With tales of rising seas and talk of human solidarity, world leaders at the first U.N. climate summit sought to put new urgency into talks to reduce global-warming emissions.

What's needed is "action, action, action," California's environmentalist governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, told the summit Sept. 24.

The Bush administration showed no sign, however, that it would reverse its stand against mandatory emission cuts endorsed by 175 other nations. Some expressed fears the White House, with its forum scheduled for Sept. 27 and 28, would launch talks rivaling the U.N. climate treaty negotiations.