The climate is heating up far faster than scientists had predicted, spurred by sharp increases in greenhouse gas emissions.

UN Climate Chief Praises "Night-To-Day Change" In US Policy

TOKYO — The U.N. climate chief praised President Barack Obama's pledge to tackle global warming and expressed hope Friday that the U.S. policy shift would boost chances for a new international agreement on cutting emissions of greenhouse gases.
"It's been a night-to-day change in terms of the U.S. position on this topic," United Nations climate chief Yvo de Boer said in Tokyo, adding that he hopes that the more active American approach will encourage China and other developing nations to make further efforts to control their emissions.
De Boer was in Tokyo to attend two days of informal international talks on laying the groundwork for negotiations on a new global agreement on cutting carbon emissions in December in Copenhagen.
The U.S. position is seen as crucial for the outcome of the Copenhagen meeting.
Under former President George W. Bush, the United States refused to sign the last climate treaty, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, citing a lack of participation by developing countries, particularly China, and harm to the U.S. economy.

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