Obama Says Paris Climate Deal Can Be Turning Point for World

President says 195-nation accord is result of U.S. leadership
Agreement bridges gaps between developed, developing nations

President Barack Obama holds a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 22, 2015, following his participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
Photographer: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Angela Greiling Keane

December 12, 2015 at 10:50 PM UTC

Updated on

December 13, 2015 at 12:04 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

President Barack Obama hailed an international agreement that would limit fossil-fuel pollution to put a brake on the effects of climate change, calling it a marker of historic consensus that will make a difference for generations to come.

The 195-nation accord, agreed to Saturday after two weeks of intense negotiations overseen by the United Nations in Paris, ratifies Obama’s drive to make climate change a central issue for his second term and a legacy achievement of his presidency.