World leaders meet in Paris to discuss climate change

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: World leaders meet in Paris to discuss climate change Addressing the twin threats of global warming and extremist violence, 151 world leaders kicked off two weeks of high-stakes climate talks outside Paris on Monday, saying that by striking an ambitious deal to cut emissions that are warming the planet they can show terrorists what countries can do when they stand together. The meeting comes at a sombre time for France, two weeks after militants linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) killed 130 people around Paris. Fears of more attacks have prompted extra-high security and a crackdown on environmental protests – and threaten to eclipse longer-term concerns about rising seas and increasingly extreme weather linked to man-made global warming. Dozens of leaders streaming into Paris, including US President Barack Obama, paid their respects at sites linked to the attacks. Obama, in a late-night visit, placed a single flower outside the Bataclan concert venue where dozens were killed and bowed his head in silence. Gathering for the talks near Le Bourget airfield, just north of the city, the leaders held a moment of silence for victims of recent attacks in France, Lebanon, Iraq, Tunisia and Mali. “We stand with Paris,” said United Nations climate change agency chief Christina Figueres. “The city of light, now more than ever, is a beacon of hope for the world.” The clock is ticking, not just because the world has warmed nearly 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since the beginning of the industrial age, but because after world leaders leave on Monday, negotiators have limited time to strike a deal. Already, 181 nations have made pledges to combat man-made carbon dioxide pollution. Among several sticking points is money – how much rich countries should invest to help poor countries cope with climate change, how much should be invested in renewable energy and how much traditional oil and gas producers stand to lose if countries agree to forever reduce emissions. news@7days.ae   Read the original story at: World leaders meet in Paris to discuss climate change