Obama Vows New US Resolve on Climate Change

After all-night session, deal is recognized, if not approved

(AP) - The UN climate conference narrowly escaped collapse by agreeing Saturday to recognize a political accord brokered by President Obama with China and other emerging powers. The decision was made after an all-night plenary session in which a small group of nations, including Bolivia, Cuba, Sudan and Venezuela, stridently opposed accepting the Copenhagen Accord because it lacks specific targets for reducing carbon emissions. More»

Copenhagen deal creates 'league of super-polluters'

(NEWSER) - The Copenhagen climate deal President Obama struck with China, India and South Africa flies in the face of progressive values, environmental writer Bill McKibben rages. Here’s how:

• Obama made the UN obsolete: “The clear point is, you poor nations can spout off all you want on questions like human rights or the role of women or fighting polio or handling refugees. But when you get too close to the center of things that count—the fossil fuel that’s at the center of our economy—you can forget about it.”

Billions in promised cash unaccounted for

(NEWSER) - Huge sums of money promised by EU countries to help poor nations cope with climate change have melted away faster than Arctic ice. The EU and five other industrialized nations promised developing countries $410 million a year in the 2001 Bonn declaration, but the UN funds set up to deal with the funds have received only $260 million in the 8 years since, a BBC investigation finds. More»

High-level conference would develop 'common way forward'

(AP) - Hillary Clinton has proposed a high-level international conference on Afghanistan sponsored by the United Nations and attended by a wide range of countries including Pakistan and NATO allies. The secretary of State presented the proposal at a NATO meeting in Brussels, where she said the session could be held March 31. More»

President-elect surprises conference with video message

(NEWSER) - In an unexpected video appearance today at a conference on climate change, President-elect Barack Obama promised to fight global warming, saying the stakes are too high to continue delaying action and denying global warming. He vowed to usher in a “new era of global cooperation” come January and says he'll “engage vigorously” in international negotiations, AFP reports. More»