Climate Change Conference - final negotiations

Time for talk is over, says Obama

Article published on the 2009-12-18 Latest update 2009-12-18 13:10 TU

US President Barack Obama addressing the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen
(Photo: Reuters)

US President Barack Obama delivered a speech to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference on Friday. He said world leaders must compromise on a deal. He told delegates that “the time for talk is over”.

“We have made our commitments, we will do what we say,” Obama told the COP15 summit.

The US says it will cut emissions in the range of 17 per cent by 2020, and by more than 80 per cent by 2050.

Obama also confirmed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement of aid to the tune of 100 billion dollars (70 billion euros) by 2020 to help developing countries combat climate change.

However, he reiterated the need for accountability, a comment thought to be directed at the Chinese, who have resisted calls for independent monitoring of progress towards their commitments.

Obama described two decades of ongoing discussions and proclaimed that it was, “better to act, than to talk, choose action, over inaction”.