Strategists: Paris climate deal could amount to 'red herring

President Obama will get his wish next week at the United Nations with dozens of countries committing to sign, and thus ratify, the Paris climate change deal.
But the signatures would take away a key piece of leverage from developing nations to hold the countries to account, resulting in a deal that is more symbolism than substance.
Strategists had recommended that developing nations not rush into signing the deal and, instead, wait out developed countries until they cough up funding for the Green Climate Fund, alongside a number of other obligations under the deal.
"Not signing now keeps the pressure up on developed countries to deliver on their promises and to leverage the outcomes and positions that are vital for developing countries in meeting their obligations under the [Paris accord]," the think tank Third World Network said in a recent memo.