WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, celebrated the historic climate agreement reached by 195 nations in Paris:

"Hundreds of years from now, this generation of global citizens will be judged by one standard above all others – did we take seriously the peril to the world posed by climate change, at the last possible moment to do something about it before it was too late?

“This is a truly historic moment for the United States and for the world. For the first time, each country has committed to do its fair share to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an accountable and transparent way‎. In addition, the agreement provides a sustainable framework for countries to increase their commitments over time.

"Throughout this process, the United States exhibited extraordinary leadership – all the way from President Obama to the public servants at the State Department, EPA, and Department of Energy. In particular, the U.S. negotiating team led by Todd Stern deserves our highest praise‎. Without the team's tireless work and dogged determination, today's achievement would not have been possible.

"Climate change is real and its deleterious effects are already beginning to affect our country and countries across the globe. While we celebrate this agreement, we must also recognize it represents a big step in an even larger journey to move towards a low carbon future. I will fight every step of the way for that transition to happen, as the future of my children and my children's children depend on that success."