COP21: US and China agree to ‘take action’ on climate change

There was widespread optimism for a global deal to tackle climate change for the first time, as China and the US rowed in behind a binding agreement in a change to their attitude shown just six years ago in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny struck a slightly different note when, while supporting a comprehensive deal, he sought support to allow Ireland to miss its targets in agriculture in 2020.

The reality of what the world is facing was graphically spelt out by the prime minister of the Bahamas, Perry Christie, when he said his collection of islands is already suffering from a 1C rise in global temperatures. What would be a normal tropical storm last month developed into category-5 Hurricane Joaquin in 36 hours, causing $100m (€94.6m) worth of damage, equivalent to 10% of the country’s national budget.