Changing the Washington climate on climate change

Last week was a busy one in the news:    The pope, the pope, and more of the pope (who I like, by the way).   But then China's president Xi Jinping came to town, and climate change suddenly moved front and center.

But it began before that:

1.  On Monday, Hillary Clinton announced that she could no longer wait for the White House to declare it's position.   She said she opposes the Keystone XL pipeline.

2.  In the Wednesday ceremony where President Obama welcomed Pope Francis to Washington, the pope said, "It seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation.  When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history."

3.  On Thursday, in his address to Congress, Pope Francis urged them to make a "courageous and responsible" effort on climate change.

4.   Chinese President Jinping's arrival on Friday brought the announcement that China pledges to set up a cap-and-trade system by 2017 and will work with the United States to push for greater change at the upcoming Paris climate change conference.   The U. S. has pledged $3 billion to help developing countries in their efforts;   China upped the ante and pledge $3.1 billion.   A little competitive bidding for the high ground is never a losing strategy -- no matter who wins, the good cause benefits.

This could be the turning point for the future of this planet -- with the pope as spiritual leader of 1.2 billion people, and the president of China as the political leader of another billion-plus, and the president of the U. S., the world's wealthiest country, all working to fix our climate problem. 

Ralph