The rush is on for sky money

THE stage was set at the Bali climate change conference 18 months ago to propel Kevin Rudd to the front ranks of global environmental heroes. Instead, his announcement of Australia's signing up to the Kyoto Protocol was overshadowed by the dazzling arrival as a green superstar of another Kevin - Kevin Conrad, Papua New Guinea's climate change ambassador. Conrad, also the executive director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, took the microphone after two draining weeks that appeared doomed to end in a standoff between the US and the rest, and said: "I would ask the US: we ask for your leadership. But if for some reason you're not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us. Please get out of the way." Thousands of delegates erupted in applause, and within a few minutes the leader of the US delegation, Paula Dobriansky, conceded: "We will go forward and join the consensus today." The moment has been viewed millions of times on YouTube. Read more.