Following
the close of negotiations over the weekend, the Obama administration
pledged support from an agreement reached by 195 nations aimed at
reducing the impact of climate change. The agreement commits nearly
every country to lower greenhouse gas emissions, but it is not binding,
which means that it does not have the status of a treaty and Congress
will not have a role in approving or rejecting it, according to the
Hagstrom Report. President Obama praised the deal while USDA Secretary
Tom Vilsack said “the benchmarks outlined in the deal build on the
ambitious climate-smart strategy being implemented by U.S. farmers,
ranchers and foresters in partnership with USDA and the Obama
administration.” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina
McCarthy said “EPA will work tirelessly to share our expertise in
defense of public health and the environment as we work together to
implement this agreement.” Her comments meanwhile come at a time when
the EPA has reportedly increased its nationwide staff to near 15,000
employees heading into 2016.
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