringer said. “Through the election period they were pretty quiet, and so far they appear to be holding their cards pretty close to the vest.”
Modi didn’t attend the summit and recently made comments that cast some doubt on how seriously he views action on climate. He will meet with Obama next week in Washington, where the issue is expected to be discussed, White House adviser John Podesta told reporters last week.
Beyond prodding the more than 120 heads of state and other high-ranking officials to act, Obama essentially restated the actions his administration has already taken. As expected, he didn’t offer any new pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions — post-2020 targets aren’t due until the first quarter of 2015 — nor did he tender any financial commitments.
That bothered some left-leaning groups that wanted to hear more from Obama.
Oxfam America said the White House must match action to words, noting that the efforts Obama announced Tuesday were just a “drop in the bucket.”
“President Obama’s speech today was encouraging and the administration’s recent actions to curb emissions demonstrate leadership, but U.S. policy on the whole does not reflect the urgency of the president’s rhetoric,” Oxfam America President Raymond C. Offenheiser said.
Still, environmental groups were heartened to hear a strong commitment from Obama to act, which they said indicated the administration would take the lead in Paris next year.
They said the actions the White House did take — such as ensuring international aid takes climate change into account, and sharing federal climate data with others — could help nations more quickly adapt to challenges posed by climate change.
“By affirming his commitment to setting ambitious emissions reduction targets early next year and firmly calling on other major global economies to do the same, the president is choosing to lead. That leadership must include seizing all the opportunities he has at home to act on climate,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said.
