UN Climate Summit

When Hurricane Sandy swept across New York City almost two years ago, it also hit Elizabeth Yeampierre's neighborhood in Brooklyn. "People lost their homes, they didn't have anywhere to sleep," the environmental activist recalls. "We at Sunset Park were lucky in comparison to other neighborhoods."

To make sure that such superstorms won't ravage her neighborhood again, Yeampierre joined 310,000 other activists in the climate protest against global warming in Central Park. She pointed out that "now is the time to act and our leaders must see it" - first and foremost President Barack Obama. She had hoped he would get more involved in the fight against climate change in his second term. Yeampierre indicated her disappointment that not much has happened.

At the same time, the frequency of thunderstorms and severe draughts is on the rise in the US, too. An Oxfam study found that 100 natural disasters were recorded in the US over the past five years alone, which is more than in any other country.

When about 120 world leaders convene for the UN Climate Summit in New York on Tuesday, many will have an eye on the US President. Observers say he can neither remain silent nor can he look the other way. Demonstrators at the New York Climate March made that much clear.

Public backing

Jennifer Morgan of the Washington-based think tank World Resources Institute (WRI) agrees the march was a clear signal that it's time for reforms in the US. Public support for environmental issues increased in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. "President Obama should use this backup to make a clear point against climate change," said Morgan, WRI's Energy and Climate Program Director.

Morgan isn't convinced, however, that legislation is on the horizon. "What you're seeing in the US is that it's quite challenging to get anything through the US Congress," she said. "President Obama saw this during his first term when the Cap and Trade Bill didn't pass the Senate."

The 2010 bill would have forced power stations to purchase emission permits as a means to control greenhouse gas emissions.

New thresholds

So Obama changed tack in his second term, Morgan says. Backed by the Environmental Protection Agency he proposed stricter thresholds for coal-burning power plants that are to take effect next year: a 30 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2030. He faced massive criticism - mainly from Republicans and the coal industry, which suspected a "war against coal" - because he bypassed Congress.

If he succeeds with this project, he would have achieved more than any of his predecessors managed, says Lou Leonard, Vice-President of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Climate Change Program. But it's still not enough, Leonard says. "The United States is the second biggest polluter after China. We need to cut down our emissions more drastically to achieve our goal of limiting global warming to two degrees."

Fracking and solar energy

Pleased as many of the protesters at Sunday's New York march were at the planned carbon emissions regulations, they still worry about plenty of other issues, including fracking, which involves injecting water, sand and chemicals to break apart underground rocks to release oil and gas.

"Hey, Obama, we need no fracking drama," they chanted. The level of support for solar energy was another contentious issue.

Obama to the forefront

All the same, many Americans hope Obama will play a leading role at the summit. Perhaps expectations are high because important heads of state and government - Canada, Russia - have cancelled while China and India are sending deputies. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel won't be in New York, either. She is sending Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks.

Lou Leonard expects "a good speech where the President makes the case for environment protection." Figures are not expected, Leonard says:"It's too early for that, we can expect them at the Climate Summit in Paris next year." But he's convinced that New York is an important milestone on the path to a new global climate treaty.