With only nine months left in his term, President Bush made his position on climate change clear as he delivered a speech Wednesday challenging the U.S. to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and urging other countries to follow suit.

“Bad legislation would impose tremendous costs on our economy and on American families without accomplishing important climate change goals we share,” President Bush warned.According to the New York Times, the speech was delivered in an effort to influence the international climate change conference about to convene in Paris. And while some applaud the president for leading an ambitious effort to fight global warming, critics are calling it "too little, too late." The speech also comes at a time when the Democratic-controlled Senate is set to consider a mandatory cap on emissions as well as a "cap and trade" program, legislation that President Bush vehemently opposes.

Critics argue that Bush's plan to reduce emissions through technology advances and voluntary caps is not a realistic way to reach necessary goals. Without passing mandatory legislation, many fear that the U.S. will send the wrong message to other countries such as China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters.