"When two weeks of climate negotiations finally wound to an overtime finish in Copenhagen, the goal of a new binding treaty to combat global warming still looked elusively far away. And, even for climate activists, the question was: 'Is that so bad?'"

"After two weeks of delays, theatrics and last-minute deal-making, the United Nations climate change talks concluded here early Saturday morning with a grudging agreement by the participants to “take note” of a pact shaped by five major nations."

"Up to a fifth of all species of animals and plants risk extinction even if the world manages to limit global warming to levels widely viewed as safe, the head of the Convention on Biological Diversity said."

"Carbon emissions cuts pledged at U.N. climate talks would put the world on 'an unsustainable pathway' toward average global warming 50 percent higher than industrial countries want, a confidential U.N. draft document showed Thursday."

"President Obama called on world leaders to come to an agreement on climate change, no matter how imperfect, and pressed for a global climate change accord to include a way to monitor whether countries -- namely China -- are complying with promised emissions cuts."

"A visibly angry Barack Obama threw down the gauntlet at China and other developing nations Friday, declaring that the time has come to 'not to talk but to act' on climate change. Emerging from a multinational meeting boycotted by Chinese Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Obama warned delegates that U.S. offers of funding for poor nations would remain on the table 'if and only if' developing nations, including China, agreed to international monitoring of their greenhouse gas emissions."

"Barack Obama stepped into the chaotic final hours of the Copenhagen summit today saying he was convinced the world could act 'boldly and decisively' on climate change. But his speech offered no indication America was ready to embrace bold measures, after world leaders had been working desperately against the clock to try to paper over an agreement to prevent two years of wasted effort -- and a 10-day meeting -- from ending in total collapse."

"In a speech to more than 100 heads of state, the president outlines the elements of accord: commitments to limit emissions, a way of monitoring those pledges and aid to help poor nations adapt."

"COPENHAGEN -- President Obama told leaders of 193 nations here Friday that their collective will to address climate change "hangs in the balance" and urged both developed and developing countries to accept a climate change agreement he acknowledged was far from perfect."

"President Barack Obama met other world leaders in a last push for a new global climate deal on Friday, after negotiators failed to reach a deal on carbon cuts in all-night talks."