科学美国人60秒:90-Nation Coalition Aims for Ambitious Climate Change Deal

On December 9th, the day when protesters finally made an appearance, a new coalition emerged here at the climate talks in Paris. A group of some 90 nations, including the U.S., unites rich and poor, big and small. The goal is to ensure a strong global deal to combat climate change.

Such an agreement would include recognition that the world must aim as soon as possible to hold global warming to 1.5-degree Celsius; a long-term low-carbon future; 5-year updated action plans that recognize the developing climate reality; and aid to those countries that did little to cause climate change but are most at risk from it.

All of those elements are in the latest draft of the Paris agreement, but most points are still up for debate. U.S. lead negotiator Todd Stern called this new coalition exactly what the climate talks need to avoid a deal that fails to take strong action to combat climate change. As Secretary of State John Kerry put it here today: "Ladies and gentlemen, the situation demands, and this moment demands, that we do not leave Paris without an ambitious, inclusive and durable global climate agreement…First and foremost, we need an agreement that is as ambitious as possible. We don't lose anything for being ambitious." Except perhaps sleep during what is sure to be a hectic—and possibly boisterous—next few days.

—David Biello