Obama, addressing a UN climate summit hours after ordering strikes on Syria, said that the “urgent and growing threat of climate change” would ultimately “define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other” issue.
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 23 – US President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged all nations including emerging economies to act against climate change, warning that time was running out to prevent further damage.
“We know what we have to do to avoid irreparable harm. We have to cut carbon pollution in our own countries to prevent the worst effects of climate change,” Obama said.
The world also has to “adapt to the impacts that unfortunately we can no longer avoid,” he said.
Obama said that he met in New York with Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of China, which has surpassed the United States as the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change.
Obama said he “reiterated my belief that as the two largest economies and emitters in the world, we have a special responsibility to lead. It’s what big nations have to do.”
“Today I call on all countries to join us – not next year or the year after that but right now – because no nation can meet this global threat alone,” he said.
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