By Vishal Gulati
Marrakech, Nov 16 (IANS) US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said he hopes President-elect Donald Trump's views on climate change might change when he "assumes office".
Speaking at the UN Climate Conference here, Kerry tried to dispel doubts about the new US government's policies, saying it is a little bit "different when you're actually in office compared to when you're on the campaign trail".
In his 45-minute address to the media, where scientists and international delegates were also present, he said: "I can't stand here and speculate about what policies our President-elect will pursue."
"I will tell you this. In the time that I have spent in public life, one of the things I've learned is that some issues look a little bit different when you're actually in office compared to when you're on the campaign trail."
Without mincing words, the US Secretary, who has attended all COPs in his career, said an "overwhelming majority of Americans know that climate change is happening and want the US to honour its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement".
He got a big applause from the audience on this remark that the Paris Agreement deal has as a framework that is "built to last".
US President-elect Donald Trump has called climate change a "hoax" and vowed to cut off funding to the United Nations Climate Change programmes.
He also said he would reduce the US's involvement in the Paris climate accord, which entered into force on November 4 and aims to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(Vishal Gulati is in Marrakech at the invitation of the Global Editors Network to cover COP 22 . He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
