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President Barack Obama has surprised environmentalists by announcing that not only will he personally attend the climate summit in Copenhagen, but will commit to cutting emissions – a first for a US president. But he also disappointed many in reiterating other world leaders that no one expected to agree to a full legally binding treaty. Still, an announcement yesterday by the US’s Environmental Protection Agency that greenhouse gases are now considered a danger to public health has energized environmentalists. The EPA’s finding will be used to impose new emissions standards on vehicles, and could even open up power plants to curb their greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile on the ground in Copenhagen, Greenpeace activists unfurled a banner over a parliament building on Monday that read “Climate Inaction Costs Lives.” Twenty people were arrested. Other activists have vowed to block the Copenhagen harbor The Danish police have prepared for conflict on the streets by investing in water cannons, and borrowing staff and technology from Sweden, Germany, and Belgium.

GUEST: John Fialka is an editor for Climatewire.net, a private subscription based online newsletter about climate change, Richard Graves, Blogger/Online Campaigner, Global Campaign for Climate Action – tcktcktck.org, Founder/Director, Fired Up Media