The developed countries in 2009 (including US, Britain, and Canada) have contributed to only 15% of carbon (fossil fuel) emissions in the atmosphere. China and developing countries A (those whose economies are on the rise) are at about 30%. Developing countries B (smaller economy/high poverty) contribute to the remaining 51%.
However, developed countries make up 74% of the *TOTAL* amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (cumulatively over the past several decades), while so far developing countries A have only contributed 18% in total, and developing countries B only at 9% total.
China in particular, although they have made steps to reducing their carbon emissions through reforestation and green energy solutions, have been particularly stubborn at the Copenhagen summit in 2009 because they believe the developed nations (including the US) should be contributing *MORE* to the effort of reducing the total amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere since 74% of the pollution is of their fault. They go on to say that more restrictions on developing countries A is just a way to limit their economic growth etc. In other words, China and India and others will agree to do something, if the developed nations agree to do *MORE*.
Will China budge on the air pollution flowing over to Cali? Well this is the last day of the Cancun summit, so hopefully that topic is brought up with the Chinese delegates there. Not sure what they'll do otherwise if no real deal is struck between developed and developing countries.
(BTW the whole point of these summit talks is to reduce the total amount of carbon in the atmosphere in order to slow global temperature increase and rising sea levels - specifically, work towards only a 2 degrees celcius increase in world temperature by 2100. We mainly need a global agreement to avoid a 5 degree celcius increase, or massive problems will occur such as mass extinction of wildlife, widespread coral mortality due to bleaching, coastal flooding, and increase in the spread of disease.)
