Activists use Opera House to deliver climate high note

Climate change protesters scaled the Sydney Opera House and unfurled a banner on one of its tallest "sails" today.

Police rescuers had to climb the iconic landmark to detain the protesters, who used abseiling equipment to reveal a message that read "Stop the politics, climate treaty now".

Police said five Greenpeace activists, two men and three women, were arrested.

Greenpeace CEO Linda Selvey said the activists were highly trained and had practised the stunt beforehand.

She said getting the protest message across was worth risking arrest, adding: "We are fed up with this critical issue being reduced to political pantomime, both in Australia and on the world stage."