"COPENHAGEN -- Mayors of some of the world's largest cities flexed their muscle at the United Nations climate talks Wednesday, warning that 'billions of people' are prepared to cut emissions far beyond whatever agreement world leaders may ink this week.

'We at the local level have too much to lose,' said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. 'We will go further, and we will make it safe for (politicians) to go further. We will push the envelope.'mayors-450

Nickels and mayors of Delhi, Mexico City, Johannesburg, Melbourne – representing some 45 million people total – said they were pushing forward with ambitious climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, even as their national leaders remained stuck on those very points."

Douglas Fischer reports for The Daily Climate December 16, 2009. [2]