Statement of Bob Perciasepe
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

September 23, 2014

The U.N. Climate Summit helped advance the climate effort on multiple fronts. We heard citizens speaking out, companies stepping up, and leaders saying they get it. It was especially important to hear so many governments and companies voicing strong support for carbon pricing.

Most important, we heard a clear statement of intent from key leaders to put serious commitments on the table next year and close a deal in Paris. Now, they need to go home and do the hard work it’s going to take to deliver the strongest commitments they can.

President Obama had already made clear that climate change is a top domestic priority for his second term. In New York, he and John Kerry made very clear that it’s a top foreign policy priority, too.

China also affirmed its international responsibility to address climate change and, notably, said it will try to peak its carbon emissions as soon as possible.

Paris is our best opportunity to get all the major economies on board a lasting agreement that strengthens the global effort and works to ramp it up over time. By putting leaders on the hook, the New York summit gives us a better shot at a solid deal.

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C2ES resource page on international climate talks: http://bit.ly/c2esintl

To interview a C2ES expert: Contact Laura Rehrmann, press@c2es.org or 703-516-4146

About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting strong policy and action to address the twin challenges of energy and climate change. Launched in 2011, C2ES is the successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Learn more at www.c2es.org.