At U.N., 175 nations sign landmark Paris accord on global warming

[proverbialwisdom]

Source: By William Yardley and Vera Haller, LA Times

PHOTO: http://www.trbimg.com/img-571aa72e/turbine/la-na-sej-climate-change-signing-20160422-001/700/700x394

U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry holds his 2-year-old granddaughter, Isabel Dobbs-Higginson, for the signing of the accord at the United Nations. (Spencer Platt / Associated Press)

In a striking declaration that the world is finally ready to change its polluted ways, global leaders gathered at the United Nations headquarters here to sign the landmark Paris climate accord, an agreement that’s seen as the blueprint for rescuing the planet.

The question is whether the plan will work.

Year after year, decade after decade, the planet has been getting warmer. This March was the warmest in recorded history. Scientists say the future will be filled with food shortages, drought, rising seas and extreme weather if bold action is not taken quickly.

“We are in a race against time,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-sej-climate-change-20160422-story.html

[SunSeeker]

1. Love the pic of Kerry signing with his granddaughter in his arms.

[MBS]

8. " " " " n/tt

[Hekate]

2. Progress, bit by bit. Thank you President Obama, for your part in this. nt

[silvershadow]

3. Indeed. nt

[Unicorn]

4. Kerry and his granddaughter

[MBS]

7. A wonderful moment.

By the way, Sec. Kerry (and granddaughter) got rousing applause. I watched the entire signing, and he was the only signer to get this kind of response.
http://video.state.gov/en/video/4857660994001

Much deserved, too, not only for the gesture (bringing his granddaughter) that emphasizes the long-term importance of what has begun with this agreement, but also for Kerry's long-time commitment to environmental issues, and especially for his persistence and diplomatic skill, as Secretary of State, in bringing this agreement to fruition.

[karynnj]

12. That had to be an incredibly sweet moment marking a step forward on something very important

and a very beautiful way to send the message that this is also for that child's generation.

[jwirr]

15. Yes, the man who came home to protest a war won my

heart but this man who is concerned about the future and peace has given us hope. He is not a war monger his interests lay in protecting our planet for everyone.

[MBS]

18. Right you are. n/t

[BlueMTexpat]

9. This is absolutely beautiful!

Thanks so much for posting. It is wonderful in its symbolism and its personal humanity.

[nitpicker]

5. Link to BBC

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36108194
(snip)

President Obama is also keen to see the new agreement take effect before he leaves office next January. A little known clause in the treaty means it would take four years if a new leader, less committed to climate action, wanted to take the US out of the agreement.

Other countries are also aware of this and are watching the US election process very closely. "We don't know who the next President will be and what stand the new administration will take," India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar told BBC News. "What happens in the US will have a definite bearing on how the world takes all these ideas and commitments and pledges in effect. So people are eagerly awaiting what happens in the US."
(snip)

There is obvious delight here in New York at the record turnout of countries and leaders to sign the agreement. But some attendees are cautioning that this is merely the first rung on a very difficult ladder.

[MBS]

6. Shudder.

All Democratic hands on deck for 2016. We HAVE to keep the White House.
Whatever your thoughts about the eventual Democratic nominee: think SCOTUS and climate change, SCOTUS and climate change.

[pampango]

10. "Mention of ... Trump triggers nervous laughter. ... would presumably lead to America's withdrawal

from the agreement. And that would risk undermining the entire process.

"What happens in the US will have a definite bearing on how the world takes all these ideas and commitments and pledges in effect. So people are eagerly awaiting what happens in the US."

All Democratic hands on deck for 2016. We HAVE to keep the White House.

Wise advice indeed. We can fight among ourselves for the time being but a republican in the White House is too scary to contemplate.

[MBS]

11. " " " " n/t

[Sunlei]

13. we need to kick out all anti-science republicans, no place for them in OUR government.

[MBS]

17. + 1000.

The Flat Earth Caucus has done real damage to our country. . and, if they block the climate agreement, the planet as well.

[karynnj]

14. Exactly -- it comes down to no Democrat would pull us out; most Republicans will

If the republican nominee is Trump, it might be a great idea if some people qualified to do so, estimated the impact of climate change on his properties vs the cost of working against climate change. At the same time, identifying people Trump trusts who can speak to him on it would also be needed. (possibly his daughter and son who failed to change their registration to Republican?) Given that Manhattan is a low lying island and Miami is also threatened, he MIGHT be persuadable and there is no reason to think he has an ideological position (as Cruz likely does) on this.

Then IF he (heaven forbid) is elected, maybe - on this issue - he could be persuaded to not pull us out. He could even do this while emphasizing - in his unique way - how this is very different than what Obama did or Kerry negotiated - pointing to superficial differences NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT.

Though obviously fighting for a Democrat is the number one priority - where this is simply a very poor plan B in case everything fails.

[cprise]

16. Some governments supporting this may not yet realize...

One of the hallmarks of corruption is pollution. Committing the political sphere to square itself with the physical limits of our planet also means that tolerance for corruption becomes far smaller.