TEXT OF INTERVIEW

Bill Radke: World leaders are beginning to converge on Copenhagen, Denmark today, where the U.N.’s two-week conference on climate change gets underway. KQED reporter Rob Schmitz is there, and he joins us now. Good morning.

Rob Schmitz: Good morning, Bill.

Radke: What are officials realistically hoping to accomplish there at Copenhagen?

Schmitz: You know, basically it boils down to this: Poor countries want developed countries to provide them with cash and technologies so that they can develop a clean energy infrastruture for themselves. Developed countries, meanwhile, are trying to figure out how they’re going to pay for this and how they’re going to divvy up the bill.

Radke: Well, what’s struck you so far in your time in Copenhagen?

Schmitz: Well it’s interesting, you know, this city is really dressed up for this conference. I mean every ad you see — from Coca-Cola, they say, these ads that say “Hopenhagen” instead of Copenhagen, to, you know ads from Greenpeace, to anything. It’s a big advertisement for global warming, it’s really interesting. They sort of out-do their own Christmas decorations for this.

Radke: What should we be looking for today on this first day of the conference?

Schmitz: Well I think everyone is trying to set the stage here, and you see delegates trying to be optimistic about what can be acheived here, becuase there has been so much pessimism surrounding this conference. So I mean, we’re seeing a lot of folks being very optimistic, you know. President Barack Obama changed his schedule to come here later in the conference, a lot of people are holding out hope that perhaps there will be a deal signed late in the game next week.

Radke: Reporter Rob Schmitz in Copenhagen. Thank you.

Schmitz: Thanks, Bill.