U.S. Accused of Shifting Responsibility of Climate Crisis Despite Role as Largest Historic Polluter
The first week of U.N. climate talks is wrapping up. On Monday,
nearly 150 world leaders, including President Obama, gathered in Paris
on the first day of the talks. Obama praised fellow world leaders for
submitting voluntary pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but others
criticize what they see as empty promises. "President Obama said that
the developed world and the United States will assume its responsibility
and will do something about it to combat climate change," says Meena
Raman, climate change coordinator for the Third World Network. "However,
that is quite rhetorical. If you look at the way the negotiations are
going, the United States negotiators and their positions in the talks
are far away from assuming any responsibility. What they’re doing is
shifting the responsibility to the developing world… So what President
Obama says is ringing hollow."
