At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, urged more than 190 countries to start cutting carbon emissions rather than arguing who is responsible for climate change. He asked all nations to work out an ambitious deal to fight climate change. Kerry warned that time was running out and the world was on course leading to tragedy.
One country alone cannot rein in climate change
China, the U.S., EU and India are the biggest polluters. Kerry said the U.S. would do its part, but no country alone can rein in global warming. Delegates from about 200 countries have gathered in Peru to craft a deal that would require even emerging nations like China and India to cut emissions, reports Bloomberg. It was not time to argue whose responsibility it was to act. It’s everybody’s responsibility, said Kerry.
Discussions at the Climate Change Conference in Lima will form the foundation for a climate agreement in Paris next year. Developing countries were pushing for further assurance that developing countries would fulfill the promise of providing $100 billion in aid every year to help them cut emissions. Kerry acknowledged that rich countries had “contributed significantly” to climate change. He said the biggest emitters will have to contribute more towards the solution.
Ban Ki-moon urged major polluters to accelerate talks
The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that the Obama administration considered fighting climate change a top priority, along with poverty, terrorism and nuclear proliferation. Scientists say that 2014 is on track to be the hottest year on record. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the governments must accelerate talks on a deal to fight climate change.
Ban urged big polluters to follow the footsteps of China and the U.S., and announce emission target. Russia, India, Japan and other major polluters haven’t announced emission targets. Last month, the U.S. and China entered an agreement under which Washington would cut emissions by up to 28% by 2025. China said its emissions would reach the peak level by 2030 and it will use more of clean energy.
