Obama is reportedly laying groundwork for a big climate deal at the U.N.


For months, President Obama has been working under the radar to get world leaders on board for a major agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, to be finalized at United Nations climate change talks in Paris in December, Politico reports. Not that Obama has been all that secretive about his plans: He trumpeted a landmark deal he reached with China last year, and highlighted the issue in talks with India's Narendra Modi in January. And he's discussing his goals publicly.
The China deal "allows us to leverage the entire world for the conference that will be taking place later this year in Paris," Obama told Vice News in an interview broadcast Monday. "When I'm done, we're still going to have a heck of a problem, but we will have made enough progress that the next president and the next generation can start building on it."
At least that's his plan. "Republicans in Congress, sensing what he's up to, are already saying no. And Obama's already preparing to sign on without them," explains Politico's Edward-Isaac Dovere. "Since the Paris agreement would be voluntary and not a formal treaty, it's seen as much more likely to get support around the world. And it can happen without the Senate taking any kind of vote on it." Read more about the deal and the politics at Politico.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resigns
Speed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Melting glaciers may lead to more volcanic eruptions
Under the radar We're in for a boom
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodge
Speed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate change
In the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floods
Speed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
How carbon credits and offsets could help and hurt the climate
The explainer The credits could be allowing polluters to continue polluting
-
This Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be above average
Under the radar Prepare for strong storms in the coming months
-
Why men have a bigger carbon footprint than women
Under the Radar 'Male identity' behaviours behind 'gender gap' in emissions, say scientists