Update: Kerry says inaction on climate change would be "moral failure"

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned here Wednesday that falling short in combating climate change would be "a moral failure, a betrayal of devastating consequences."

In a speech delivered on the sidelines of a United Nations conference of climate change, Kerry urged the international community to work together against climate change.

"If we fall short, it will be the greatest instance in modern history of a generation in a time of crisis, abdicating responsibility for the future," he said. "It won't just be a policy failure; because of the nature of this challenge, it will be a moral failure, a betrayal of devastating consequences."

Kerry highlighted the role of the private sector in coping with the climate issue.

"The private sector is the most important player, and already we're seeing real solutions coming from entrepreneurs and academia," he said. "It's going to be innovators, workers, and business leaders...who will continue to create the technological advances that forever revolutionize the way we power our world."

Kerry called for faster and bolder moves to tackle climate change, stressing the "essential" role of government leadership.

"If we don't go far enough, fast enough, the damage we inflict could take centuries to undo," he said.

Kerry underscored that his country is in a clean energy transition, saying its wind power generation has tripled since 2008 and that solar power generation has increased 30 times over.

"I can tell you with confidence that the United States is on our way to meeting all of the international targets we have set," he said. "Because of the market decisions being made, I do not believe that can or will be reversed."

Kerry said most Americans understand the effects of climate change and support actions combating it.

"No one should doubt that the overwhelming majority of the citizens of United States know climate change is happening and are determined to keep our commitments," he said.

Last December, over 190 parties signed the Paris Agreement to combat climate change, and 110 of them have ratified the agreement, including the U.S.

However, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, during his election campaign, called global warming a "hoax" and promised to pull out of the Paris Agreement once elected.

"No one has a right to make decisions that affect billions based on solely ideology, or without proper input," Kerry said.

"While I can't stand here and speculate about what policies our President-elect will pursue, I will tell you this: In the time I've spent in public life, one of the things I've learned is that some issues look a bit different when you're actually in office compared to when you're on the campaign trail," he said. Enditem