Climate draft deal reached at Paris conference

by Bradford Richardson - 12/05/15 9:54 AM ET

Negotiators from 195 countries in Paris on Saturday agreed to a tentative deal to reduce global carbon emissions, CNN reported.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) posted a copy of the draft on its website and pledged to work through next week at the COP21 Paris conference to reach a final agreement.

{mosads}Christina Figueres, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, tweeted that the draft is “One more step in writing of history.”

President Obama said at the kickoff of the conference that he was optimistic a deal would be struck.

“I think we’re going to solve it,” he said. “I think the issue is just going to be the pace and how much damage is done before we are able to fully apply the brakes.”

Ten Senate Democrats went to Paris on Friday in a show of support for the talks.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) on Saturday told reporters that the group was “determined to make sure that Paris is a successful conference, and that we will see a day where we can meet the goal of reducing the damage that we’re doing to our planet.”

Joining Cardin in Paris are Sens. Cory Brooker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Chatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she is considering bringing a coalition of House Democrats to the talks at some point.

Republicans have expressed doubt about the efficacy of the talks and accused Obama of unduly prioritizing climate change over the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorism.

Tags Al Franken Ben Cardin Chris Coons Ed Markey Jeanne Shaheen Jeff Merkley Sheldon Whitehouse Tom Udall