Obama, Singh boost hopes of climate deal

US: US President Barack Obama sought Tuesday to boost hopes of a landmark deal at the Copenhagen climate summit, as a new report showed the crisis facing the planet is deeper than previously thought.

Obama, hosting the leader of key developing nation India at the White House a week after returning from top global polluter China, said recent progress meant the world was “one step closer to a successful outcome in Copenhagen.”

Countries must “reach a strong operational agreement that will confront the threat of climate change while serving as a stepping-stone to a legally binding treaty,” he told a press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In a joint statement, Singh and Obama spoke of their hopes for a “comprehensive” deal at the December 7-18 United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen. “It should reflect emission reduction targets of developed countries and nationally appropriate mitigation actions of developing countries,” they said.

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, AFP