Thousands of people take part in an international summit on climate change.

The year 2009 tied as the earth’s second warmest year since 1880.

The United Nations Copenhagen (Denmark) Climate Conference ended in December without final agreements to lower emissions of greenhouse gases.

Unusually severe storms in southern India and the Philippines, in September and October caused massive flooding that killed more than 1,200 people.

“We are going to have more hurricanes, more forest fires, and if we don’t do anything, the sea levels will actually rise….We have to act now, and we have to act fast.”
– Lauren Thorpe, Greenpeace field organizer

Youth from around the world participated in a youth and children’s caucus at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Some youth feel that their views on protecting the environment are different from those of adult world leaders.

Pack ice was used by the polar bears and humans to hunt the seals and whales they needed for survival. Now polar bears have to swim longer and farther, facing more danger, to bring food back to their families.

A United Nations committee released a report that says global warming is hurting poor countries more so than the Western countries that are mostly responsible for global warming.

Melting ice at the North Pole hurts polar bears who need the ice to live.