Obama optimistic about climate change efforts

Paris

US PRESIDENT Obama declared himself hopeful about the prospects of slowing climate change on Tuesday, even as he acknowledged that the actions emerging from the United Nations climate summit here would fall short of the desired international targets.

"I'm optimistic. I think we're going to solve it," he said during a 47-minute news conference capping a two-day visit to the gathering. "The issue is going to be the pace and how much damage is done before we're fully able to apply the brakes." Citing "the old expression that necessity is the mother of invention", he said, "Well, this is necessary."