December, 12 2014, 06:15am EDT
Greenpeace Responds to Secretary Kerry's Speech at COP20
In response to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's speech at COP20 in Lima, Greenpeace US Senior Legislative Representative Kyle Ash said:
LIMA, Peru
In response to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's speech at COP20 in Lima, Greenpeace US Senior Legislative Representative Kyle Ash said:
"We are happy that Secretary Kerry has come to Lima, delivering a powerful call for unity on climate action today, and we hope his time here moves the process toward a strong climate treaty in Paris next year. We appreciate his comments on the urgency of creating a clean energy economy, noting in his speech that 'the only question is are we going to do it fast enough to make a difference.' His record as a climate champion, however, contrasts with many of the US positions in the Lima COP negotiations. President Obama's team continues to insist that presidential authority is insufficient to sign onto legally binding obligations to reduce climate pollution. At the same time, they claim that making pollution targets binding will reduce ambition. Neither is correct. Rather than portray US presidential legal powers as weak in the face of a politically stunted, soon-to-be climate denier controlled Congress, Secretary Kerry should ask his boss to use every tool he can to fight the climate catastrophe we are facing - including the cessation of the sale of publicly-owned fossil fuels and a significant strengthening of EPA climate policy. The US should increase their 2025 climate pollution reduction target from 28 to 40% and commit to it in an internationally legally binding agreement next year. Our transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050 depends on it."
Additionally, today, Greenpeace released a brief written by Kyle Ash in response to the Obama administration's claim that making mitigation commitments legally binding in the 2015 Paris climate agreement is not necessary. The Greenpeace brief provides an alternative perspective that says a legally binding agreement is better for both the United States and the international community as a whole.
To access the brief, please click here: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/Global/usa/planet3/PDFs/ParisTreatyBrief2014.pdf
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
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