US President Barack Obama has said (on  November 9) that he will attend the Copenhagen climate negotiations in December if his presence would make a difference to sealing a deal.

 

'If I am confident that all of the countries involved are bargaining in good faith and we are on the brink of a meaningful agreement and my presence in Copenhagen will make a difference in tipping us over edge then certainly that's something that I will do,' Obama told Reuters in an interview.

 

Campaigners have long pushed for world leaders to attend the negotiations, saying that it is too important a decision to leave to negotiators and climate ministers. Brazilian President Lula da Silva has echoed the importance of leaders attending, saying  'The discussions have been outsourced to advisers but it is better that the ones who say yes or no are prime ministers and presidents.'  

 

Back in September, the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, became the first world leader to offer to attend Copenhagen, and has been urging fellow leaders to attend since.

 

President Obama has expressed confidence on the nature of a Copenhagen deal, reflecting: 'I think the question is can we create a set of principles, building blocks, that allow for ongoing and continuing progress on the issue and that's something I'm confident we can achieve,' he said.

 

'The key now is for the United States and China, the two largest emitters in the world, is to be able to come up with a framework that, along with other big emitters like the Europeans and those countries that are projected to be large emitters in the future, like India, can all buy into,' he said.

 

'I remain optimistic that between now and Copenhagen that we can arrive at that framework,' he added.

 

Last week in Barcelona saw the final round of UNFCCC climate negotations before the Copenhagen negotations kick off in less than 30 days. By the end of Barcelona, around 40 world leaders had said they will go to Copenhagen.

 

Related links

Barack Obama says he will go to Copenhagen climate change conference, Telegraph 10 November 2009

Barack Obama will go to Copenhagen if he can clinch climate deal, Guardian 10 November 2009

Obama may attend climate summit, The Syndney Morning Herald 10 November 2009

Obama may go to Copenhagen to clinch deal, The Vancouver Sun 10 November 2009

INTERVIEW - Obama will go to Copenhagen to clinch deal, the star 10 November 2009