World still far away from success in global climate talks?

Increased number of scientists and environmentalists started losing faith in success of new climate deal. There just seems to be too big gap in opinions between developed and developing countries to achieve massive greenhouse gas cuts needed to fight climate change. Developing countries like India and China are very likely to significantly increase their CO2 emissions in next couple of decades but still avoid obligations to significantly cut their greenhouse gas emissions until developed countries start meeting reduction targets.

When you look at it from their point of view they are absolutely right to do so because their per-capita emissions will be much lower than those of many major industrialized countries. Yes, China and India have much bigger population than other industrialized nations but we have to ask ourselves a question who is actually responsible for climate change problem. China and India only recently started their tremendous industrial and economic growth, and country most responsible for man-made climate change is definitely U.S.

I fully understand Chinese and Indian diplomats, they must be asking themselves how do you expect us to make serious cuts in greenhouse gas emissions when you who started this terrible mess won't give us the right example in doing so.

But of course the question of strong industry is still very much a number one priority for developed countries. Fears that industry will weaken and create economic weaknesses are still much more powerful than fear of what climate change will bring us in years to come. Phrase "our economy will suffer" is still far more important than "our planet will suffer" and as long this remains starting point of global climate talks we won't see any positive change. Only more disappointments and political mind games.