Markey: Cancun Agreements Represent Progress for Global Action on Climate

December 11, 2010 - Early this morning, in excess of 190 countries of the world reaffirmed their commitment to fighting dangerous climate change, reaching official arrangement on a set of provisions for implementation of the climate accord created last year in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"This surprisingly solid level of progress demonstrates the worldwide commitment to taking action now to combat climate change. With this arrangement we can look forward to further progress next year in South Africa," said Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

"This year, the U.S. and China worked together to reach arrangement on provisions that will ensure we know whether both China and the U.S. are keeping their promises. Going forward it means to world's 2 biggest carbon emitters will continue to be at the same table.　　

"Not only are the U.S. and China at the same table, but for now they are also, quite literally, on the same page. That's real progress, and it should be a shot in the arm for all of us fighting dangerous carbon pollution."