President Obama Calls Trip to Paris for Climate Summit an Opportunity for Solidarity

— -- President Obama said today that the international climate summit this week in Paris is a chance for world leaders to show that terrorism will not succeed in stopping them from "building a better future for our children."

Leaders from more than 180 countries are expected to attend the summit, working towards wide-ranging actions on climate change, but with the terror attacks on Paris two weeks ago, the fight against ISIS is also expected to take a central spot. Obama has private meetings scheduled with several leaders, including French President Francois Hollande.

"It's an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our oldest ally, just two weeks removed from the barbaric attacks there, and reaffirm our commitment to protect our people and our way of life from terrorist threats," President Obama said in a post on his Facebook. "It's also an opportunity for the world to stand as one and show that we will not be deterred from building a better future for our children."

At the end of his recent nine-day overseas trip, Obama said it was "absolutely vital" for leaders to attend the long-planned UN Climate Summit despite obvious security concerns following the Nov. 13 attacks that left 130 people dead.

"Paris -- one of the most beautiful, enticing cities in the world -- is not going to be cowered by the violent, demented actions of a few," Obama said. "And that's part of the overall message that I want to very clearly send the American people. We do not succumb to fear."

The White House took a surprisingly apologetic tone in January following the attack on the office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine, when it failed to send a major diplomatic official to a rally that featured multiple heads of state.

In the wake of this most recent attack, Obama has made multiple public statements on the matter and last week hosted Hollande at the White House.

However prominent the attacks will be though, Obama is still making a hard push on the nations in attendance to commit to emissions reductions targets as a part of a long-term framework on combating climate change.