- Title: Climate talks pariticipants buoyed by world leaders' speeches
- Date: 17th November 2016
- Summary: MARRAKESH, MOROCCO (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DELEGATES WALKING IN COP22 VENUE UNITES STATES PAVILION WITH SIGN READING: "U.S CENTER 2016 MARRAKECH" VARIOUS OF U.S PAVILION COP22 VENUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLICY DIRECTOR AT US CLIMATE NETWORK, TINA JOHNSON "I do think that after the last week and the speeches yesterday that definitely there is a clear sense that the U.S. is still in and that the government has put forward its 2050 strategy for decarbonisation and it's moving in the right direction and that sub-nationals, companies are all in in making sure that the US can meet its commitments. The other message that came out of this for us was that all countries are in and are committed to continue the momentum of the Paris agreement that came out of COP21." VARIOUS OF UNITED STATES PAVILION (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLICY DIRECTOR AT US CLIMATE NETWORK, TINA JOHNSON "And so it just became the signifier, opportunity and moment for this COP to say that no one country, no one man, no one person can control the outcome of the destiny that we all see as part of the writing on the wall that climate change is real, we need to act and we are going to do everything we can so I definitely think that the speeches over the past several days had that impact and effect on us as a civil society and over other countries as well." COP22 VENUE VARIOUS OF HEAD OF ENERGY ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY KAISERWETTER, HANNO SCHOKLITSCH TALKING TO PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF ENERGY ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY KAISERWETTER, HANNO SCHOKLITSCH, SAYING: "Of course I think even if you're here in Marrakech it is really inspiring how we push all of us for climate change forward and how we put everything in a green energy power production industry and I think this is a theme here that people are willing to do it. Now we need to convince the financial institutions with the capital in doing the investments and not have too much fear and we just can take this fear if we provide them with some possibilities and tools not to have this fear and to minimize the risk doing this investment." VARIOUS OF COP22 VENUE
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 15:06
- Keywords: Morocco Marrakesh climate change reaction U.S. election
- Location: MARRAKESH, MOROCCO
- City: MARRAKESH, MOROCCO
- Country: Morocco
- Topics: Environment,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00158U2Z47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Delegates attending Marrakesh climate talks on Thursday (November 17) expressed their confidence that all countries, including the U.S. would stay committed to Paris agreement after speeches delivered by world leaders.
In a speech on Wednesday (November 16), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged countries to treat the earth's changing climate as an urgent threat, citing melting glaciers, stronger storms, and record-breaking droughts.
"I do think that after the last week and the speeches yesterday that definitely there is a clear sense that the U.S. is still in and that the government has put forward its 2050 strategy for decarbonisation and it's moving in the right direction and that sub-nationals, companies are all in in making sure that the US can meet its commitments," Tina Johnson, Policy Director at U.S. Climate Network, said.
Trump's election raised the prospect of the United States not fulfilling its commitments and has raised doubts among delegates in Marrakesh about whether Washington will still be a partner in the Paris agreement.
Trump has called climate change a hoax, and said he would rip up the Paris deal, halt any U.S. taxpayer funds for U.N. global warming programs, and revive the U.S. coal sector.
"No one country, no one man, no one person can control the outcome of the destiny that we all see as part of the writing on the wall that climate change is real, we need to act and we are going to do everything we can so I definitely think that the speeches over the past several days had that impact and effect on us as a civil society and over other countries as well," Johnson said.
Talks among almost 200 nations are being held from Nov. 7-18 to try to find ways to implement a global climate deal, the Paris Agreement.
The Paris accord won backing from enough countries to enter into force on Nov. 4, four days before the U.S. election, and the conference in Morocco was in part a celebration of that landmark.
The United States worked closely with China last year to build support for the Paris agreement, and the partnership of the two biggest greenhouse gas emitters helped persuade other countries to back the agreement.
The agreement seeks to phase out net greenhouse gas emissions by the second half of the century and limit global warming to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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