In sweltering heat of more than 30 C, the hottest job at U.N. climate talks in Bali on Monday was done by an environmental activist dressed as a polar bear. 

    Looking out of his element at the start of the meeting at a tropical beach resort on the Indonesian island, “Mr. P. Bear” stood by a banner and giant thermometer saying “Don’t cook the climate”.

    ”He was only in the suit for about 20 minutes,” said Cindy Baxter of Greenpeace. “It was pretty hot in there”.

   Every now and then the Greenpeace volunteer, from the Philippines, who was trapped inside the heavy suit took off his polar bear head and took huge gulps from a bottle of water.

Many delegates from around the world, feeling overheated just south of the equator, applauded as they walked past. The suit was also used at U.N. climate talks in Montreal two years ago to highlight the risks of a melting Arctic because of global warming.

Environmentalists say that talks by about 10,000 delegates need side show stunts or otherwise become bogged down in often cryptic wrangling behind closed doors.