Secretary Kerry: Paris Is Where We Begin To Save The Planet

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/12/07/3729130/john-kerry-ban-ki-moon-paris-success/



PARIS, FRANCE — On Monday, the stage at the Earth to Paris forum held at Le Petit Palais in central Paris was host to a number of high-profile guests, from Alec Baldwin to Jane Goodall. But as the event stretched into the afternoon, two key guests earned standing ovations from the crowd for their remarks on climate change and the potential of an international agreement: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

“This is a whole new paradigm in Paris,” Kerry said during an interview with Mashable’s Andrew Freedman. “We are going to make Paris a demarcation point where we begin to get the job done to save the planet. Period.”

I feel very strongly that when human activity that is a choice is potentially putting whole nation states at risk, we’ve got to care about it

On the issue of limiting global warming to a target more stringent than 2°C — many small nations and island nation-states have called for a target of 1.5° C to be included in the agreement — Kerry was less optimistic.

“You bet I sympathize with it,” he said when asked about whether he feels for the countries calling for a 1.5° C target. “I feel very strongly that when human activity that is a choice is potentially putting whole nation states at risk, we’ve got to care about it,” he continued, adding that he is “conceptually” and “aspirationally” in favor of a target set well below 2°C.

“My instinct would be, however, in the context of this agreement, we have already agreed previously that 2°C is the target,” Kerry said. “I don’t think it’s wise to embrace as the principal target of this agreement that kind of a goal.”