Barack Obama: parts of Paris climate deal must carry legal force

President offers apparent compromise over the periodic review of emission reduction targets as Hillary Clinton goes on attack against Republicans back in US

Barack Obama declared on Tuesday that some components to a global climate change agreement must carry legal force, easing one obstacle to a successful outcome at negotiations in Paris.

In an apparent compromise, Obama said the US would push for certain aspects of a climate change agreement to be legally binding - going some distance to meeting a key demand of the European Union and some developing countries.