Nice plea, but I think you better get used to more pain ahead for poor nations.

Sure, there has long been a divide between rich and poor nations, or between western and others. But there will also be a split between poorer nations as evident by China and India also wanting not to be tied to legal pollution targets. Do they really care about even poor nations?. Yes, but China and India have joined forces to argue that they should not have to do anything while their economies grow faster and faster as everyone's expense.

Keep dreaming if you think westerners are going to accept such rubbish after years of promoting international trade, which has allowed China and India to improve its gross wealth and the lifestyles of its elites and privileged minorities.

Sure, the environment will be the ultimate test of humanity's ability to cooperate, but Western nations are unlikeley to give in and make dramatic concessions which will hasten their decline. Environmental solutions will probably reflect their desire to play the leadership role, albeit that proposed solutions (ETS or carbon tax) will suit their interests most.

It is great to be hopeful, but perhaps unfortunately, I have moved on from my optimistic undergraduate days to be a bit more pessimistic (or realistic) about possible solutions.

Neverthless, we must always dream, hope and argue our case.

Deary me Kellie, sounds like you are on a severe Western guilt trip,
with that article.

I note that Nigeria and Sudan have been making some of the most
noise in Copenhagen, both nations with multi billion Dollar oil
incomes. Sadly that money seemingly never gets to the poor who
really need it, but is siphoned off by the elites, for their
personal benefit, or in Sudan's case, to buy weapons.

The last thing that the West should do is hand big chunks of money
to the third world.

Instead, what makes sense is to have specific programmes, where
money is accounted for and the results can be seen. Greatly
improved family planning programmes would be a great place to
start, for they are still popping them out like rabbits in parts
of the third world.

“Having been on the receiving end of Western sneakiness and greed for so long…”

That’s not a fair comment. Developing countries – which don’t seem to be doing any real ‘developing’ – would have fizzled out a long time ago if it were not for foreign aid from the West. And our foolish Prime Minister was all set to move much more of our wealth to these countries (with no guarantee that it would be used properly) until his mad scheme was knocked in the head by the Senate. He still intends to try pushing it though again next year.

And, why should the World Bank not provide loans (which might never be repaid anyway) instead of free grants to counties with poor economic records, with corrupt leaders adding to the risk?

Any sympathy with the ludicrous claims and demands of African countries and others is misguided

If what you are saying is true then our Politicians belong in the same League as Bankers ; The Farce Freaks .

Yes always refreshing to be reminded by a self hating bleeding heart, how evil us successful westerners are evil and how bad it is for third world despots who are down to their last 5 billion. Hell they may have to stop building palaces.

Kellie seems to be interested in womens rights, perhaps she could ask the Sudanese how their going with Womens rights in Darfur.

One country's poverty is not caused by another country's riches. Its actually the poor countries where greed and corruption are rife more often than the rich which is, in part, why they cannot progress. Check the World Corruption Index and see where the African nations appear.

Yet Kellie wants to hand over money to leaders of such countries without any restrictions. Poor countries see Copenhagen and AGW as an opportunity to obtain a handout from the West, money which will inevitably disappear into a black hole of corruption and sometimes violence.

Just ask Bob Geldof whose Live Aid money went to NGOs in Ethiopia, some of which were under the influence or control of the Derg military junta which used the money to fund its enforced resettlement programmes where between 50,000 and 100,000 people were killed.