TheTribune.com

U.S.-MEXICO ANNOUNCE BILATERAL FRAMEWORK ON CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

THIS RELEASED FROM THE WHITE  HOUSE --- U.S.-MEXICO  ANNOUNCE BILATERAL FRAMEWORK ON CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

President Obama and President Calderon today announced plans to strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation by establishing the US-Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change. During their first conversation in January 2009, then President-elect Obama and President Calderon discussed the need for joint efforts to reach our common goal of achieving a low carbon future and a clean energy economy. This framework builds on that discussion.

During their discussions in Mexico City today, the two leaders agreed on the importance of promoting clean energy and combating climate change and the value of joint and practical collaboration in achieving these goals.

Clinton: 'Genius of antarctic Treaty...its relevance today...CLIMATE CHANGE

'As the world prepares for the UN Climate Talks this December in Copenhagen, meetings like this are more important than ever'

'The genius of the Antarctic Treaty lies in its relevance today. It was written to meet the challenges of an earlier time, but it and its related instruments remain a key tool in our efforts to address an urgent threat of this time, climate change, which has already destabilized communities on every continent, endangered plant and animal species, and jeopardized critical food and water sources.'

Remarks at The Joint Session of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the Arctic Council, 50th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty by US Secy. of State Hillary Clinton, Washington, DC, April 6, 2009

Thank you very much, Reno, and let me welcome all of you here for this very important event.

Obama urges US Senate to approve Antarctic Treaty (annex)

'Its provisions advance the U.S. goals of protecting the environment of Antarctica'

Secy. Clinton: 'The President has urged the Senate to give the Annex its consent so the United States can ratify it and we can take a major step forward in enhancing environmental
protection in the Antarctica by clearly laying out how countries must prevent emergencies and respond to them if they do occur.'

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith Annex VI on Liability Arising From Environmental Emergencies to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Annex VI)

US Secretary of State back on her Diplomacy Game

Secy Clinton had returned to her, often rigorous schedule home-based meetings with foreign ministers. This, following a week-long intense whirlwind of Head-of-state level diplomacy, where the actions of US Pres. Obama were front and center.
NOTICE: Two meetings with leaders from the Middle East; Panama today -- look out for continued duologue with Latin American leaders in preparation for the 5th Summit of the Americas; also Mrs. Clinton continues to keep Energy on the front burner -- recognizing the Energy Policy and Climate Change are key to her foreign policy and diplomacy.

Daily Appointments Schedule for Secy. Hillary Clinton, for April 8, 2009
Madame Secretary is in Washington, DC

11:30 a.m. -- Bilateral with His Excellency Ivailo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
12:00 p.m. -- Remarks to Department of State Spring Interns, Stay-in-School, and Cooperative Education Program Students.
1:15 p.m. -- Lunch with Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
2:30 p.m. -- Bilateral with His Excellency Samuel Lewis Navarro, First Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama.
3:00 p.m. -- Bilateral with His Excellency Elias Murr, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Lebanon.
4:00 p.m. -- Bilateral with The Honorable Stephen Smith, M.P., Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia.
5:00 p.m. -- Bilateral with His Excellency Dr. Taieb Fassi Fihri, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco.

NORWAY with US on climate change, global health, human rights

US Secy. of State Hillary Clinton and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere
Remarks and Reporter's Questions After Their Meeting, Washington, DC,April 6, 2009

'...we have met in a Middle East context, we have met in a NATO context, we have met in an Afghanistan context, and today we met in an Arctic/Antarctic context....'

'...I feel tremendously inspired, especially when we come and our minds meet on these issues related to global health, human rights, opportunity for women and children to survive and live and flourish and take advantage of their potential. This is our responsibility. And since there is so much we can do about it which is there ready to implement and push forward...'

---Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere

OBAMA CALLS ON YOUNG TURKS: 'The world will be what you make of it'

'I'm counting on young people to help shape a more peaceful and prosperous future...So to all of you, I want you to know that the world will be what you make of it. You can choose to build new bridges instead of building new walls... you will find a partner and a supporter and a friend...[in US]'

FULL TEXT, COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF REMARKS AND Q & A of US PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA, Town Hall, ISTANBUL,TURKEY, April 7th, 2009:

OBAMA: Thank you so much. Well, it is a great pleasure to be here. Let me begin by thanking Professor Rahmi Aksungur--did I say that properly--who is director of the university here. And I want to thank all the young people who've gathered together. This is a great privilege for me and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to make a few remarks at the beginning and then I want to spend most of the time having an exchange and giving you an opportunity to ask--ask questions of me and I may ask some questions of you.

So as I said yesterday, I came to Turkey on my first trip overseas as President for a reason, and it's not just to see the beautiful sights here in Istanbul. I came here to reaffirm the importance of Turkey and the importance of the partnership between our two countries. I came here out of my respect to Turkey's democracy and culture and my belief that Turkey plays a critically important role in the region and in the world. And I came to Turkey because I'm deeply committed to rebuilding a relationship between the United States and the people of the Muslim world--one that's grounded in mutual interest and mutual respect.

Turkey and the United States have a long history of partnership and cooperation. Exchanges between our two peoples go back over 150 years. We've been NATO allies for more than five decades. We have deep ties in trade and education, in science and research. And America is proud to have many men and women of Turkish origin who have made our country a more dynamic and a more successful place. So Turkish- American relations rest on a strong foundation.

That said, I know there have been some difficulties in recent years. In some ways, that foundation has been weakening. We've had some specific differences over policy, but we've also at times lost the sense that both of our countries are in this together--that we have shared interests and shared values and that we can have a partnership that serves our common hopes and common dreams.

The Diplomacy of Climate Change -- US to World: 'We believe'

'George Bush didn't believe in climate change. I do...'
'we're going to turn off all the lights and everybody is going to stop driving...'

Climate Change and environmental issues have not been center stage on US President Barak Obama's diplomatic, economic (G20) and defense (NATO) tour of Europe. The Climate issue has been ever-present, however, in the more informal sessions and Town Halls, many having younger demographics.

These remarks came in response to questions from the audience at Obama's Town Hall in Istanbul, TURKEY, Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Responding to how he is different than Pres. Bush:
OBAMA: When it comes to climate change, George Bush didn't believe in climate change. I do believe in climate change, I think it's important. That doesn't mean that suddenly the day I'm elected I can say, OK, we're going to turn off all the lights and everybody is going to stop driving. Right? All I can do is to start moving policies that over time are going to obtain different results.

He also responded to a question specifically about what he will do about Climate Change:
OBAMA: As many of you know, I think the science tells us that the planet is getting warmer because of carbon gases that are being sent into the atmosphere. And if we do not take steps soon to deal with it, then you could see an increase of three, four, five degrees, which would have a devastating effect, the oceans would rise; we don't know what would happen to the beauty of Istanbul if suddenly the seas rise. Changing weather patterns would create extraordinary drought in some regions, floods in others. It could have a devastating effect on human civilization. So we've got to take steps to deal with this.

When the Kyoto Protocol was put forward, the United States opted out of it, as did China and some other countries, and I think that was a mistake, particularly because the United States and, is the biggest carbon, has been the biggest carbon producer. China is now becoming the biggest carbon producer because its population is so large. And so we need to bring an international agreement together very soon.

Obama connects with crowd at French town hall

'Time is running out'
'We have to begin today'

Message of urgency and action is applauded by French crowd at Town Hall meeting in Strasbourg, FRANCE.

OBAMA: "...We also know that in the 21st century, security is more complex than military power. This is the generation that must also stop the spread of the pollution that is slowly killing our planet, from shrinking coastlines and devastating storms to widespread misery and famine and drought. The effects of climate change are now in plain sight.

Europe has acted with a seriousness of purpose that this challenge demands. And in the last few months I'm proud to say that America has begun to take unprecedented steps to transform the way that we use energy. We appointed a special envoy to help us lead a global effort to reduce the carbon that we send in the atmosphere.

But we all know that time is running out. And that means that America must do more. Europe must do more. China and India must do more. Rolling back the tide of a warming planet is a responsibility that we have to ourselves, to our children, and all of those who will inherit God's creation long after we are gone. So let us meet that responsibility together. I am confident that we can meet it. But we have to begin today..."

Read the full text transcript of the Obama Town Hall in Strasbourg, France

Photo: White House , Pete Souza

INDIA - US Relationship: Energy and Climate Change

Selected excerpts Release by US State Dept.:
Energy is another fruitful avenue for bilateral cooperation. In a country where 500 million people still lack access to electricity, the United States and India have enormous opportunities to collaborate on energy generation and infrastructure. The U.S. is committed to working directly with India as a robust partner on civilian nuclear energy. Our governments have taken some steps toward realization of the 1-2-3 Agreement, but we both need to do more, and we look forward to working with India to fulfill the promise of civilian nuclear energy cooperation. President Obama has just sent our first trade mission to India, and it’ s on solar energy. Energy is a focal point of our relationship, and trade in renewable energy technologies has the possibility of taking our relationship to new heights...

Later this year, the world will come together in Copenhagen to consider the next steps in addressing climate change. The United States and India are at different stages of development, and India’s overall share of greenhouse gas emissions is small compared to the U.S. and other leading emitters. Indian Special Envoy on climate change Shyam Saran is in Washington this week, and will be speaking to you later today, and we look forward to engaging with him on this important issue.

The U.S. is committed to putting in place a mandatory plan to cut its own emissions. But India too has a responsibility to play a leadership role in helping to bring about a consensus that brings both developed and developing countries into a global framework. I understand that India has concerns about caps, but with its growing emissions, we must work with India to ensure it is part of any effective solution to climate change. We stand ready not only to look at how American technologies can be linked to any solution, but how we can partner with India to develop new, greener energy sources and promote conservation. Furthermore, India’s high energy demand and insufficient domestic energy resources make it a prime partner for potential investment and technology sharing, both as part of the climate change agenda and also broader energy development.

-- Excerpts of statement by James B. Steinberg, Deputy Secretary, The Brookings Institution,
Washington, DC, March 23, 2009   Release by US State Dept. --