Recent Headlines In The News

While President Barack Obama Saturday hailed the ratification of a universal pact, signed by diplomats from 196 nations in Paris to slow global warming by adopting green energy sources and cutting down on emissions, Republicans responded by saying the United States is not legally bound to the agreement without approval by Congress.

"The Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis," Obama told reporters, after 196 countries approved the climate accord at the 21st Conference of Parties on Saturday to bring down pollution levels so as to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial averages and "and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels."

"It creates the mechanism, the architecture, for us to continually tackle this problem in an effective way," Obama said. "I believe this moment can be a turning point for the world," Obama said, adding that this is "the best chance we have to save the one planet that we've got."

"The Paris Climate Agreement is not a fair, just or science-based deal," said Erich Pica, president of the eco-watchdog group Friends of the Earth, according to NBC News. "The result is in an agreement that could see low-lying islands and coastlines swallowed up by the sea, and many African lands ravaged by drought."

Obama agreed "the problem's not solved because of this accord," but added that "the Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis."