U.S. president calls on world leaders to address climate change, use clean energy

MANILA, Nov 18, 2015 -- Xinhua

U.S. President Barack Obama Wednesday called on world leaders and the private sectors to address the issue of climate change and encourage more investors to get into clean energy.

Obama made the call in a speech at the APEC CEO Summit 2015 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Metro Manila.

"No nation is immune to the consequences of a changing climate," said Obama.

"The old rules that said we can't grow our economies and protect our environment at the same time, those are outdated. We can transition to clean energy without squeezing businesses and consumers," said the president.

He said there will be always challenges and opportunities, and the use of solar power and renewable energy is not only cheaper than those of conventional power, but also can generate new jobs.

After delivering the speech, Obama led a forum during the APEC CEO Summit on Wednesday.

Obama addressed questions to Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, a giant e-commerce firm, and Ms. Aisa Mijenio Mijeno, an engineer who founded SALT Philippines.

Jack Ma said "we have to raise public awareness of the climate change" that affected people's life, adding, "We have to take action and join together."

Mijeno, seawater lamp technology inventor, said, "Climate change is like cancer. Right now, we are in stage two, you will feel the symptoms. You don't want to let it to reach the stage four when it is already too late."

Mijeno said her lamp uses saline solution or seawater to power up an LED, and can even charge mobile phones with a USB portal.

Obama, who was listening intently, said: "That's great!" He said there's a role for governments to provide tax incentives to small businesses.

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