COP25 World Leaders Disappoint on Climate Action

MADRID, SPAIN – Leaders from countries around the world are wrapping up the U.N. Conference of the Parties COP25 climate conference in Madrid with few new stepped-up commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions next year, ahead of the COP26 gathering in Glasgow.

The following is a statement from Jake Schmidt, Managing Director of the International Program the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“World leaders dithered instead of taking stronger, critical action soon to reduce the global climate threat. They ignored dire scientific reports, worsening evidence of climate destruction and demands from millions of young people to protect their future.

“In Madrid, the key polluting countries, responsible for 80 percent of the world’s climate-wrecking emissions, stood mute while smaller countries announced plans to ramp up efforts and drive down harmful emissions in the coming year.

“The mute majority must start doing more to tackle the climate crisis well ahead of the COP26 climate conference. We will not let them abandon us to a world of endlessly rising seas, vanishing species, civil strife and rampant wildfires, storms and floods.”

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​