‘A prolonged and solemn farce,” Churchill’s description of 1930s disarmament talks, applies even more accurately to the annual round of UN climate talks, which just wrapped up their 17th year of world-saving negotiations in Durban, South Africa, with another 11th-hour “breakthrough” that amounts only to agreeing to meet again next year and repeat the farce.

What do the endlessly repeating cycle of futile Eurozone rescue talks and the endlessly repeating cycle of futile annual UN climate summits have in common? Put more plainly, what accounts for the unreality of both efforts, such that "breakthrough" agreements are soon recognized to be ineffective, if not fraudulent?

This AEI event will discuss the battle over greenhouse gas control bills. What are the cost implications? Are they likely to be effective?

Iraqi leaders are determined to come to grip with their own problems, assume responsibility for the solutions, andaccept all Iraqis regardless of religion.

The United Nations conference in Copenhagen will follow in the hypocritical footsteps of Kyoto, with countries declaring their resolution to curb GHG emissions while at the same time either refusing to pay the costs or claiming exemption from controls.

Samuel Thernstrom believes geoengineering may have an important role to play, both practically and conceptually, in the climate challenge process.

Gradually lowering greenhouse gas emissions would be worthwhile were all states to join in the effort, but absent such strong, broad-based action, countries should explore other means of limiting harm from climate change.

Climate change might pose a grave threat, but emissions containment is both costly and politically impractical, so climate engineering is beginning to look like the last best hope.