Watch "Trick or Truth..." a look at how stolen e-mails on climate change are impacting the global warming conference on tonight's Campbell Brown, 8 p.m. ET

(CNN) -- The drumbeat rousing world leaders to action on climate change is fading out as delegates get down to the business of negotiating a global deal at climate talks in Copenhagen.

Almost 100 heads of state have confirmed they will attend the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties, or COP15, which begins Monday in the Danish capital.

The summit is testing the capacity limits of the Bella Center, a sprawling conference building outside the city center where the talks are being held.

More than 34,000 people have applied to attend the meetings -- more than double the number allowed to be in the center at any one time.

Non-government organizations have been told some of their freshwater pearl strand  members will have to wait outside, while registration has closed early for journalists after 3,500 applied for access.

Speaking at a "curtain-raiser" press conference on Sunday, Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), said: "Time is up."

"Over the next two weeks government have to deliver a strong and long term response to the challenge of climate change."

He said the level of commitment so far from developing and developed countries to reduce their emissions was "unprecedented."

"Never in the 17 years of climate change negotiations have so many different nations made so many firm pledges together," he said.
Video: From peanut shells to energy
Video: Indonesia's climate crisis

On the sidelines, controversy over a series of e-mails stolen from the UK's University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit (CRU) is igniting debate in some quarters over the extent of climate change.

The emails were seized upon by those who have freshwater loose pearl questioned the evidence that the earth's climate is significantly warming and that human burning of fossil fuels is a significant contributor to that warming trajectory.

De Boer said he welcomed the scrutiny that some have called "Climategate" has brought upon the issue.

"I actually think it's very good that what is happening has been critically addressed in the media. This process has to be based on solid science. If the integrity of the science is being called into question that needs to be examined," he added.

The head of the East Anglia Climate Research Unit, Professor Phil Jones, has stepped down while an independent review is conducted into the affair.

De Boer said successive reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the most recent of which was released in 2007, made it clear that man-made climate change was a global threat.

Those IPCC reports are based on many thousands of freshwater pearl jewelry climate measurements examined by climate scientists from more than 100 countries.

"This is not the first report from the IPCC. It's the fourth report and it's consistent in the trend."

"I do not believe that there is any process anywhere out there that is that transparent," he added.

In the last two weeks, the world's biggest emitters -- the U.S. and China -- have quantified their proposed cuts in carbon emissions and intensity.

The U.S. has said it will cut carbon emissions by 17 percent on 2005 levels by 2020. That equates to a cut of just four percent on 1990 levels, the baseline used by most other countries.

China announced a "notable" commitment of a 40 percent to 45 percent cut in carbon intensity on 2005 levels by 2020. Carbon intensity is a measurement of emissions per unit of gross domestic product.

While De Boer welcomed President Obama's decision to reshuffle his schedule to attend the end of the talks, he made it clear he expected the U.S. to come to the talks with a firm emissions target and financial contribution.

Firm funding commitments from developed countries for developing countries is seen as vital to reaching an agreement in Copenhagen.

UNFCC is seeking $10 billion each year in 2010, 2011 and 2012 before the figures rise sharply.

"By 2020 and 2030 we're going to need much more significant sums -- to deal with mitigation and adaptation," De Boer said.

In the next two weeks, he said countries must agree on three layers of action: Fast action to mitigate and adapt to climate change from 2010, "ambitious" commitment to cut and limit carbon emissions and a long-term "shared" vision for a "low-emissions future for all."

"I know two things for sure: There will be many more steps on the road to a safe climate future but also few turning points. And Copenhagen must be such a turning point," de Boer said.

Beijing, China (CNN) -- Mountains of peanut shells are spread out across Shengchang Bioenergy's property on the outskirts of Beijing. Local farmers drive in and out, unloading dried corn stalks in exchange for a small fee.

The peanut shells, corn stalks and even tree bark are dried,twisted pearl necklace  ground and re-purposed. The end result: Biomass pellets that can be used as a replacement for coal.

Shengchang Bioenergy also makes a line of stoves and boilers in which the pellets can be burned. The company says the stoves are up to five times more energy efficient than traditional coal boilers and are slightly cheaper to operate.

"Our stoves mean a lot to rural villagers because they heat more effectively," said the company's general manager, Fu Youhong. "They're very accessible and we're planning to expand with the government."

Just down the street from the factory akoya pearl necklace, Bi Hongjun, a bus driver for the city of Beijing, has received a new stove as part of a test project with Shengchang Bioenergy and the Ministry of Agriculture.

"It's very easy to use," Bi said as he demonstrated how to load the energy-saving stove with the pellets. "It's not like the old-style cumbersome boiler which is difficult to light."

The Shengchang boilers are one small-scale example of how China can make a large-scale transition to becoming a low-carbon economy.
Video: From peanut shells to energy
Video: Indonesia's climate crisis

China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, relies on dirty coal for 70 percent of its energy.

But the Chinese government has recently made some commitments to change that. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) -- China's top economic planner -- cultured freshwater pearl has pledged to cut carbon intensity 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. Carbon intensity is the amount of carbon released per unit of gross domestic product.

Last week Xie Zhenhua, vice minister of the NDRC, vowed that China would meet these goals.

"China will not repeat traditional path of growth of developed nations of high emissions, high energy consumption and high pollution," Xie said.

Analysts say this means China's emissions will still continue to rise significantly -- though at a slower pace. While China is not capping emissions absolutely, most argue it is a significant step in the right direction.

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has hailed the passage of a law that calls for elections seen as critical to U.S. plans to withdraw troops.

The elections law could strengthen national unity and help "achieve the aspirations of our people" to establish a democratic system ensuring rights for Iraqis "to live in dignity, justice and equality," the prime minister said Monday in a congratulatory statement to Iraqis.

Iraqi lawmakers struck a deal Sunday night to revise the country's elections law after months of disputes that could force a delay of the country's upcoming parliamentary vote.

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president, Tariq al-Hashimi, vetoed a previous measure, but al-Hashimi spokesman Abdul Ellah Kadim told CNN that the vice president is satisfied with the revisions that passed late Sunday. Kadim said al-Hashimi has congratulated the Iraqi people and the lawmakers on their "achievement."

It remained unclear when elections for a new parliament would be held, however, and the independent electoral commission has already ruled out a chance at meeting its current deadline of late January.

The parliament passed an "explanatory memorandum" to the new elections law shortly before midnight Sunday in an urgent session called by the speaker of the parliament. The amendment brought the legislation in line with al-Hashimi's demands, Kurdish lawmaker Abdulbari al-Zebari told CNN.

Iraq's three-member Presidency Council, which includes President Jalal Talabani and two vice presidents, must unanimously approve legislation passed by parliament. Al-Hashimi had vetoed the election bill in November, arguing that it failed to provide enough seats for Iraqi refugees, many of whom are Sunnis.

The explanatory memorandum includes a count of government representation: 325 parliament seats -- 310 seats for the provinces and 15 compensational seats. Ethnic minorities will receive eight of the compensational seats and the Kurds received three additional seats in parliament.

The United Nations last week suggested the elections be held February 27, 2010. U.N. and U.S. officials have been involved in election talks to push for a compromise among Iraqi politicians.

Washington welcomed the amendment's passage.

"This legislative action will allow Iraq to hold national elections within Iraq's constitutional framework," the White House said Sunday in a statement. "It is a decisive moment for Iraq's democracy and we congratulate the Iraqi people and their elected representatives."

For the U.S. military, the election is an important step in plans gemstone jewelry for a withdrawal from Iraq.

The U.S. military has said it would keep the current troop levels of 115,000 until 60 days after the elections and then start the pullout, aiming for an end-of-August deadline for withdrawing combat troops from Iraq.

A residual force of up to 50,000 troops would be left in the cultured pearl jewelry  country until complete withdrawal at the end of 2011.

Last month, Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said he had "flexibility" in this matter and did not have to make any decisions on withdrawal until late spring.

Meanwhile a bomb blast at a school in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood killed seven people and wounded 41 others in the Iraqi capital Monday, officials said.

The explosion took place in the playground of freshwater pearl pendant a boys' school in Sadr City, the Interior Ministry said. The bomb was hidden in a plastic bag, an official said.

Most of the killed or wounded were students aged 12 to 14, Interior Ministry officials said.

In another incident, a civilian was killed and five others wounded when a bomb attached to a car exploded in the Mansour district in western Baghdad, authorities said.

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Demonstrators shouting "Death to the dictator" clashed with police in Iran on Monday as students took to the streets to mark a key national anniversary, witnesses said.

At least two clashes occurred at Revolution Square, where police attacked demonstrators with batons and chased them onto side streets, witnesses said.

A large number of security forces ringed Tehran University, where the gates were shut and large crowds inside also chanted "Death to the dictator," the witnesses reported. Pro-government crowds also inside the university chanted slogans and waved the flag of the Islamic Republic, witnesses said.

The witnesses asked not to be identified out of concerns for security.

CNN could not independently verify the reports. The Iranian government did not allow members of the international media witness any possible protests this week.

The state-operated Press TV acknowledged the protests.

"A number of anti-government protesters attempted to hijack the occasion to hold rallies in Tehran. Their efforts were foiled by the presence of security freshwater perl jewelry  forces which are deployed in several parts of the capital," an anchor said while the station showed images of pro-government demonstrations.

The demonstrations are being held on Student Day, an annual observance when Tehran extolls the virtues of the Islamic Revolution. The holiday commemorates three university students killed in 1953 by security forces of the Western-backed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran. He was toppled from power during the revolution two decades later.

The students this year are demonstrating against the disputed June 12 presidential election. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the overwhelming winner in what protesters say was a rigged election. The election result was met with nationwide protests and the imprisonment of hundreds of demonstrators. Allegations of torture, rape and other abuses have since emerged.

Ongoing prosecutions of protesters have resulted in death sentences for some.

Since the election, other key anniversaries have met with protests against the current leadership.

Protesters and police clashed November 4, the anniversary of the 1979 siege of the U.S. Embassy in Iran.

In September, demonstrators took to the streets in protest on Quds Day, an annual event that is meant to show Iran's solidarity with Palestinians.

On Monday, police manned major intersections. Shopkeepers, inflatable castles  fearing violence, shuttered storefronts.

As the protests got under way, Iranian security and paramilitary forces tear-gassed, beat and arrested students on university campuses, said a group called the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

According to the human rights organization, protests have taken place at the following universities in Tehran: Amir Kabir, Tehran, Sharif, Elm va Sanaat, Honar, Tehran Markaz, Sureh, and Tehran Shomal. Protests also have taken place at universities in Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Mashhad and Tabriz, and at Agricultural University of Karaj, the rights group said.

Security forces fired plastic bullets at students and cheap pearl jewelry  protesters outside the Amir Kabir campus, said the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

The organization's reports could not be independently verified.

In central Tehran, plumes of smoke rose from a large garbage bin that had been set on fire, witnesses told CNN.

Washington (CNN) -- A beloved giant panda will leave for China early next year to the disappointment of millions of fans in the United States.

Washington's National Zoo will say goodbye to 4-year-old Tai Shan as he makes his way to a breeding base in southwestern China. He'll leave during the first quarter of 2010, according to the zoo and Chinese state-run media.

Tai Shan -- on loan from China -- was born at the National Zoo to pandas that also are borrowed from China.

His father, 11-year-old Tian Tian, and his mother, 10-year-old pearl strand wholesale Mei Xiang, are due in China in December 2010, according to the Xinhua news agency.

"While we're proud to send off a healthy panda to be part of China's breeding program, we will indeed miss him dearly," the National Zoo's Web site said of Tai Shan.

He has more growing to do, however.

"Although Tai Shan has the build of a grownup male panda, we still pearl jewelry wholesale  have to wait for about two years before it is sexually mature," said Li Desheng, deputy director of the management office of the Wolong National Natural Reserve in Sichuan province, according to Xinhua.

Tai Shan will never be released into the wild, but there is the hope that his offspring could be, the National Zoo said.

"Since we partnered with them 10 years ago, the Chinese have more than doubled their cub production, which means they're about to reach the significant goal of having 300 pandas in captivity," the zoo said on its Web site. "By reaching the target of 300 pandas, collectively we will ensure that the giant panda in captivity is demographically and genetically secure. It will be a huge conservation achievement."

The United States has 13 pandas on loan from China, freshwater pearl according to Xinhua. The three in Washington and one each in Atlanta, Georgia, and San Diego, California, are due to return to China next year. Though Tai Shan has lived in Washington, his fans have followed him online for years, via the National Zoo's Pandacam.

They've oohed and aahed as he's frolicked, had milestone exams and grown -- from less than 2 pounds at birth to more than 200 pounds at his peak weight.