It's time for climate change.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened today in Copenhagen, Denmark. According to VOA News, "Delegates aim to find common ground on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, promotion and transfer of new more eco-friendly technology and the necessary funding, especially for the less developed and poorer nations."

About 15,000 delegates and viewers from about 200 countries are in attendance at the conference. Delegates are striving to find a long term vision and corporation for the future. Many proposals have come forward from countries such as the U.S., China, and South Africa.

Delegates are coming up with a agreement to replace 1997 Kyoto Protocol which required emission cuts, but some of the largest polluters did not even sign it. Some of you may be asking who some of these polluters are, and you may be shocked when I tell you that the U.S. did not sign it!

The fact that the U.S. did not sign the previous protocol really bothers me. Our administration at the time obviously was not taking responsibility for our actions. We are polluting the Earth, and we need to make big changes to correct our wrong doing.

For those who may not know, global warming is a phenomenon that has really come into the view of main stream media over the last few years. It is a increase in the average global temperature due to the greenhouse effect. This is caused by pollution and will create global climate change.

For those who may not know what the greenhouse effect is, it is "an atmospheric heating phenomenon, caused by short-wave solar radiation being readily transmitted inward through the earth's atmosphere but longer-wavelength heat radiation less readily transmitted outward, owing to its absorption by atmospheric carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and other gases; thus, the rising level of carbon dioxide is viewed with concern," according to dictionary.com.

This is not the first time that this topic has come into the main stream media. In 2006, the movie, An Inconvenient Truth, came out and received national attention due to the voice on the movie, former Vice-President, Al Gore. According to IMDb, "Director Davis Guggenheim eloquently weaves the science of global warming with Mr. Gore's personal history and lifelong commitment to reversing the effects of global climate change. A longtime advocate for the environment, Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way."

Now is the time for change. The human race is responsible for the damage done to our planet, so we need to do something to correct our wrong doing or at least minimize any more damage. As one of the most influential countries if not the most influential county in the world, the U.S. needs to be a leader in bringing about this change.