De Boer's future atop the U.N. climate office is uncertain. He recently got a one-year extension on his term that allows him to serve into 2010. For that reason and many others, he hopes to get most of the work done in December.

"I see my role as sort of pushing this soft-buttocked elephant toward a result," de Boer said. "And I'd really like to see the elephant cross the finish line in Copenhagen."

Eventually, de Boer hopes to move away from the international climate scene to start a bed-and-breakfast with his wife in Eijsden, a small farming town near Belgium and Germany. "As an additional source of income," he said, "beyond Copenhagen."

Watch de Boer discuss U.S. action on climate change, Copenhagen meeting on E&ETV's OnPoint

With President Obama slated to address a special U.N. summit on climate change this week, will he successfully add momentum to the international climate negotiations? During today's OnPoint, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, discusses his expectations for Obama's speech. He addresses concerns over the momentum of the international negotiations and explains how the Senate's actions on climate this year will affect the Copenhagen negotiations. Click here to watch the episode.

Reprinted from Greenwire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500

2 Comments

1. 1. eco-steve 06:15 AM 9/22/09

   This is not the time to get cold feet.

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2. 2. FollowFacts 12:58 PM 9/22/09

   Who is leading? According to Wikipedia,
   Chicken Little, followed by Henny Penny, Drakey Lakey, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Loosey, Turkey Lurkey and Foxy Loxy.
   The sky is not falling. ACORN is.

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