U.S. progress on goals might provide leverage

With more than 120 world leaders expected to attend a one-day summit on Tuesday at the United Nations on climate, the United States heads to the meeting in a strong position. President Barack Obama will speak at the summit armed with some of the most significant steps the U.S. has ever taken on global warming.

With U.S. greenhouse gas emissions down 10 percent in 2012 from 2005 levels, the U.S. is on its way to meet the 17 percent reduction by 2020 from 2005 levels it pledged after Copenhagen. The administration is hoping to leverage its actions – from reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles to proposing to curb carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants for the first time – to get other countries to act.

Associated Press