There is an excellent opinion piece in today's Australian by Bjorn Lomborg. He must have been listening to me :)

Take-away points:

THE past 20 years of international climate negotiations have essentially achieved nothing.

Japan could - incredible as it sounds - end up showing the world how to tackle global warming effectively.

Only the Europeans and a few others remain devoted to significant expenses for tiny outcomes.

By the end of the century (after a total cost [to the EU] of more than $20 trillion), [the EU policies] will reduce the projected temperature increase by a mere 0.05C.

[Renewable energy is expensive and ineffective.]

[I]nnovation would push down the costs for future generations of wind, solar and other amazing possibilities [read 'nuclear', but not yet ready to say to his audience the hated 'N' word.] If green technology could be cheaper than fossil fuels, everyone would switch, not just a token number of well-meaning rich people. We would not need to convene yet more climate summits that eventually come to nothing.

- See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/a-green-future-for-all/story-fni1hfs5-1226765589148#sthash.mzEtlTji.dpu