"EU nations are set to commit more than €2bn (£1.8bn) a year to help poorer countries cope with global warming, the leaders of Britain and France indicated today as they sought to bolster UN climate talks in Copenhagen.

The UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, and president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, said their two countries would contribute the bulk of that sum and were trying to persuade smaller members of the 27-state European Union to pledge more."

Good start, yes- but are the "smaller members" going to commit?

"Smaller eastern European states are reluctant to donate as they struggle with public sector debt and rising unemployment in the wake of the financial crisis."

"There are few moments in history when nations are summoned to common decisions that will reshape the lives of men and women potentially for generations to come," Brown said.

What I don't understand is why there is an element of uncertainty to what Brown is saying- crazy campaigners aside, climate change is real, and happening now and everyone knows it. He's there doing his bit, but he needs to show the public that he isn't there because he has to be, but that he believes that what he is saying is actually true.
More to come.