Democrats finally passed climate legislation, does it matter?

Over the past 25 years, nearly 1.2 billion people around the world have been lifted out of poverty, while both malnutrition and the risk of death from air pollution have decreased. Taken together, these achievements are nothing short of a miracle. But two global trends now threaten to slow the momentum in reducing poverty.

Inter Press Service, 2012-06-07. 

RIO+20: Earth Summit Negotiated the Size of the Zero By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 7 2012 (IPS) - Amidst much political fanfare, the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded with the adoption of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the landmark Agenda 21 blueprint for a sustainable future in the 21st century.   Still, there was widespread disappointment over the final outcome of that conference – primarily because there were no firm funding commitments by the world’s rich nations. (...) 

Little progress seen at UN climate change talks 10/8/2010 Experts say climate talks have been stymied by national self-interest (...) Given the mounting obstacles to a significant climate change agreement, Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, director of the Danish think tank Copenhagen Consensus Center and author of “The Skeptical Environmentalist,” says he’s hoping for a return to the proverbial drawing board.