US President Barack Obama has decided to attend the end of the Copenhagen climate change summit, a change of plans that the White House announced on Friday. The decision was made due to increasing momentum towards a new global accord. Originally, Obama was set to attend the summit in Denmark on December 7-18 before heading to Oslo to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. Some European officials and environmentalists were surprised by the initial plan, as most of the important negotiations on reducing greenhouse gas emissions were expected to happen towards the end of the summit when many other world leaders would also be present. The White House stated that progress is being made towards a meaningful agreement at Copenhagen where all countries would commit to taking action against climate change. Danish officials have confirmed that over 100 world leaders will be attending the conference with the hopes of laying the groundwork for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The White House stated that the president believes that his participation at the end of the Copenhagen conference on December 18th, rather than on December 9th, will be most productive based on his discussions with other leaders and the progress made in negotiations. The Obama administration is pleased with recent commitments from China and India to reduce emissions and the increasing agreement on providing financial assistance to developing nations to address climate change, which has been a significant obstacle in reaching a new UN deal. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and a spokesman for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed Obama's decision, noting that it reflects the growing political momentum towards reaching a successful climate agreement in Copenhagen. The United States plans to pledge in Copenhagen to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. It was the final major industrialized nation to set a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a UN-led effort to combat global warming, which could lead to more extreme weather events and rising sea levels. Experts anticipate that the Copenhagen conference will result in a political agreement that includes emission reduction goals for wealthy countries by 2020, with discussions on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol postponed until 2010. The White House confirmed that President Obama had conversations with leaders from Australia, Germany, France, and the UK regarding the ongoing negotiations. There is a growing consensus that a key aspect of the Copenhagen agreement should be securing pledges of $10 billion per year by 2012 to assist developing countries in addressing climate change. It was stated that the United States will pay its fair share of the amount, with other countries also making substantial commitments. Environmentalists praised Obama's decision and some urged him to adjust his administration's emissions reduction target. Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace International's political climate coordinator, expressed approval for Obama's change of plans, stating that he needs to align his targets and financial contribution with climate science.