Obama slams Russia, China for ‘lack of urgency’ on climate

Obama criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for not joining other leaders at the climate talks in Glasgow

Barack Obama expressed confidence at U.N. climate talks Monday that the Biden administration will ultimately get its $555 billion climate package through Congress, and faulted U.S. rivals China and Russia for what he called a “dangerous lack of urgency” in cutting their own climate-wrecking emissions.

As nations complained of lagging trust and progress in the climate talks, Mr Obama, one of the leaders who paved the way for the historic 2015 Paris climate deal, threw in a touch of his trademark hope but admitted that “images of dystopia” were creeping into his dreams.

“There are times where the future seems somewhat bleak. There are times where I am doubtful that humanity can get its act together before it’s too late,” Mr Obama said at the two-week-long negotiations. “(But) we can’t afford hopelessness.”