Obama Clinches Non-Binding Climate Deal as Copenhagen Summit Ends

After hours of frantic negotiations, President Barack Obama emerged from the Copenhagen climate talks holding an agreement with China, India, and other developing countries designed to fight global climate change. The agreement, which falls short of environmentalists' hopes, nevertheless represents a political victory for the American president. Appearing at a press conference a 11 p.m. Copenhagen time, a tired-looking Obama described the pact as a "meaningful and unprecedented breakthrough."

Still, the agreement will face immediate criticism -- and relief from climate-change skeptics -- due to the lack of required emission-reduction targets. "It will not be legally binding," Obama conceded, adding that binding emissions targets were "not achievable at this meeting."