One month before the Copenhagen conference, several European leaders, including Angela Merkel, urged the United States to act without further delay against this ecological scourge. The German chancellor even directly addressed the American Congress which remains divided on this subject.
Several European leaders, Angela Merkel at the head, called on Tuesday the United States to act without delay against global warming, one month from the crucial conference in Copenhagen.
"I am delighted to see that President Obama and you, in your daily work, consider the protection of our climate to be a very important task. We all know that there is no time to waste," said the German Chancellor before the two Chambers of Congress meeting in joint session.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on arrival at Congress November 3, 2009 in Washington
AFP / Mandel Ngan
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on arrival at Congress November 3, 2009 in Washington.
"We need an agreement at the Copenhagen conference in December on a goal: global warming must not exceed 2 degrees. For that, all countries must be ready to accept international obligations," she said. in front of the American parliamentarians who are in full debate on a law aiming to reduce the gases with greenhouse effects.
Republicans more reluctant than Democrats
"I am convinced that once we, Europe and America, show our readiness to accept commitments, we will also persuade China and India to join us," she added.
Earlier, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, also visiting Washington for an EU-US summit, said he was worried about the pace of international climate negotiations, saying that the Copenhagen conference would not lead not on a new full-fledged treaty in December.
"What we are asking is for the United States to show a leading role on this very important subject," Barroso said.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, called on Washington to accept at least Copenhagen targets for reducing emissions and helping the developing world.
"We want a full deal in Copenhagen, even if it means working on the details," he said.
The empty chair policy
On the US Congress side, work to forge a law limiting carbon dioxide emissions from one of the world's leading polluters was slowed in the Senate, shunned by the Republican opposition.
the express source news