Global warming conference opens in Greenland

31 minutes ago

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - A conference on global warming has opened in Greenland, Denmark's Arctic territory which is heavily affected by rising temperatures around the globe.
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The informal meeting, which began Tuesday, groups 25 environment ministers from the United States, India, Brazil, China, Japan and several European countries.

Talks will include future international climate cooperation after 2012 when the first phase of the
Kyoto protocol ends, the Danish environment ministry said.

A recent study, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, showed that the Arctic has been heating up twice as fast as the rest of the Earth over the past decade due to the so-called greenhouse effect.

Less than a century from now, Arctic ice could melt completely during the summer, threatening many species and the lifestyle of the indigenous Inuit population, the study warned.