Saying that climate change ranks among the world 's most serious problems -- such as disease outbreaks , poverty , terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on all nations to respond to `` the greatest challenge of our generation . '' Kerry , speaking before college students in Jakarta , Indonesia , also criticized climate-change deniers , saying `` a few loud interest groups '' should n't be given the chance to misdirect the conversation . Kerry reiterated U.S. President Barack Obama 's assertion in the State of the Union address that climate change is an undeniable fact . `` We should not allow a tiny minority of shoddy scientists and science and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific fact , '' Kerry said at the U.S. Embassy 's @ america function in Jakarta . Too many ecosystems such as Indonesia 's are in peril because of climate change , he said . He said Indonesia 's important fishing trade would be adversely affected , citing a study that said catches in the island nation will decline by 40 percent . Kerry recalled a meeting in Brazil where many experts described the growing problem caused by climate change . The session was in 1992 . Very little has been done sine then , he said . Opinion : Why global health security is a national priority . `` It is time for the world to approach this problem with the cooperation , the urgency , and the commitment that a challenge of this scale warrants , '' he said . The secretary acknowledged the role the United States plays in greenhouse gas emissions and referred to the President 's Climate Action Plan , which calls for cutting emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels . `` That 's because we 're going straight to the largest sources of pollution , '' he said . Kerry said he and Obama had no time for what he called the `` Flat Earth Society . '' It will soon be too late for action to prevent the immense costs of doing nothing . People who refuse to look at the evidence and agree on change are `` burying their heads '' in the sand , he said . On Friday , Obama toured a California farm hit by serious and prolonged drought . He warned that some damage to the climate had already been done and will continue unless countries `` do more to combat the carbon pollution that causes climate change . '' Kerry was fresh off a Saturday meeting in China , the No . 1 producer of greenhouse gas emissions . He said the two nations have agreed to a partnership that will share `` information and policies so that we can help develop plans to deal with the U.N. climate change negotiation that takes place in Paris next year . '' But , Kerry added , while industrialized countries produce a majority of emissions , other nations should n't get a free pass . He called on Indonesians to push their government to change policies . The United States will help , too , he said . He announced $ 332 million in funding through the Green Prosperity program to help Indonesia tackle unsustainable deforestation and support clean-energy projects . The United States has also forgiven some of Indonesia 's debt in a debt-for-nature swap in exchange for forest conservation . The World Wildlife Federation estimates that half of Sumatra 's forest cover disappeared from 1985 to 2008 . The government has halted the cutting of virgin forest , also known as primary forest . `` With Indonesia and the rest of the world pulling in the same direction , we can meet this challenge , the greatest challenge of our generation , and we can create the future that everybody dreams of , '' he said . Opinion : After year one , John Kerry 's a surprise success .
Secretary of The World Wildlife Federation John Kerry says climate deniers are supported by shoddy science . He says little has been done since year one when scientists first spoke of the problem . Indonesia giving Indonesia $ 332 million in aid to reduce deforestation . Kerry says Indonesia agrees to framework for discussions on how to deal with climate change .