Obama vows drastic emissions cut, gets little back from China in new deal

President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the U.S. has set a new goal to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by between 26 percent and 28 percent over the next 11 years as part of a climate change agreement with China.

The new target is a drastic increase from earlier in Obama's presidency, when he pledged to cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020. By contrast, Obama's counterpart, Xi Jinping, did not pledge any reductions by a specific date, but rather set a target for China's emissions to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible. Xi also pledged to increase the share of energy that China will derive from sources other than fossil fuels. China's emissions have grown in recent years due to the building of new coal plants.

"This is a major milestone in the U.S.-China relationship," Obama told a news conference in Beijing, with Xi at his side. "It shows what's possible when we work together on an urgent global challenge."

The Associated Press reported that the deal was the result of months of secret discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials.

It was unclear how feasible it would be for either country to meet their goals, and Obama's pledge was sure to confront tough opposition from ascendant Republicans in Congress.

"This unrealistic plan, that the president would dump on his successor, would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs," said incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, in a statement. More

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