Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, this week, more than 40,000 negotiators from 196 governments have descended on the French capital for the Paris climate summit. This summit provides the world with a critical opportunity to take a significant step toward creating an ambitious and effective global framework for addressing climate change. Climate change is no longer a problem for future generations. It is our problem, and we must act now. Paris gives us that opportunity. The science demonstrating the reality of climate change advances by the day. In fact, 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred since the year 2000, and 2015 is on track to be the warmest year of all. No country, no matter how large or small, wealthy or poor, is immune to the detrimental effects we will face if we do not address this global climate crisis. The good news is that there has been quite a bit of global action over the past few months leading up to the Paris summit. Nearly 180 countries, covering more than 95 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions, have pledged to take steps to reduce CO<INF>2</INF> emissions. A U.N. report shows that the pledges submitted so far represent a substantial step in global action that will significantly curtail the world's carbon trajectory. {time} 1015 If those pledges are implemented, global warming would slow to roughly 3 degrees by 2100. While this isn't enough to meet U.N. targets, it is better than the 4- to 5-degree increase if nothing were done.…”