Inside the Paris Climate Conference | Years of Living Dangerously

This is the Olympics of climate change. If you're not here, you're not in the game, and the game is to do something urgently. We have the political will to change, and it really is the seminal meeting of leaders to determine what we do to combat this problem. This morning, we're setting up for a brief interview between Arnold Schwarzenegger, our correspondent, and Todd St., the climate negotiator for the United States.

We found this kind of hidden hallway here to do the interview because every time Arnold shows up at this conference, he's absolutely mobbed. He's like the climate change celebrity. Everyone is convening here for this big climate summit, and there's a lot of excitement. But all that really matters is what China does. You know, if China—China needs to lead the way here.

I think Arnold's really interested in seeing and hearing how China can be a leader on climate change, and hopefully bring some other players to the table who can make major commitments so that we can meet some of these goals of the COP. Okay, R, China is the big elephant in the room. And you know, if they don't make a move, no one makes a move.

In all the things, what is the story on China? We've worked together with them much more closely in the last few years than ever before. I think China is enormously important; nobody more important than China. China has made these bold commitments to reduce their emissions and basically turn the aircraft carrier around.

What exactly are they doing? How fast are they doing it? This year is all about solutions, not about just scaring people and saying, “This is the problem, this is the problem.” This looks at the solutions—here's what's being done right now.

I think what's really impressive about Arnold Schwarzenegger is that he's constantly thinking of ways to make climate change accessible to the general public. He feels that the show "Years of Living Dangerously" has the opportunity to inspire people to become part of this movement that's needed right now.