Preparations for the Rio+20 United Nations conference on sustainable development have begun, but the first round of preparatory meetings did not address important issues such as sustainable resource use, production and consumption.

How does the UNFCCC select its various locations for its annual climate change meets? What I am hinting at is, why Cancun? Why, for that matter, Copenhagen, Poznan or Bali? I have been told that cities vie for the honour, just like a sporting event such as the Olympics or the Asiad, and pay for it.

It is in the interest of developing countries to agree to legally binding national emission limits alone to secure their fair share of the global carbon budget.

Copenhagen Accord: country submissions

By now, Australia, US, China and EU have all sent their letters to UNFCCC secretariat regarding their ‘willingness to support’ the Copenhagen Accord or not. It is interestingly to break down the communication and to read between the lines.

It is no wonder that a friend of mine, a chartered accountant, is still confused about climate change causing severe winter while it is all about global warming. I am sure there are millions in the world who are oscillating between the hot and cold of climate change.