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Obama's leadership at Copenhagen hailed back home
President Barack Obama's leadership at the summit and his attempts that brokered a US-BASIC political deal was hailed by Congress leaders here as "commendable".
The crucial Copenhagen climate conference might have failed to arrive at a consensus but President Barack Obama's leadership at the summit and his attempts that brokered a US-BASIC political deal was hailed by Congress leaders here as "commendable".
Top Congressional leaders praised Obama for reaching a "breakthrough" agreement with China, India, Brazil and South Africa but said this is just a beginning to advance climate change objectives.
"The President's personal involvement, and the efforts of Secretary (Hillary) Clinton and her negotiating team, have been extremely focused and commendable," House Majority Leader Steny H Hoyer said.
US brokered a political deal with India and three other emerging economies over non-legally-binding emission cuts which was rejected by an overwhelming number of developing nations which called it one-sided and "suicidal".
However, Congress leaders, in their initial reactions said the "breakthrough," including transparency measures, a mitigation target of two degree Celsius and a financing mechanism, was "an important step forward that lays a key marker both in the global fight against climate change and in US participation in such efforts".
As consensus for a deal to tackle climate change eluded the 12-day Conference of Parties (COP), Obama pushed for a pact during parleys that went down to the wire.
