China and the United States made common cause on Wednesday against the threat of climate change, staking out an ambitious joint plan to curb carbon emissions as a way to spur nations around the world to make their own cuts in greenhouse gases.
The landmark agreement, jointly announced here by President Obama and President Xi Jinping, includes new targets for carbon emissions reductions by the United States and a first-ever commitment by China to stop its emissions from growing by 2030.
Administration officials said the agreement, which was worked out quietly between the United States and China over nine months and included a letter from Mr. Obama to Mr. Xi proposing a joint approach, could galvanize efforts to negotiate a new global climate agreement by 2015.
It was the signature achievement of an unexpectedly productive two days of meetings between the leaders. Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi also agreed to a military accord designed to avert clashes between Chinese and American planes and warships in the tense waters off the Chinese coast, as well as an understanding to cut tariffs for technology products.
I can see the Fox News reporting on this already, "President Obama sends another secret letter to enemy of America."
Even after years of political and personal attacks from the Right Wing, and after losing the Senate to Republicans, the man continues to be a thorn in the conservative's side simply by doing his damn job.
I guess the Chinese did not get the word that this was the least effective President in the history of America. Perhaps they don;t get Breitbart News.
By the way if ANYBODY needs to curb carbon emissions it's China.
"What a lame duck! Can't get anything done for the next two years"....hmmm.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he still plans to be President until 2017!
Love that photo of President Obama and the huge smile on his face! What an excellent job he is doing and you know, it's going to totally piss the Republicans off. Wonder what negative commentary they'll come out with about it.
ReplyDeleteJust thought of something - wonder what the Republicans in the U.S. Congress will do to stop this - I'm sure it's going to take money, etc. that President Obama is going to have to ask for....but, perhaps he can do things himself (under the law) as POTUS?
Good job, the leaders of China and the USA! I'm proud as can be. China's people especially need this!
This isn't meant as disrespect to the President, but China will do nothing. Just a bunch of glad handing.
DeleteWell, anon at 9:35 am, the New York Times is saying that this is great news but that China should do more. And who know if the Chinese will really take any steps, although they need to. I think it's amazing that China has agreed to do anything. China has beens silent about the issue, all the while creating more and more pollution. Bravo, President Obama.
DeleteBeaglemom
11:24 I'll solve the mystery for you as to whether China will take any steps, the answer is this was a feel good for everyone, and there will be no changes. But it is a big political publicity win for all involved.
DeleteAnd the baggers are a bugging already. It's too much, it's not enough, the Prez is black, etc.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE OBAMA!
ReplyDeleteStop growing emissions by 2030...I'm sure that all of the US coal companies breathed a sigh of relief since that gives them 16 more years to dump our coal exports on Asia.
ReplyDeleteThe media anticipated a lame duck. The President had other ideas. Damn it Obama, stop messing with their heads!
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/TheObamaDiary/status/532402483801628672
Obama is so diminished in the eyes of the world after midterms that China just agreed to climate change deal. Sucks to be him.
Republicans have long argued that U.S. shouldn't act on climate until China does. China is acting.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/us-china-climate-change-112804.html
He TOTALLY called their bluff!
GOP Heads Explode After President Obama Cuts Historic Climate Change Deal With China
...Of course, the real reason most Republicans in Washington oppose any significant action on climate change isn’t because of the science behind it or indifference from developing countries or the difficulty in creating a new energy infrastructure. Nope. The real reason is their extremely close ties to the oil, coal natural gas industries and the promises they’ve made that they will do everything they can to obstruct any attempts to curb the use of fossil fuels and expand the use of sustainable energy.
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/11/12/gop-heads-explode-president-obama-cuts-historic-climate-change-deal-china.html
By striking a pact with China, Obama essentially has called the GOP's bluff.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/11/the-angry-gop-backlash-to-obamas-historic-climate-accord/382676/
That look the President gave the media in China yesterday
"Lame duck? LOL."
https://twitter.com/TheObamaDiary/status/532527620253315072
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/12/history-made-thanks-president-obama/
GOP licking their chops thinking they can dismantle PBO's CO2 emission orders, then he makes an even more stringent goal with China. Chess.
Net neutrality. VISA deal. Climate change deal.
President Obama - 3
Cable pundits - 0
I was in Shangai earlier this year and was shocked at how horrible the pollution was. Miles and miles of smoke stacks spewing black smoke...thank you President Obama!
ReplyDeleteBeijing's Anti-Pollution Face-Lift In 6 Photos
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/beijing-pollution-photo-a_n_6134204.html
Saw these stills included in a time lapsed film on PBS, what's even more chilling, is the effect all the loose carbon dust, coal fumes, and car exhausts has caused "Alert weeks" where young, sick and elderly are not to leave their homes nor open windows. The lead, alone, was nine times above their "allowable" amount.
DeleteRepublican Mid-Term Victories Won’t Matter Much In The Long Run
ReplyDelete...So the big question is how worried should those of us on the Left be? My answer is a little but it is not going to mean the country has reverted back to the old conservative days. -
See more at: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/columns/republican-mid-term-victories-won-t-matter-much-long-run#sthash.1nQnfYHZ.dpuf
So many of the Teaparty Limbaugh extremists are whining lately about how President Obama is negotiating with terrorists
ReplyDeleteRight, because having a civil discussion with Iran is so much worse than just bombing their children into the stone age
How easily they forget these know-nothing dunderheads.
Who was it who first negotiated with China back in the 1970's?
A Republican named Richard Nixon
Who was it who first negotiated with the USSR back in the 1980's
A Republican named Saint Ronald Reagan.
The Cliven Bundy crowd just wants to shoot first, and wave the flag. McCain would have already started World War 3 by attacking Iran
I'm sure that ThongGhazi Girl $arah would have been ecstatic to see bombs dropped on the innocent in Tehran, cuz rill 'Muricans don't retreat, they reload.
Seeing dead Muslim kids face down in the street don't really matter, cuz they don't love Jeesusz and they are infidels, and aren't rill Muricans, and don't shop at Walmart like good patriots do.
Just think you Pbots, TWO MORE FULL YEARS of President Obama, creating job policy, working on climate change, doing diplomacy instead of being a mouth breathing war hawk like Bush, and the economy vastly better than it was in January 2009.
HOOOHAHH!
You said everything for me, AJ!
DeleteHOO HAH indeed!
I’m in with you buddy. I think it is as criminal the Chinese have to breathe that slop called air. If we don’t stand up and admit our carbon mistakes and continue on this road, we doom all of the planet’s life to extinction. It is as sick as thinking Iranian children are any less than our children.
Delete+1
DeleteSaw Fox News in a tizzy over the rainbow colors, neon red carpet and the traditional purple jacket "gay" President Obama wore to China.They're beyond help and deserve a swift kick where the sun don't shine. President Obama was following protocol, and working WITH China to start cleaning up the atmosphere. Kinda says a lot when a sitting president can get more done with a foreign leader than he could with Teapublicatards.
Lived in LA from '61 - '63. The smog would get so thick you couldn't see the color of the stop lights. Our baby had a heart defect and if we took him outside, he turned blue. Moved to Denver and was the same thing. When you came down the hill from Lookout Mt. you couldn't see the city, but a thick brown cloud covering over it. They still had outside garbage burners in every yard. Now have days you can't use wood fireplaces or stoves. We have vehicle emission tests and if you don't pass, you don't get a new license plate until you get it fixed and pass the test. Sell only unleaded Ethanol in the cold months to reduce carbons. It is so nice to breathe again! The air is very thin here,, so any little bit helps! During the Olympics, China literally had to shut down all the plants or the athletes couldn't perform. It is time they come to their senses. Thanks President Obama for what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteI ruined a tuxedo back in the mid 90's bombing down Lookout Mountain on a skateboard after a drunken wedding reception up there, didn't make it all the way. Speed wobbles. My buddy made it though. Ahh to be foolish and in my young 20's again.
DeleteOne thing I will always hold against Bill Clinton and the Republicans is fast tracking China. Bill sold his bill of goods by saying that China will comply with all the environmental and labor laws that are followed in the United States.
ReplyDeleteBut that did not happen. What did happen is that all these companies are polluting China like they used to do in the United States (no more thanks to the EPA). And Laborers in China are really more like slaves working 15+ hours at little pay. And then they are charged high rates for their room and board by their Masters and are virtually given only subsistence rations. And we have jails here in Maine that look better than some of those rooms.
Which is why I do not buy anything made in China. My Yankee ancestors didn't buy cotton from the South during the slave years here in the United States. And Walmart Sucks - don't shop there.