Thus The New York Times today. “Administration officials said the agreement, the signature achievement of president Obama’s state visit to China, could galvanize efforts to negotiate a new global accord,” elaborates the newspaper. Great news. The two leading polluters are in accord at long last. Congratulations to Barack Obama and Xi Jinping. In particular, the agreement involves the American promise to cut carbon emissions between twenty-six and twenty-eight percent of those in 2005 by 2025, and the Chinese promise to stop increasing carbon emissions by 2030, which is to be achieved by switching to so-called clean-energy sources, such as solar power and windmills, for twenty percent of energy needs by that year. Great news, indeed. The other leading polluters are sure to join the table any time soon. By carbon emission, this includes India, Russia, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, and so on. The only question is what will happen with climate change in the meanwhile. Will the promised cuts have any affect at all? If not, will they be increased across the world? Most important, will the cuts ultimately reach their objective and stop climate change in its tracks? Silly questions, these. There is no authority around the globe that can answer any of them. What is more, there will be no such authority any time in the future, either. Congratulations all around, anyhow.