Bali climate summit – just another round of talks, or will we see action?

As Rudd (our new Prime Minister, for all non-Aussies) rightly said about the importance of emissions cuts: "There is no plan B; there is no other planet any of us can escape to."

Now that Rudd has decided to sign and hand over the Kyoto protocol, the US are the only major developed nation outside the pact to fight climate change. Quite a change for Australian politics, since Howard (our former PM) never would have thought of signing.

So, what I actually wanted to get at: The conference ends on Friday, so far I can’t see any results.. Some politicians say there need to be fixed numbers written down, others say that’s not a good plan.

A good quote from Ban Ki-Moon’s speech, that sums it all up: “What the world expects from Bali - from all of you - is an agreement to launch negotiations towards a comprehensive climate change agreement. You need to set an agenda - a roadmap to a more secure climate future, coupled with a tight time-line that produces a deal by Protected content . The date is crucial not only to ensure continuity after Protected content , when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires -- but equally, to address the desperate urgency of the situation itself.(…) If we leave Bali without such a breakthrough, we will not only have failed our leaders, but also those who look to us to find solutions, namely, the peoples of this world.”

(read more of his speech here: Protected content )

What are your thoughts on the issue? Will Bali achieve a breakthrough, or at least some kind of agreement, or will it all be put off until the next year again?

Just a little afterthought: Is signing a contract going to save our planet? Or is our planet in danger at all?