Good news #15: 200 nation climate agreement

Following many years of preliminary work and two weeks of intense negotiations at the climate summit in Paris, nearly 200 nations have reached an agreement that signals a beginning.   It is not perfect, and some activists are critical that it doesn't go far enough.   Of course it doesn't.    But it is the best agreement that could be achieved at this time.  The most important thing is that we have . . . at long last . . . begun to act together to save our planet and human civilization.

As Al Gore wrote:

"Today, the nations of the world concluded a bold and historic agreement, clearly demonstrating that the global community is speaking with one voice to solve the climate crisis.  Years from now, our grandchildren will reflect on humanity's moral courage to solve the climate crisis and they will look to December 12, 2015, as the day when the community of nations finally made the decision to act.

"This universal and ambitious agreement sends a clear signal to governments, businesses, and investors everywhere: the transformation of our global economy from one fueled by dirty energy to one fueled by sustainable economic growth is now firmly and inevitably underway."

As I understand it, Congress does not have to approve this agreement.   President Obama can act, using his power through the EPA regulatory process.   This also means that the next president can undo what he does.   So it is important, in the long run, for Congress to come on board.

It will be interesting to see what the Republican presidential candidates do now.   Will they continue to deny, in the face of action by such a huge number of nations, representing the majority of mankind? 

Credit for the Paris conference goes largely to host French President Hollande and to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.   I understand President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry played an important role in negotiations, especially in bringing China on board.    Another major accomplishment of his administration for the history books.

[Update 10:00am:   Republicans are already threatening to "shred" the climate agreement when their presidential nominee takes the Oval Office in 13 months.    So let's make this an election issue and see what the American people want.] 

Ralph