Obama faults Russia, China for 'lack of urgency' on climate

Barack Obama expressed confidence at U.N. climate talks on Nov. 8 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, 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," Obama said at the two-week-long negotiations. "(But) we can't afford hopelessness."

His comments came as conference leaders acknowledged Monday that many key sticking points exist after a week of talks. A trust gap between rich and poor nations has once again emerged and developing countries used the word "disappointing" when leaders talked Monday about the progress to date in the talks.

The U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, is the former American president's first since he helped deliver the triumph of the 2015 Paris climate accord, when nations committed to cutting fossil fuel and agricultural emissions fast enough to keep the Earth's warming below catastrophic levels of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

That celebration has been replaced by worry. Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris accord. And while President Joe Biden put America back in the climate deal the Trump move set back U.S. efforts. Other top polluters, including China, India and Russia, are moving far more slowly on...