As President Barack Obama prepares to push for an ambitious agreement at the Paris climate talks this month-end, the White House has expressed the hope that India will make an “important contribution” to the broader global effort.
Acknowledging India’s willingness in the past to make key commitments on combating climate change, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters: “We certainly would like to see a country with an economy as large as India step up and make an important contribution to this effort.”
The effort does involve an economic challenge for India, Earnest conceded, noting that even so, New Delhi has taken important steps in the past and committed itself to limiting hydrofluoric carbons that impact climate change more adversely than just the burning of oil and gas.
“So there’s been a willingness on the part of the Indians in the past to make important commitments that contribute to this broader effort, but we certainly would like to see a country with an economy as large as India step up and make an important contribution to this effort,” Earnest said.
Outlining Obama’s goals at the Paris talks, Earnest spoke of the American push for “an agreement that reflects the ambitious climate targets from all of the countries who are participating”.
“Second, we’re looking for an agreement that puts in place a long-term framework that incentivizes countries to ratchet down their emissions over time in a transparent manner, with high standards of accountability, and with the goal of achieving a low-carbon transformation by the end of the century.”
“And third, we’re looking for an agreement that mobilizes ongoing financial and technical support for low-carbon development and climate adaptation, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable countries,” Earnest said, adding: “We know that some of the poorest countries are the ones who are most vulnerable to the most tangible climate impacts that are already being felt around the globe.”
Obama, meanwhile, has launched a Facebook page to send a clear message on climate change to fellow Americans and the world at large. In a video message, Obama has called on Americans to do their part to fight climate change.
“I want to make sure that the whole world is able to pass onto future generations the God-given beauty of this planet,” Obama said. “If all of America is joining around this critical project, then we can have confidence that we’re doing right by future generations and passing onto our kids all the blessings that we’ve received.”