Countdown to crucial climate talks begins

With the launch of our latest online action, Oxfam's countdown to United Nation's climate talks officially got underway today.

In less than a fortnight's time, government advisors, scientists, big business, and climate campaigners (and possibly Barack Obama) will all gather for two weeks of negotiations.

They will be aiming to get to grips with one of the biggest threats to overcoming poverty - climate change.

Long-term readers might remember that Oxfam was at last year's climate talks, which took place in Bali.

Battling through the intense tropical heat, we were there to deliver thousands of messages from Oxfam supporters who have called for climate action.

Small but positive steps forward were taken in Bali, but this year delegates must go from discussion mode into full-scale negotiation mode.

This year's summit will be held in Poland. So when talks begin on 1 December, we'll be swapping last year's shorts and sandals for woolly jumpers and fleecy jackets, ready to campaign hard and do everything in our power to put the voices of poor people front and centre.

We'll be bringing you updates from our campaigners who'll working behind-the-scenes. But more of that to follow over the coming few weeks.

In the meantime, we've launched a short animation to tell the story of the impact that climate change.

Working with the BAFTA winning animator Ian Gouldstone, the short video sets out to tell the story of the impact that climate change is having on people's lives, and make clear the demand that world leaders, and people all over the world, must join together and call for an international solution.

Have a watch below (it's best viewed large, so double click the icon below the film to open in full-screen). And if you like what you see, embed it in your blog or site, or send the link around to a few friends.