President Barack Obama takes the stage as he is introduced by Strive Masiyiwa during the White House Summit on Global Development in Washington, D.C., July 20, 2016. | Credit: Pete Souza
Obama Hails Development Progress; Ban Ki-moon Asks Leaders to Ratify Paris Agreement
U.S. News and World Report quoted President Barack Obama, who called development a key pillar of American foreign policy during a global development summit in Washington this week. The President said development work is fundamental to advancing human dignity and prosperity and to fighting global inequality, violence and climate change.
Climate Home (7/19) said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon invited world leaders to ratify the Paris climate agreement at a special event in New York on September 21, in hopes of bringing the agreement into force swiftly.
A U.N. press release (7/18) said 19 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement so far. At least 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions must ratify for the agreement to take force.
Bloomberg (7/15) reported that Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said her country will introduce a national price on carbon emissions by the end of the year.
Reuters (7/18) said India plans to double its target for energy generated from solar parks to 40,000 megawatts by 2020.
On Energy.gov (7/20), U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy called on global environment leaders to support efforts to amend the Montreal Protocol to start phasing out climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).