This Explains A Lot

The above picture helps to illustrate why industrialized nations seem so cavalier about climate change. Click here for details.

Meanwhile, Stephen Harper's climate soul mate, Australia's Tony Abbott, has just extended a giant middle finger to the world's developing countries:

Australia is resisting a last-ditch push by the US, France and other European countries for G20 leaders at next week’s meeting in Brisbane to back contributions to the Green Climate Fund.

The Green Climate Fund aims to help poorer countries cut their emissions and prepare for the impact of climate change, and is seen as critical to securing developing-nation support for a successful deal on reducing emissions at the United Nations meeting in Paris next year.

Such stellar leadership. Such monumental selfishness. Such compelling reasons to despair.