Hugo Chavez slammed US President Barak Obama in his speech to the climate summit before staging a walkout of countries in the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA).

Venezuelan President Chavez said: “We are leaving we cannot wait any longer, together with the countries that we are representing, we are leaving knowing that it was not possible to have an agreement here.”

His ally Evo Morales, President of Bolivia said: “We would like to denounce the fact that there are groups of presidents working on the document – but not all.”

Chavez mocked Obama saying: “Obama came, spoke, and went out through that little door over there. That is the emperor who comes in the middle of the night and cooks up a document that we won’t accept and we will never accept.”

The two Presidents reflected widespread frustrations by delegates that a secret deal is being hatched between a limited group of leaders behind closed doors.

“We were not invited to participate – certainly not. We would like to state clearly all countries are equal. We don’t have first category people and second category people.” Chavez said.

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) comprises: Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Cuba, Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda.

Kenyan Environment Minister, John Michuki, announced today that Kenya expects US$10 billion per year from rich countries to cope with the impacts of climate change. He made the announcement at the Copenhagen climate change summit flanked by Grace Akumu Executive Director of the African Climate Action Network.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the COP15 Climate Change Summit. Copenhagen, Denmark. 17/12/2009.

The Secretary of State sought to appease the deep concerns of developing countries and also confirmed that President Obama will be attending the summit.

Orientation day and field trip to wind farm.

Journalists with the Climate Change Media Partnership attending the Poznan climate change summit visited the Wielkopolska lake district to get a first hand account of the kinds of energy and environmental problems facing Poland. Over 90 per cent of Poland’s electricity comes from coal – a key source of greenhouse gases. The journalists visited KWB Konin opencast coalmine – one of the largest in the country.

A short series of photos showing some of the different sights at the UNFCC conference when it met in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008.

As governments around the world came together in Poznan, Poland for the UN Climate Change Conference, scores more joined the protests on the streets on 6 December for the Global Day of Action – pressing delegates for greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.