In the United States the President Barack Obama has stressed that climate change needed to be at the forefront of all government decisions.
Mr Obama said his administration needed to follow its established process to decide whether to allow the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from Canada to go ahead.
Reuters Newsagency reports he stressed that concerns about climate change needed to be at the forefront of government decisions.
“I said previously that how Keystone impacted greenhouse gas emissions would affect our decision, but frankly it has to affect all of our decisions at this stage,” Mr Obama told a news conference at the conclusion of a North American summit.
The US government has been studying TransCanada Corporation’s proposed pipeline since 2008.
However, its review recently entered a new stage during which agencies and the public can weigh in before Mr Obama makes his final call about whether the project is in the national interest.
Reuters reports that could still take months.
A Nebraska court ruling has now created another snag for the project, but Mr Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper were not asked about the judgment on the process used to approve the route in that state.
Reuters reports the drawn-out process has created friction between Canada and the United States.
“I know it’s been extensive and at times, I’m sure Stephen feels, a little too laborious,” President Obama said.
Mr Harper told reporters at the news conference that a recent US State Department report showed the pipeline would not accelerate climate change.
“In terms of climate change, I think the State Department report was pretty definitive on that particular issue,” Mr Harper said.
If the $5.4 billion project is built, some estimate it will contribute an extra 181 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year, and encourage further development of Canada’s polluting oil sands.
Earlier this week President Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards for trucks, which could cut US emissions 10%. He also outlined plans for a $100 million climate resilience plan for California, which is suffering from severe drought.
