U.S. President Barack Obama described the climate accord reached in Paris as strong and historic, calling it the best chance to save the planet from the effects of global climate change.
According to Obama,
Today the American people can be proud because this historic agreement is a tribute to American leadership. Over the past seven years, we've transformed the United States into the global leader in fighting climate change,
he said.
Obama noted that
This agreement represents the best chance we have to save the one planet that we've got.
The President acknowledged that negotiations involving nearly 200 nations are always challenging and that He also stated that
Reactions from Lawmakers ¶
Senator Jim Inhofe, a global warming skeptic, downplayed the significance of the climate deal, comparing it to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Inhofe said,
Senate leadership has already been outspoken in its positions that the United States is not legally bound to any agreement setting emissions targets or any financial commitment to it without approval by Congress.
On the other hand, Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton released a statement via Twitter, applauding the agreement. Clinton said,
We cannot afford to be slowed by the climate skeptics or deterred by the defeatists who doubt America's ability to meet this challenge.
Representative Raul Grijalva, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, urged quick action by the Republican-led Congress to fund and support the Paris accord. Grijalva stated,
Too many people have spent their careers pretending that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by shadowy environmental groups and Machiavellian research scientists. The American public knows full well that's not the case.
