With the close of week one of climate negotiations in Copenhagen, parties are beginning to come forth with proposals of what their countries are prepared to do...or not do, depending on who you ask. Japan's targets, for example, while ambitious, come with conditions. The Japanese Prime Minster has declared he would not sign an agreement extending the Kyoto Protocol that did not hold big emitters like the U.S. and China accountable. The EU, on the other hand, made what some call a bold leadership move by pledging 7.2 billion euros over the next three years in international adaptation funding. Developing countries, however, claim it's simply not enough.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Obama received his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, which was partly awarded to him based on his work on climate change. In his acceptance speech, Obama identified climate change as an international security issue due to the threats of forced migration and further instability within already volatile areas that face diminishing natural resources, famine, and disease.

To wrap up the week, a "draft final text" was released, raising questions about nuclear power funding, global temperature targets, and plans for long term adaptation support. This was followed by yet another draft which appeared as a rebuttal to the controversial Danish Text leaked earlier in the week. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out next week!

In the meantime, keep following LIVE coverage of the events on Copenhagen 24/7 and check out this video on the effects of climate change on "Dead Zones" in American waterways. These are very real places!

Today, with the start of climate negotiations in Copehagen, Link TV has teamed up with OneClimate.net and Justin.tv to launch the pioneering Copenhagen 24/7, a live webstream of breaking news, press conferences, and pre-recorded crowd-sourced video, straight from the frontlines of the summit. Follow summit events as they unfold and participate in a live chat with the millions of other viewers expected to tune in December 7-19, 2009.

While up to 200 global leaders, officials, and ministers are expected to participate in the historic negotiations to determine parameters of the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol, many are skeptical that parties will actually be able to deliver a comprehensive international agreement, and protestors have already begun to mobilize. Many developing nations have even stated that they are prepared to walk out of negotiations if fair and binding terms, that address their needs specifically, are not reached. Adaptation funding, clean technology transfer, and emission reduction targets are just a few of the issues that will undoubtedly present challenges for both developed and developing countries to consent on.

Midway through negotiations, on December 12th, people all over the world will be taking action to ensure participating parties heading into the final days of negotiations are prepared to deliver a real deal that safeguards the future of citizens worldwide.

So be sure to tune in to Copenhagen 24/7 to follow these exciting events, and up-to-the-minute news straight from the source. And follow Link's Action Alerts on Twitter for more updates on Climate Change, and to find out what you can do!

In a season of a high-profile Supreme Court nomination, economic stimulus, and early health care negotiations, why are we hearing so little about the Obama administration's environmental and energy policy?

The answer may lie in Obama's use of terms like "clean coal," "carbon capture and storage," and "cap and trade" that imply more a gesture of environmentalism rather than a full-scale energy revolution. In recent weeks, Obama has deferred to House Democrats to craft a climate change bill that creates the first carbon emissions trading system loosely modeled on EU energy policy. The plan though, in giving away 85% of carbon trade permits to industry for free, sets far more modest goals than the EU system for reducing carbon emissions.

Obama has been even more quiet about a $2.4 billion rollout this month of "clean coal" investments designed to reduce the environmental impact of coal-powered energy. Environmentalists like Al Gore mock the very idea of clean coal power, but similar programs are being implemented in the EU and China as economic stimulus measures.

Even as energy policy takes a back-seat to other administration priorities, there is still pressure to move quickly on new programs. Obama has promised to raise substantial revenue from carbon emissions trading to help pay for expenses like universal health care. Also, there is hope that Obama will sign on to global energy standards this December in Copenhagen to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which previous U.S. administrations never implemented.

Watch the Global Pulse episode on "clean coal" policy here.