World Leaders Pledge To Make Progress At Climate Talks

Leaders from around the world pledged their determination to slow down climate change, as the 21st UN Climate Change Conference, or COP21, kicks off in Paris.

The climate talks comes at a time when China and India are facing their worst smog problems in history and the world is seeing the effects of climate change on national security.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping, leaders of the world's two largest contributors of greenhouse gasses, met on the sidelines of the talks today to discuss efforts to combat climate change.

NPR international correspondent Eleanor Beardsley joins Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan to talk about what world leaders need to accomplish by the end of this summit.