Copenhagen climate treaty talks open with appeals for action

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With strong appeals for action and sharp rebukes of their critics, diplomats from around the world launched a two-week negotiating summit in Copenhagen today in hopes of producing a new agreement to curb climate change.

‘The time for formal statements is over,’ said the United Nations’ leading climate official, Yvo de Boer, at an opening ceremony filled with dignitaries and punctuated with a video-screen plea from children warning of dire consequences stemming from warming global temperatures. ‘The time for restating well-known positions is past. Copenhagen will only be a success it delivers significant and immediate action.’

For the full story on the opening of the global climate summit, click here. A look at the economics behind the summit can be found here.

-- Jim Tankersley