WASHINGTON - December 18 - World Wildlife Fund today issued the following statement today from WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts in response to President Obama's speech before the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen:

"In coming to Copenhagen at the critical final stage of this two-year process, President Obama outlined the building blocks of a deal and expressed his conviction that work still needs to be done.  He has put an emissions target on the table and pledged his commitment to long-term climate financing - both critical pieces of a final deal.‪

"But that's not enough to knit together the world community at this pivotal hour. As the President has said numerous times, all countries need to stand behind their commitments and agree to make those commitments transparent.

"That applies to the US as well.  The only way the world can be sure the US is standing behind its commitments is for the President to clearly state that climate change will be his next top legislative priority. The ultimate test of his leadership will be engaging the Senate and delivering action in Congress early next year.

"The world's future hangs in the balance.  At this critical hour, the ‘fierce urgency of now,' of which Dr. King spoke so about eloquently, is ringing loudly."‪

Watch a video of WWF CEO Carter Roberts in Copenhagen http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/international/index.html

View WWF team's Tweets from Copenhagen http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/international/tweets.html

EDITORS NOTE: For live commentary visit: http://cop15.panda.org/

ACT FOR OUR FUTURE For more information about WWF's efforts to secure Senate passage of climate legislation, please visit www.ActForOurFuture.org.