Leaders from 200 countries are expected to arrive in Paris on Sunday to take part in an international conference on climate change that opens on Monday, November 30, 2015.
This meeting of world leaders is intended to come up with a historic agreement among countries to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases as an attempt to avert climate change.
Amidst security issues caused by the terror attacks in Paris last November 13, still the meeting push through as planned. France installed massive security measures to include intensive restrictions of public demonstrations. France President Francois Hollande said that they had received intelligence report that “troubling elements” will be in Paris, thus “assemblies were banned and some people were ordered to stay home.”
Frustrated protesters and public demonstrators were driven away that resulted in what the French President Hollande called as “scandalous scuffles” at the Place de Republique, the memorial site of the Paris attack victims.
Tensions were defied, that instead of a big march, the climate change activist-protesters did a peaceful demonstration as they lined up shoes of children, adults, teenagers, and people representing all sectors of society.
The U.N. Secretary General’s office praised France for taking strategic steps in holding the event in spite of the country’s turmoil due to the Paris attack.
Expected to attend the Opening day are U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. President Barack Obama, China President Xi Jinping and India’s Prime Minister Modi. Obama who arrived in Paris on Sunday will meet with Prisident Xi on Monday morning. The meeting of the two leaders is very crucial, considering that their respective countries are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
Hence, getting the two countries shared commitment to combat climate change is considered an essential move that could lobby small players to side with the expected agreement. This summit may bring leaders to a commitment, but will not stop climate change, instantly. At least, the leaders are talking.
