NYT article on how the US is now cheered, rather than booed at a climate change forum

[karynnj]

Their title - "Strange climate event - warmth toward the US.

This article really describes how significant the change has been sine the US/China pact. (not said in article - this could be the most positive legacy of Obama's foreign policy.)
But the enthusiastic reception on climate issues comes a month after a historic announcement by the United States and China, the world’s two largest polluters, that they would jointly commit to cut their emissions. Many international negotiators say the deal is the catalyst that could lead to a new global climate change accord that would, for the first time, commit every nation in the world to cutting its own planet-warming emissions.

The American policy that helped prod China — and change the international perception of the United States — is one of President Obama’s most contentious domestic decisions. His June announcement that he would use his executive authority to push through an aggressive set of regulations on coal-fired power plants in the United States — the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas pollution — set off a firestorm of legal, political and legislative opposition at home. Critics have called it a “war on coal” that could devastate the American economy.

But in the arena of international climate change negotiations, it has fundamentally transformed the feeling toward his administration.

“The U.S. is now credible on climate change,” said Laurence Tubiana, the French climate change ambassador to the United Nations, who is leading efforts to broker a new agreement to be signed by world leaders in Paris next year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/world/strange-climate-event-warmth-toward-the-us.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1

Add this to the words of the Guardian, ( http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/11/john-kerry-climate-change-security-issue )

A few years ago it would have been unthinkable to suggest a visit by a US secretary of state would boost the prospects for UN climate talks. But Ed Davey, the UK’s energy and climate change secretary, said the atmospherics had changed.

“John Kerry’s leadership, along with that of President Obama, has been critical in getting the world to the point where we are at,” said Davey. “The US, China and others have been a brake on progress in climate change talks. Now we see America working with the European Union and others to try to get successful climate change talks.”

President Obama made the right decision to make Kerry Secretary of State - on this and other accomplishments, he really is uniquely qualified for the job.

[YvonneCa]

1. Very qualified. Nice to see...

...he is recognized for that. Finally.

[MBS]

2. It is truly wonderful to have a SoS

with such a strong commitment to and knowledge of environmental issues. None of his predecessors at State have even come close.
Kerry and Obama have done a lot of good here, as both these articles note. I shudder at the realization that, barring a major political surprise, the next president and SoS are highly unlikely to measure up in this department. (and some of them have the potential even to undo all this good work)..

Anyway, for now, these articles remind us that we are very lucky to have Pres Obama and SoS Kerry (as well as support of EPA and Interior) on board with these initiatives.

[mylye2222]

3. Great cheering article! !

K&R for visibility!