From: Tsegai Emmanuel (emmanuelt40@gmail.com)
Date: Fri Dec 18 2009 - 08:58:28 EST
- [image: Need a Real Sponsor here]
- December 18, 2009, 7:36 AM ET
Text of Obama’s Remarks in Copenhagen
*Here is the text of President Obama’s remarks Friday at the U.N. climate
summit in Copenhagen:*
Good morning. Its an honor to for me to join this distinguished group of
leaders from nations around the world. We come together here in Copenhagen
because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. All
of you would not be here unless you, like me, were convinced that this
danger is real. This is not fiction, this is science. Unchecked, climate
change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our economies, and our
planet. This much we know.
So the question before us is no longer the nature of the challenge. The
question is our capacity to meet it. For while the reality of climate change
is not in doubt, I have to be honest, I
think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now and it
hangs in the balance.
I believe we can act boldly, and decisively, in the face of a common threat.
That’s why I come here today. Not to talk, but to act.
Now, as the worlds largest economy and as the worlds second largest emitter,
America bears our responsibility to address climate change, and we intend to
meet that responsibility. That’s
why we’ve renewed our leadership within international climate negotiations.
That’s why we’ve worked with other nations to phase out fossil fuel
subsidies. That’s why we’ve taken bold action at home by making historic
investments in renewable energy; by putting our people to work increasing
efficiency in our homes and buildings; by pursuing comprehensive legislation
to transform to a clean energy economy.
These mitigation actions are ambitious, and we are taking them not simply to
meet global responsibilities. We are convinced as some of you may be
convinced that changing the way that we produce and use energy is essential
to Americas economic future that it will create millions of new jobs, power
new industries, keep us competitive, and spark new innovation. We’re
convinced for our own self-interest that the way we use energy is essential
to America’s
national security, because it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and
help us deal with some of the dangers posed by climate change.
So I want this plenary session to understand: America is going to continue
on this course of action to mitigate our emissions and move toward a clean
energy economy. No matter what happens here in Copenhagen, we think it is
good for us, as well as good for the world. But we will all be stronger and
all be safer and all be more secure if we act together. That is why it is in
our mutual interest to achieve a global accord in which we agree to certain
steps, and
to hold each other accountable to certain commitments.
After months of talk, and two weeks of negotiations, after innumerable side
meetings, bilateral meetings, endless hours of discussion among negotiators,
I believe that the pieces of that
accord should now be clear.
First, all major economies must put forward decisive national actions that
will reduce their emissions, and begin to turn the corner on climate change.
Im pleased that many of us have already done so. Almost all the major
economies have … and Im confident that America will fulfill the commitments
that we have made: cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020,
and by more than 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.
Number two. We must have a mechanism to review whether we are keeping our
commitments, and exchange this information in a transparent manner. These
measures need not be intrusive, or
infringe upon sovereignty. They must, however, ensure that an accord is
credible, and that we are living up to our mutual obligations. Without such
accountability, any agreement would be
empty words on a page.
I don’t know how you have an international agreement where we all are not
sharing information and assuring that we are meeting our commitments. That
doesn’t make sense. It would be a hollow victory.
Number three. We must have financing that helps developing countries adapt,
particularly the least-developed and most vulnerable countries to climate
change. America will be a part of
fast-start funding that will ramp up to $10 billion in 2012. And, yesterday,
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made it clear that we will engage
in a global effort to mobilize $100 billion in financing by 2020, if and
only if it is part of a broader accord that I’ve just described.
Mitigation. Transparency. And financing. It’s a clear formula, one that
embraces the principle of common but differentiated responses and respective
capabilities. And it adds up to a
significant accord, one that takes us farther than we have ever gone before
as an international community.
I just want to say to this plenary session that we are running short on
time. And at this point the question is whether we will move forward
together, or split apart. Whether we prefer posturing to action. I’m sure
that many consider this an imperfect framework that I just described. No
country will get everything that it wants.
There are those developing countries that want aid with no strings attached,
and no obligations with respect to transparency. They think that the most
advanced nations should pay a higher price. I understand that. There are
those advanced nations who think that developing countries either cannot
absorb this assistance, or that will not be held accountable effectively,
and that the worlds fastest-growing emitters should bear a greater share of
the burden.
We know the fault lines because weve been imprisoned by them for years.
These international discussions have taken place now for almost two decades.
And we have little to show for it other than increased acceleration of the
climate change phenomenon.
The time for talk is over. Here is the bottom line: We can embrace this
accord, take a substantial step forward, and continue to refine it and build
upon its foundation. We can do that, and everyone who is in this room will
be part of a historic endeavor, one that makes life better for our children
and grandchildren.
Or we can choose delay, falling back into the same divisions that have stood
in the way of action for years. And we will be back having the same stale
arguments month after month, year after year, perhaps decade after decade,
all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is no time to waste. America has made our
choice. We have charted our course, we have made our commitments, we will do
what we say. Now, I believe its the time for nations and the people of the
world to come together behind a common purpose.
We are ready to get this done today but there has to be movement on all
sides to recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk. Better for
us to choose action over inaction; the future over the past. With courage
and faith, I believe that we can meet our responsibilities to our people,
and to the planet.
Thank you very much.
*Source: Associated Press*
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