#COP21: Paris Agreement a ‘Tremendous Victory for All of Our Citizens’
On December 12, more than 190 countries came together at the 21st UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris, France, to adopt the most ambitious climate change agreement in history. The Paris Agreement establishes a long-term, durable, global framework to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
Speaking at COP21, Secretary Kerry said, “This is a tremendous victory for all of our citizens — not for any one country or any one bloc, but for everybody here who has worked so hard to bring us across the finish line. It’s a victory for all of the planet and for future generations. We have set a course here. The world has come together around an agreement that will empower us to chart a new path for our planet — a smart and responsible path, a sustainable path. And extraordinarily, we are 196 delegations, 186 plans. That is a remarkable global commitment.”
Secretary Kerry underscored the agreement will help the world prepare for the impacts of climate change, “…We have reached an agreement that, fully implemented, will help us transition to a global clean energy economy and ultimately prevent the worst, most devastating consequences of climate change from ever happening.”
“We are sending literally a critical message to the global marketplace,” Secretary Kerry noted. “Many of us here know that it won’t be governments that actually make the decision or find the product, the new technology, the saving grace of this challenge. It will be the genius of the American spirit. It will be business unleashed because of 186 nations saying to global business in one loud voice: We need to move in this direction. And that will move investment. That will create new, greater research and development, and the next great product will come that will change our lives.”
Secretary Kerry also expressed — on behalf of President Obama and the United States — our deepest gratitude to France for its pivotal role in galvanizing the international community, “France, in the most difficult circumstances, after loss of life and terror, stood proud, stood up, stood strong, set an example to the world. And now here today the world says thank you by restoring the global community’s faith that we can accomplish things multilaterally.”
While the Paris Agreement is in the United States’ interest, Secretary Kerry underscored — more importantly — the Paris Agreement is in the interest of every nation on Earth. He said, “We’ve taken a critical step forward, and there is no question but that what we do next, how we implement our targets, how we build this agreement, how we build it out for each of our nations and how we strengthen it in the time ahead — that is what will determine whether we’re actually able to address one of the most complex challenges humankind has ever faced.”
Secretary Kerry reflected on the week of negotiations that occurred in Paris, citing the incredible energy and commitment of every delegation — “no matter what their interests, there’s been a remarkable spirit of collegiality, a determination not to repeat mistakes of the past, and a compelling urgency to the sense that we had to be successful.”
He concluded “We can leave behind on Earth a legacy for our children and our grandchildren, generations to come. And I know that we will all of us be better off for the agreement that we have finalized here today.”
Watch the video of Secretary Kerry’s remarks and read the full transcript at www.state.gov.
Editor’s Note: This blog also appears on DipNote, the U.S. Department of State’s Official Blog.
Read the White House Fact Sheet on the Paris agreement for more information on how the United States is leading the fight against climate change.
