If most of the population (according to polls) are in agreement that global warming is both a concern but also something that needs to be counteracted and remedied, why is it that our elected officials are struggling to make progress in reaching agreements over the approach to take rapid and tangible actions?

During this weeks interim U.N. meetings on climate change the news has trickled out that the likelihood of a climate change agreement this year is now very small as the United States and China are not prepared to make key commitments during the discussions. If this sounds alarmingly familiar it might be because the highly publicized Copenhagen summit last December resulted in equal frustration as divides grew between ‘developing nations’ and the rest which led to discontent and a lack of progress. It is also strange that while the Copenhagen events were widely covered by the media, the events this week are low on the agenda although the consequences are equally important.

There remains little sign of progress concerning the key matters such as – a reduction in greenhouse gases, a viable solution for financial aid from wealthy to poorer nations and the ability to measure such agreements. After this week the next  — still need consideration. Sadly afer this week the clock keeps ticking while we wait until December for the next major U.N. climate conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Indian spokesman Jairam Ramersh announced:

“The prospect of a breakthrough in 2010 is very, very remote. We’ve reached virtually a dead end” with neither the United States nor China — the world’s top two emitters of heat-trapping greenhouse gases — unwilling to make any firm commitments”

Despite the release this week of the report by U.N. scientists that  greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are resulting in continued climate change that poses the potential to cause immense environmental damage such as floods, droughts and rising sea levels, the meetings this week have made little tangible progress. In truth we’re no nearer a solution than we were prior to the Copenhagen conference which ended with an accord proffered by President Obama which has subsequently been dismissed and criticized by multiple U.N. members.

The gap between China and the US remains seemingly untenable which leads concern that the counsel will not be able to make forward strides until such time that the two biggest culprits in greenhouse gas emissions find some common ground and push the process forward. China have recently taken over the global lead in CO2 emissions from the United States but per capita the leader remains the US.  With more than 40% of all emissions from these two giants it stands to reason that the reduction must hinge on what these two governments can agree upon.

Serious moves to reduce global warming on an international scale keep getting pushed back ‘until the next meeting’ which is unacceptable. It is time for voters to seek politicians who are intent on cutting emissions immediately rather than broker away another 12 months of our futures.

Tags: clean air, climate summit meetings, co2 emissions, copehagen accord, environmental damage, Global Warming, government role in eco issues, green policy, greenhouse gas emissions, leading carbon emissions per nation, rising sea levels, UN Climate Summit