The United Nations Climate boss Yvo de Boer says that the 193 countries that are taking part in the COP15 Climate Summit have to speed up their negotiations.

“As soon as this conference is over, things have to happen. So my call to people is that they should use this first week to get all the basic work done,” Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer says at a news conference on the second day of the summit.

Negotiators have been working for months to reach agreement on texts, work that is now reaching a climax prior to the arrival in Copenhagen next week of heads of state and government.

One of the main issues at stake is ways to finance efforts by poor countries to mitigate climate change. Developing and industrial countries remain at loggerheads as to how much transfer funding is needed to help developing countries.

“I am sure that the conference will result in action and support for the developing countries. There is an immediate need of USD 10 billion in 2010, 2011 and 2012. And much greater funding in the future. I sense a growing understanding about this,” de Boer says.