At COP26, Barack Obama calls for immediate action on climate change; 'Time's running out'

Former United States President Barack Obama on Monday, 8 November admitted that he could not stay away from United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP26 even though he does not hold public office. Delivering his keynote address at COP26 just days after current US President Joe Biden made his appearance, Obama used his address in Glasgow to call on the world over ramping up action against the climate crisis and noting that not enough was being done regarding the situation. 

Obama addressed the conference at the SEC on Clydeside and laid emphasis on the fact there had been meaningful progress during the first week of talks, but called for more talks. The former US President even called out Russia and China over their respective presidents denying to travel to Scotland to attend the summit.

Barack Obama said, “Even though I’m not required to attend summits like this any more, old habits die hard...And when the issue at hand is the health of our planet, and the world our children and our grandchildren will inherit, then you will have a hard time keeping me away. That’s why I’m here today.”

‘Time is running out,' warns Obama

Additionally, the former US President warned that “When it comes to climate, time really is running out. You heard the same message from world leaders last week. Now that they’ve left, here’s what we can report: meaningful progress has been made since Paris. The agreements made here in Glasgow, thanks to so many of you – including my friend John Kerry, who is tireless with his team – thanks to your efforts here in Glasgow we see the prospect of further progress.”

“What is also true is that collectively and individually, we are still falling short. We have not done nearly enough to address this crisis, we are going to have to do more, and whether that happens or not to a large degree is going to depend on you – not just you in this room, but anybody who’s watching or reading a transcript of what I’m saying here today,” he added. 

Barack Obama takes dig at Trump

Taking a dig at his successor Donald Trump over the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement of 2015. Obama said, “Some of our progress stalled when my successor decided to unilaterally pull out of the Paris Agreement in his first year in office...“I wasn’t real happy about that.” He also noted that the United States managed to meet the obligations it agreed under the climate accord signed in Paris in 2015 despite the Trump administration’s tenure in the White House. 

“Despite four years of active hostility towards climate science coming from the very top of our federal government, the American people managed to still meet our original commitment under the Paris Agreement,” he said.

(IMAGE: AP/PTI)