Copenhagen could be a turning point in climate change, negotiators say

Delegates from 192 countries are gathering in the Danish capital Copenhagen for the opening of the long-awaited UN summit on climate change.

The conference has been described by some scientists as the most important the world has ever seen.

Security is tight as organisers expect 15,000 delegates and 100 world leaders to attend over the next two weeks.

On the eve of the summit, the UN's chief climate negotiator Yvo de Boer said the talks were in excellent shape.

He told the BBC that many countries were now making pledges over curbing greenhouse gas emissions. "Never in 17 years of climate negotiations have so many different countries made so many pledges. It's unprecedented," he said.

Mr de Boer said offers of finance for clean technology for poor countries were also coming through and talks were progressing on a long-term vision of massive carbon cuts by 2050.

South Africa became the latest country to make an offer on cutting emissions - its first quantifiable target.

On the eve of the summit it offered to cut by one-third the growth of its carbon emissions over the next decade - subject to getting more funding and technological help from wealthier countries. Meanwhile, a new poll commissioned by the BBC suggests that public concern over climate change is growing across the world.

In the survey, by Globescan, 64% of people questioned said they considered global warming a very serious problem - up 20% from over a decade ago.

To stress the importance of the summit, 56 newspapers in 45 countries will publish the same editorial on Monday, warning that climate change will "ravage our planet" unless action is agreed, the London-based Guardian reported. The editorial - to be published in 20 languages - has been thrashed out by editors ahead of the Copenhagen talks, the newspaper said. "At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world," the editorial says.

Environmental activists plan protests in Copenhagen and around the world on 12 December, to encourage delegates to reach the strongest possible deal.

Tens of thousands marched in London and other UK and European cities on Saturday.

'Long-term goal'

Any agreement made at Copenhagen is intended to supplant the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Targets set at Kyoto run out in 2012. Negotiations at Copenhagen begin on Monday and more than 100 world leaders will arrive next week to thrash out a deal.

Speakers at the opening session will include Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN's panel of climate experts.

World leaders who have pledged to attend include US President Barack Obama, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The main areas for discussion include:

- Targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions, in particular by developed countries

- Financial support for mitigation of and adaptation to climate change by developing countries

- A carbon trading scheme aimed at ending the destruction of the world's forests by 2030

Outlining his ambitions for the summit, Mr de Boer said: "I think what we will see coming out of Copenhagen is a package of decisions that define a long term goal."

"Then, first of all, what will rich countries do to reduce their emissions. Secondly, what will major developing countries do to limit the growth of their emissions and thirdly prompt finance that will allow developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change."

However, the BBC's Roger Harrabin, in Copenhagen, says Mr de Boer's optimism is not shared by everyone. Some small island states most vulnerable to climate change fear the level of international expectation is so high that leaders will agree to any deal, he adds.

And new research unveiled on Sunday suggests that less than one-third of money raised by major airlines in carbon trading schemes goes directly to reducing emissions.

Carbon Retirement based its report on a sample of UN data.

Under the system - set up by the Kyoto protocol - travellers pay for projects which offset emissions caused by their journey.

Bella Center - The Venue of COP15