White House defends Obama evading Senate on Paris climate deal, by Valerie Richardson in the Washington Times.
The White House on Monday defended President Obama’s decision to enter into the Paris climate accord without Senate ratification… [on the excuse that] the pact negotiated by 195 countries in December is merely an “executive agreement.” …
Republicans have insisted that the accord requires Senate ratification and warned the Obama administration as well as international leaders that Congress will not be bound by an agreement ratified by unilateral executive action. …
To take effect, the accord must be signed and ratified by 55 nations responsible for at least 55 percent of global emissions. So far, 23 nations emitting about 1 percent of greenhouse gases have completed the ratification process, according to Climate Analytics’ ratification tracker.
Nice to see they quoted Joanne as an authoritative source:
Climate change skeptics dismissed the anticipated executive ratification as a sham designed to prop up Mr. Obama’s legacy.
Climate Depot’s Marc Morano predicted that “Obama will surely do his best play-acting and pretend the ‘ratification’ has actual meaning, but as a former constitutional law professor, even he knows better.”
“What they need right now is a game-changer, and if they can’t get it then, true to form, they will manufacture the illusion of it,” Australian science writer Joanne Nova said on her JoNova blog.
“Ratified” countries marked in dark blue. Map Climate Analytics.
From Joanne’s article:
It’s a do or die moment for The Cause. Brexit has hit them hard, and the Trump factor threatens to wreck everything. The Paris agreement has stalled pathetically at 1.1% of all human emissions (they need 55% to come into force). They need a gamechanger or the illusion of one.
Next week expect a grand performance from US and China — or rather from two men who look solemn and can sign important looking carbon chastity vows on behalf of 1.8 billion people. Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will say they have ratified the Paris agreement. Expect triumphant parades, and smiles, handshakes and talk of a historic moment. It’s all for show. China will agree to do nothing different until 2030 when its population growth peaks, and Obama can’t get the support of Congress.
But the gala performance may work if enough other countries fall for it — especially the stupidly obedient Anglosphere, and the trapped EU. India, Russia and Brazil will only buy into it they are fed enough pork. But the pork has to come from somewhere, and that’s us — The West. That’s who this show is for — western voters.
