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Copenhagen becomes a "climate town"

2009-12-06 13:56 BJT

Special Report: UN climate change conference in Copenhagen |

 

The United Nations climate change conference begins on Monday in Copenhagen. The number of world leaders due to attend has risen to 105.

They represent 82 percent of the global population, 89 percent of the world's GDP and 80 percent of current greenhouse gas emissions. The Danish capital has become a "climate town" in the run-up to the biggest-ever summit of its kind.

One day ahead of the conference, the Climate Express train with 400 delegates, business leaders and environmental campaigners arrives in Copenhagen.

The train left Brussels on Saturday morning for the 12 hour journey.

On board, passengers conducted a conference on climate change with a focus on the role of transport.

Margerhe Segervik, Norwegian Delegate, said, "I hope the global leaders (that) are there now understand that we want a solution."

As the conference gets closer, the host city is inventing various ways of raising people's awareness of climate change.

A life-size ice polar bear sculpture is now standing at a square in central Copenhagen, cast on a bronze skeleton. As the ice melts, the skeleton is revealed.

Mark Coreth, Sculptor, said, "If they put their hand up there for ages and just sort of enjoy, they will eventually sink right through the ice by the heat of their hand."

Nearby, a Norwegian artist unveiled his ice bridge.

Vebjorn Sand, Artist, said, "This is a piece of Antarctica, it's a piece of the Greenland glacier which is actually melting behind us here."

From Monday, 190 nations will gather in Copenhagen to try to avert dramatic climate change.

It will draw 15,000 officials, campaigners and journalists, making it the biggest climate summit yet.