When it comes to directing developments in global carbon reduction - are the UN up to the job?

Last month, it crushed me to read the international statistics on carbon reduction. The limelight in December has moved to the UN and the results from the recent 2 week UN summit held in South Africa was quite straight forward. The demonstrations at the Climate Change Conference really summed up where we are internationally with our attempts to slow global warming. Realistically, carbon reduction is going nowhere until we have real buy in from the power economies of China, India and the US.

The European Union have promised to set a new carbon reduction target (potentially exceeding 30%) in early 2012 and Denmark have made it clear that they really want to ramp up the targets. However, all eyes were on China, Brazil and India as huge contributors to world C02 emissions. The new Kyoto driven targets will incorporate all three nations. Inspirational words came from South African icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "We have only one home. This is the only home we have," he said. "For your own sakes, you who are rich, we are inviting you: Come on the side of right."

Information communication technology (ICT) was also highlighted as a threat to carbon reduction targets. As ICT equipment and related services is booming the electricity usage associated with this is the issue. Microsoft and Google have both pushed their energy efficiency efforts quite publicly but this sector will gradually come more into the carbon reduction limelight.

The good news? Well, pressure continues to mount on the vast continents of the world that are churning out high volumes of C02 with no real carbon reduction commitment. Reluctantly, all major international forces will have carbon reduction targets to deliver on and so it does look like progress is being made.