Obama To Attend Copenhagen Climate Change Conference

Barack Obama will be attending the Copenhagen climate change conference after much speculation.

It is suggested that he will attend the conference on 9th December, before appearing in Oslo the following day to accept his Nobel Peace Prize award and not return for the rest of the Copenhagen climate change talks.

His choice to attend the conference at the beginning rather than at the end on the 18th with the other world leaders, has met with mixed reactions:-

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed the confirmation of Obama’s attendance at the COP15 conference saying ‘The visit underlines the president’s will to contribute to an ambitious global agreement in Copenhagen’.

Greenpeace spokeswoman Tove Maria Ryding said in a statement that ‘it’s the right city, but the wrong date’.

‘The climate summit is not about posing for the cameras but about getting a global deal which can stop climate chaos. President Obama needs to be here on 18 December together with all the other world leaders,’ Ryding said.

President Obama is expected to pledge to reduce US emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. This is less than what the European Union, Japan and just about everyone else will be calling for and far below the 25 - 40% below 1990 levels that is widely acknowledged as necessary. However, it is hoped that if the US gives out a number, other key players will follow.