Obama presses China on deal as climate summit in Copenhagen hangs in balance

photo by Getty Images

story by the Hill
written by Ben Geman

President Barack Obama on Friday pressed China to allow outside review of its pledged greenhouse gas emissions curbs.

The president told the faltering Copenhagen summit that verification is vital to an emissions deal as the impasse between the world’s two largest emitters persisted.

Obama’s speech didn’t mention China specifically, but U.S. and Chinese negotiators have for days been wrestling with the issue.

Obama said there must be a way for reviewing whether nations are upholding their commitments, but added “these measures need not be intrusive, or infringe upon sovereignty.”
“They must, however, ensure that an accord is credible, and that we are living up to our mutual obligations. For without such accountability, any agreement would be empty words on a page,” he said.

“I don’t know how you have an international agreement where we all are not sharing our information and ensuring we are meeting our commitments. That does not make sense. It would be a hollow victory,” he added.

Obama later met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao for almost an hour and “made progress,” according to a White House official, who added that the meeting was “constructive.”