Why Cancun Matters

Don't buy into the apathy about this year's climate negotiations

Nov. 29, 2010 - After a year of anticipation and two weeks of frenzied negotiations, last December's Copenhagen climate summit ended in frustration and acrimony. It's no surprise, then, that as negotiators descend on Cancun today for the next round of U.N. talks, many have concluded that the negotiations no longer matter. The headlines say it all: "Cancun Climate Talks Get Dim Prognosis for Success" (Bloomberg); "Expectations for Climate Change Conference Limited" (Voice of America); "Cancun Climate Negotiations Headed Nowhere" (Indian Express, quoting the top Indian climate negotiator). Policymakers are even more pessimistic in private than they have been in public.

Reporters, opinionators, and analysts are right to have limited hopes for Cancun but dangerously wrong if they think the meeting is unimportant. {read rest}