In this video interview, Bill discusses how the US politics of climate have changed with the election of Obama, how the UK government needs to respond, and whether he's optimistic about the future.

By the end of today, we will have seen two significant developments in the political landscape of climate change. First, the UK has indicated for the first time that it believes serious money will be needed from developing countries at Copenhagen.

Secondly, today will also see a vote in the US House on the Waxman-Markey bill, Obama's re-engagement of the US with climate. You may have seen Joss on Newsnight on Wednesday, arguing that the bill doesn't go anywhere near enough what we need to see from the US, and that Obama had effectively dropped the ball on the climate, but even if inadequate, it is still groundbreaking.

A good moment to get an insight into the interaction between science and politics over the pond. For the first of the Greenpeace meets series, occasional interviews in which we'll hook up with (hopefully) interesting authors, activists, scientists and policy wonks to download their wisdom, I went and had a coffee with veteran US environmental guru Bill McKibben.

With December's crucial Copenhagen climate change summit fast approaching, we talk to 350.org founder Bill McKibben about the politics of climate change in the US, the challenges of building a successful mass movement, and how we set about not only restricting the amount of new CO2 we're pumping into the atmosphere, but reducing the levels that are already there.

350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere - it's measured in "Parts Per Million". So below 350 ppm is where we need to be to avoid runaway climate change. Currently the figure is around 390 and rising.

350.org will coordinate an international day of action on October 24 at hundreds of iconic places around the world - from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef - with the aim of sparking a global movement to unite the public, media, and our political leaders behind the 350 goal.

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Copenhagen Climate Summit »
350.org »
US Climate Bill »
Greenpeace meets Bill McKibben »