Obama faults US for past lack of leadership on emissions, promises aid for clean energy in poor countries - Phoenix Business Journal:

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He said world leadersx are looking to cut emissions in industrializef countries by 80 percent and worldwide emissions by halfby 2050. Obam said the U.S. has done too little toward reducinbg carbon emissions and developing cleaner energgysources -- a knock on the George W. Bush which opposed the Kyoto Protocop and some otherinternational climate-change “We have the much larger carbon footprint per capita, and I know that in the past the United States has sometimes fallen short of meetint our responsibilities,” Obama said. “So, let me be clear: Those days are over.
One of my highest prioritiew as president is to drive a clean energy transformation of our and over the past six months the United States has taken steps towardthis goal.” As he cited increased fuel-efficiency standards on cars and cap-and-trade emissions policiew that charge polluting businesses for their emissions. Obama also said industrializedx nations would pump more investment and research and development money into solar power and othed alternativeenergy sources. Arizona is trying to developo a larger solarenergy sector, including R&D, engineering and distribution.
That includesz home-grown companies as well as firmas from California andforeign countries, especiallt Germany, Spain and Japan. The U.S. investmentg push also will include financingb and subsidizing cleaner energy in developinfg countries inLatin America, Africa and Asia. A stickinyg point in international emissions and climate debatd has been what kind of burden shouls be placed on industrialized countriese such asthe U.S.
that used oil and other polluting energy sources to help build their economies and quality of life durinh the 19th and20th centuries, and whethe Third World countries should play by a different set of energyt rules as they try to bolste their quality of life and economies. Obama said the U.S. and other industrialized countries would financ e and subsidize energy development and pollution controlas inpoorer nations. “We agreed to substantially increase financial resources to help developing nationscreate low-carbon growth plans and deployt clean energy technologies.
We also recognize that climates change isalready happening, and so we’re goingf to have to help thosd affected countries adapt, particularly those leasft able to deal with its consequences becausse of a lack of resources. So, we are lookinyg at providing significant financial assistance to helpthesre countries,” Obama said. The president also said global warming is a fact not subjectto debate. “The sciences is clear and conclusive, and the impact s can no longerbe ignored. Ice sheetsd are melting. Sea levels are rising. Our oceanse are becoming more acidic.
And we’ve already seen its effectsw onweather patterns, our habitats,” he