Congress bid to derail Obama plans won't derail Paris ambitions

LE BOURGET, France -- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius today dismissed a U.S. House vote to gut the cornerstone of President Obama's international climate change promises, saying opposition in Congress won't derail talks here toward a new agreement.

"My sense was that wasn't a great surprise, what happened. We know the position that the Congress has, at least the position of many Republicans in Congress," Fabius said.

Read the E&E Publishing story - “House assault on climate rules elicits shrugs abroad.”

Obama will be in Paris - 'COP21 must be held'

T

he day after a deadly attack in Paris killed more than 120 people, a senior French diplomatic source told Reuters that the “French government plans to go ahead with a climate change summit” the country is hosting at the end of the month.

Paris climate talks
- "COP21 must be held".

The source told Reuters, when asked whether the high-profile meeting could be put off, the venue changed or cancelled, “that is in no way under consideration,” but added that security could be boosted.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the climate conference would go ahead as planned. “COP21 must be held,” he said.

Read the EcoWatch story - “Paris Climate Talks Will Not Be Cancelled, Obama Will Attend.”