As delegates from 193 countries gathered in Mexico for the climate summit in Cancun, the problem of climate change seems to be suffering from a lack of movement.
A recent poll by GlobeScan, an international consulting firm, shows a sharp decline in the level of public concern worldwide about the problem.
The survey of 26 countries has taken more than 13,000 people to assess the severity of a number of environmental problems like climate change. The results showed that the percentage of those who refused to climate change as "very serious" rating of 61 percent last year to 53 percent this year, after many years of increasing concern.
Other results of the survey show that the percentage of people beyond the control of countries that believe that "the dangers of climate change are exaggerated," rose from 42 percent in 2008 to 48 percent this year.
North-South divide
Chris Coulter, Vice-President of GlobeScan said that the world is witnessing a North-South divide on climate change, with levels of concern remain stable or growing in emerging markets and decline in Europe and North America.
"The combined effects of recession seems to have confused the results of the climate conference in Copenhagen last year, and shake the controversy surrounding climate research, the faith of people in industrialized countries that climate change is an urgent problem to be addressed" he said.
"That makes it less likely that governments feel pressure to reach a solid agreement in Cancun."
Paul worked at honing, an expert on the feasibility of a series of global environmental problems as a diplomat, is the danger of the growing indifference to the issue of climate change.
"The problem of climate change that could go to public opinions from top to bottom, the emissions is just one way. And that inevitably means increasing the average global temperature, climate and instability all around the world," he said.
"But public opinion can move quickly. It can awaken a bit 'over the floods in Pakistan or India, heat waves and forest fires in Russia, or a series of bad harvests in the United States in mid-western public again .
Then some tough questions about what happens, and who will pay the damages. "
Here to stay
A disturbing change after the break, the recent recovery of large financial press that climate change is inevitable summer.
"The Economist magazine last week with the cover" How to live with climate change, "al. After years of climate change, saying that there was nothing to fear, even conservative analysts now see that great changes have been initiated."
Given that this aspect is more widespread, could have a significant impact on climate policy, "said Hohnen.
"Instead of stopping to try to slow climate change, more efforts can now be found in this adaptation means more dams, buildings and forecast for intensive agriculture to finance, funds are withdrawn for new local infrastructure and drive. Defense-building measures in this case, we will see profound consequences for international trade and finance”
It 'difficult to determine who was responsible for the failure of the summit last year in the absence of Copenhagen, but the stakes are high and the mistrust among the participants that do not contribute to creating a climate conducive to open discussion. Increasing expectations and approach the summit of conflict, politicians are still reluctant to important commitments that have not been at home will be supported.
After the conference in Copenhagen was probably still possible to join an international agreement on climate change has been activated.
This time, the participants recognized that it is not in their interest to provide great optimism for an agreement. The fact that the delegates - not ministers - to prepare the diplomatic ground is a clear signal that the final agreement will not be available in Cancun, which does not mean that the work being done in Mexico, is no less critical.
Despite reports of growing public indifference, the researchers found that the environmental problems facing the world deteriorate. Thursday ', the World Meteorological Organization reported that 2010 on the road, one of the three warmest years since 2001 to 2010 period the warmest decade, he has recorded.
The air temperature on Earth during this period, higher than normal in many parts of the world. Abnormalities of the hottest product in both regions. The first covers Canada and Greenland, with annual temperatures of three or more degrees above normal in western Greenland and the Canadian Arctic and sub-arctic.
The second area where most of the northern half of Africa and South Asia, extending eastwards to the western half of China, with annual temperatures of up to three degrees above normal over much of the region.
Scientists say that global warming is gradually should give more and more frequent droughts and floods and has published a report on the Conference on Friday, said about 350,000 lives per year at risk of natural disasters.
Prepared by a group of vulnerable countries by the island state of Maldives and Dara, a research group based in Madrid humanitarian vulnerability to climate change Monitor 2010 was launched, said the impact of climate change can lead to death five million people by 2020 and cause the greatest number of one million deaths a year by 2030 if global warming is not slowed.
"Bunker-mode"
Cancun is a huge challenge for a replacement of the old Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012 design. The delegates have so far struggled to bash an agreement on emissions of greenhouse gases that would satisfy both rich and poor. Todd Stern, the American envoy said that climate change would be a mistake if a disagreement on the Kyoto Protocol, the negotiations ceased.
"I think it might be that the problems completely stop the Kyoto conference. I am very confident that this will not happen because I'll be a great mistake to think. ... In terms of you have asked if the United States to have a world 2012 without a legally binding agreement. This is not a question of being happy is a matter of trying to see what the real world can progress on this issue is to do, "he said.
Another round of climate negotiations did not signal to the market that will not help to send the process of transition to a sustainable economy. There will be question marks over whether the space is a good idea to invest in energy efficiency and renewables, because governments do not seem in a hurry to solve problems.
If governments fail to reach agreement at Cancun, there is a risk that some countries are in what Paul calls Hohnen bunker mode, "go where the rich countries to invest more in their security and reduce the prospects for a global agreement.
"If a global agreement in short, where all countries have their share of voters in the rich North are not in accord with their taxes are used for the prevention of climate change in the south. Although this may be the political or scientific ethics, it is not difficult to imagine a political union. The irony is that this is probably the first time to talk about ex-climate skeptics. "
In the human species to leave Africa about 80,000 years ago, the increase was due to climate change. There are natural cycles of climate change through a series of factors causes, but human-induced climate change is faster than expected type occurs.
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