Obama: “We Are Nowhere Near Where We Need to Be” on Climate Action

3 years ago 373

Former President Barack Obama made an quality during the COP26 clime acme connected Monday, warning nations astir the satellite that “we are obscurity adjacent wherever we request to be” connected responding to the challenges imposed by anthropogenic clime change.

“Meaningful advancement has been made since Paris,” Obama said, adding, “Thanks to your efforts present successful Glasgow, we spot the committedness of further progress.”

“We are going to person to bash more, and whether that happens oregon not to a ample grade is going to beryllium connected you, and not conscionable those of you successful this country but anybody who’s watching oregon speechmaking a transcript of what I accidental present today,” helium continued.

Obama criticized Russia and China specifically for demonstrating what helium called a “dangerous deficiency of urgency” and “willingness to support the presumption quo.”

“We request precocious economies similar the U.S. and Europe starring connected the issue, but you cognize the facts, we besides request China and India starring connected this issue,” helium said. “We can’t spend anybody connected the sidelines.”

Ultimately, Obama’s remarks ended connected a much optimistic note.

“Whenever I consciousness … despondency I punctual myself that cynicism is the recourse of cowards,” Obama said. “We can’t spend hopelessness, alternatively we are going to person to muster the volition and the passionateness and the activism of citizens pushing governments companies and everyone other to conscionable this challenge.”

Obama besides recovered clip to criticize erstwhile President Donald Trump, who helium said stymied efforts to conscionable goals outlined successful the Paris Agreement.

He said efforts by the U.S. to respond to clime alteration “stalled” erstwhile Trump pulled retired of the statement successful 2017, but praised President Joe Biden’s administration, which helium said is “once again engaged and prepared to instrumentality a enactment role.”