Planet Still Standing 500 Days After French Foreign Minister Warned of 'Climate Chaos'

Jeryl Bier

September 29, 2015 

In May 2014, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius declared during a joint appearance with Secretary of State John Kerry that "we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos." Late last week, time ran out. Fabius's original remarks were as follows:

Well, I’m very happy to be with John. There is no week without a phone call or a visit between John and myself, and we have on the agenda many items, many issues – Iran, because negotiations are resuming today; the question of Syria, and we shall meet next Thursday in London together; Ukraine as well; and very important issues, issue of climate change, climate chaos. And we have – as I said, we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos. And I know that President Obama and John Kerry himself are committed on this subject and I’m sure that with them, with a lot of other friends, we shall be able to reach success on this very important matter.

As THE WEEKY STANDARD reported in May 2014, it is unclear exactly where the foreign minister came up with 500 days, but France is hosting the "21st Conference of the Parties on Climate Change" in from November 30 to December in Paris. The conference is scheduled to begin 565 days after the foreign minister originally issued his warning.