MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The United States' efforts to transit to green energy are still not enough, the US Green Party’s candidate in the 2016 US presidential election, Jill Stein, told Sputnik on Thursday.
"The [US] establishment is firmly in the pocket of fossil fuel companies, war profiteers and big banks. [US President Barack] Obama’s policy meant a little bit of renewable energy, it bumped up 100% but it is still very little, and fossil fuel extraction skyrocketed. He is playing off the fossil fuel industry against his progressive base," Stein said on the sidelines of broadcaster RT's international conference in Mosocw.
"We will all transition [to green energy] better if we do it together. Right now, the US has a little bit of a jumpstart in renewables transition. Russia badly needs to join. Because none of us can do it if Russia will not, it is a major fossil fuel producer," Stein said.
The United States should use some of the money it plans to spend on a new generation of nuclear weapons to support the transition to renewable energy in Russia, according to Jill Stein.
"How about getting the US to give up its commitment to a new generation of nuclear weapons and using some of those funds to help give a boost and incentive to encourage Russia to move into the renewable energy age," Stein said.
She stressed that the United State's "catastrophic commitment" to nuclear weapons threatens global security and the future of our environment.
Transition to renewable energy and giving up fossil fuels are the main objectives of the global environmental effort.
The 21st UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) is currently underway in Paris. Representatives of over 190 countries are expected to reach an agreement to address global warming and cut carbon emissions, introducing a legally binding and universal strategy on the issue, which is due to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
