The remarks at a symposium whose attendees included the British physicist Stephen Hawking, an avowed atheist, may have been directed at US President-elect Donald Trump. Trump threatened to pull the United States out of the COP21 Paris Agreement, that binds countries to national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, during a bruising election campaign. Such an alliance was possible because both "work free of political, economic or ideological interests" albeit using different approaches. In contrast, "international politics has reacted weakly - albeit with some praiseworthy exceptions - regarding the concrete will to seek the common good," he said. Since being elected, however, Trump has said he is "open minded" about whether to support global accords.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 29, 2016 00:12 UTC