Ministers prepare for Copenhagen Summit

Some 40 environment ministers have gathered in Copenhagen for preparatory talks ahead of the UN climate change conference there next month.

Among those present were ministers from key emitting countries and low-lying island nations threatened by global warming and rising sea levels.

The focus of the meeting centered on achieving a politically-binding treaty at the December summit. Danish Climate and Energy minister said the two-day closed door session offered a chance to focus on what she called "tough issues."

Connie Hedegaard, Danish Climate & Climate Minister, said, "Our plan is to deliver answers on all the major elements. It is also our very clear plan to try to get a mandate for a near term deadline to turn all of this a legal form."

But several ministers said that time was too short to agree on a legally binding treaty this year as was originally hoped.

While the ministers were meeting, activists outside the venue held giant letters spelling "Delay Kills," claiming that a delay of the treaty risks deadly impacts such as water shortages and hunger.

Demonstrator, said, "These ministers are now working on a mandate of delay rather than a mandate of possibility and we need to change this. Climate change is causing over three hundred thousand people's lives every year."

Many developing countries have strongly opposed any delay of a full treaty, saying their citizens are most vulnerable to impacts of climate change.