During the UN climate talks in Copenhagen, more than half of the countries are in favor of stricter goals for limiting global warming compared to what rich nations prefer, according to a group of small island states. The Small Island States alliance expressed concern that some island nations were not represented on a globe at the conference center and highlighted that over 100 nations have now committed to limiting temperature rises to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Dessima Williams, head of the alliance, emphasized that many countries are calling for ambitious and specific targets, with support for the 1.5 Celsius goal coming from the least developed nations in Africa and small island states. This target would necessitate rich nations reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. Any agreement reached in Copenhagen will need to be approved unanimously. The main challenges to reaching a deal in Copenhagen include the extent of greenhouse gas reductions by wealthy nations and the amount of financial assistance offered to developing countries. Most developed countries and major emerging economies, such as China and India, support the goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The current temperature has already increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius and is expected to continue rising. AOSIS, represented by Williams, emphasized the urgency of climate change and called for a legally binding treaty to come out of Copenhagen, rather than just a political declaration as some developed nations prefer. Despite ongoing global warming, she noted that numerous islands were experiencing severe consequences such as submergence and freshwater depletion. Additionally, rising temperatures were causing harm to coral reefs. While there were disagreements over a proposal by Tuvalu for legally binding agreements at the Copenhagen summit, she emphasized unity among developing nations. While some countries like China and India support legally binding emissions cuts for wealthy nations, they advocate for less stringent requirements for poorer countries under the Kyoto Protocol. Barry Coates, a spokesman for Oxfam, likened a political declaration from Copenhagen that lacks legal binding to a toothless shark. Antonio Lima, of Cape Verde and vice chair of AOSIS, compared climate change to the disaster that befell Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted 2,000 years ago, emphasizing the potential devastation for the poor. Lima warned that while the residents of Pompeii were unaware of the danger they faced, today we are aware of the impending catastrophe, which he referred to as the "planet Pompeii."