-
Britain's Prince Charles speaks at the opening session of the high-level segment of the UN Climate Change Conference - Source: Reuters -
Related
The big names have started arriving at the climate change conference in Copenhagen amid threats of large-scale protests by environmental groups.
The warning comes as world leaders descended on the Danish capital in preparation for tough negotiations at the high-level talks.
Prince Charles, who has long highlighted the impact on climate change of mass felling of tropical rainforest, delivered a stark message to the negotiators.
"As our planet's life support system begins to fail and our very survival as a species is brought into question, remember that our children and grandchildren will ask not what our generation said, but what it did. So let us give an answer of which we can be proud."
From a life long greenie, to a born-again one, Arnold Schwarzenegger used to drive a gas guzzling hummer but was in Copenhagen singing a different tune.
"There is global warming and this is an enormous obstacle to the future of the world. And it will cost us five times as much down the line if we don't spend the money now and if we don't do certain things now," he said.
California's "Govenator" was one of the star attractions as the UN desperately tried to get the talks back on track.
There's no shortage of opinions at Copenhagen or people to air them, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that if an agreement is to be signed it will be money that will be the loudest talker.
The two biggest polluters, the US and China seem more apart than ever but realise they need to work together.
"You can't even begin to have an environmentally sound agreement without the adequate and significant participation of China," says Todd Stern from the US Special Climate Envoy.
There is an expectation that negotiations are about to kick into high gear but first they have to get out of neutral.
World News Video
-
Dangerous rush to Everest summit (1:59)
-
Dozens killed in Syrian massacre (2:09)
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
