The UN climate change treaty, signed in 1992, committed the world to avoiding “dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. Yet, since that time, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to soar.

The US has proved to be the biggest laggard in the world, refusing to sign the 1997 Kyoto protocol or to adopt any effective domestic emissions controls. As we head into the global summit in Copenhagen in December to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto protocol, the US is once again the focus of concern. Even now, American politics remains strongly divided over climate change – though President Barack Obama has new opportunities to break the logjam.

Read More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/oct/23/us-coal-states-copenhagen