Europe Bypassed on Climate Summit

In the days before 170 countries meet to discuss global climate change in Copenhagen, the EU is losing influence to the US and China, the worlds highest emitters of greenhouse gases. While Europe has pushed harder than any to make the outcome at Copenhagen a success, matching the influence of the US and China will be difficult. Europe is hoping to have enough political influence to effect the global decisions on cutting back greenhouse gas emissions. The EU has split ideas on how to approach developing nations and will need to work as a whole in order to be most influential at the climate conference.
This article presents one of the biggest possible difficulties that could occur at the Copenhagen conference. As in the past, the US has been the final decision maker with these issues thanks to superpower status. If the delegates from the United States and China do not make appropriate compromises with the EU, the Copenhagen decision could be unsuccessful. All countries must find a way to come together in agreement for change, even if it means putting political clout aside at points.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/science/earth/02iht-euclimate.html?_r=1&ref=earth