UN climate conference opens in Copenhagen

Today the US Environmental Protection Agency announced that greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare of the American people. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson:

"Today’s finding is based on decades of research by hundreds of researchers. The vast body of evidence not only remains unassailable, it’s grown stronger, and it points to one conclusion: greenhouse gases from human activity are increasing at unprecedented rates and are adversely affecting our environment and threatening our health."

Jackson called the findings "long overdue" and once again stated support for Congress to pass comprehensive climate legislation.

Meanwhile, international negotiations on a new treaty to address climate change started today in Copenhagen, Denmark. The run-up to the conference has been marked with shifting expectations of what countries around the world will actually be able to agree to by the end of the next two weeks of high-level negotiations. FSRN'S Jenny Johnson gives an overview of some of the key issues.