John Kerry says UN Climate Summit can generate "enormous progress"

U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry believes "enormous progress" could be made at an upcoming UN climate summit in Scotland to reduce carbon emission levels if more governments must come up with concrete commitments, the Associated Press reports.

Driving the news: America's climate credibility rests in part on the reconciliation bill's movement ahead of the 12-day climate summit, which starts Oct. 31.

State of play: Kerry met with representatives from different countries Saturday to identify where progress can be made ahead of the summit, AP reports.

• The summit aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and reduce carbon emissions 45% within 10 years.

“This is the decisive decade,”

• Kerry said that countries representing 55% of the world's gross domestic product submitted plans that hit the 1.5 degrees target.

But, but, but: The sum of all 191 pledges as they are written would increase emissions by 16% by 2030, according to Kerry.

• The American diplomat also noted that the 89 new submissions would only cut emissions by 12%.

What he's saying: “The bottom line is, folks, as we stand here today, we believe we can make enormous progress in Glasgow, moving rapidly towards the new goals that the science is telling us we must achieve," Kerry said, per AP.

• “All countries have to sprint and join together to understand that we are all in this together,” he added.

Go deeper: What "success" means at the UN Climate Summit in Glasgow