The big "loser" this election was us

In September, 2007, an Environmental Monitor poll found two-thirds of Canadians considered climate change a "very serious" problem. In no other developed nation was concern higher.

What a difference a year can make.

Channel 4 - News - 'Save banks. Let the planet burn'

On a similar theme, we'll be looking at the worrying trade off between climate change targets and turmoil in the economy.

There are growing fears that global warming plans are going to be shelved as countries are confronted with financial problems.

"Save the banks and let the planet burn?"

"There's a big meeting of European countries in Copenhagen next year when the EU countries are going to have to lay their targets on the table.

"If they water those targets down now, China and India - the ones we need to get on board with this - will just laugh at them.

"People have told me that if the targets start getting downgraded now, because of the economic crisis, then it could be the beginning of the end for the whole Kyoto process."

Unusually given their previous green credentials, it appears it is the Germans that are really getting cold feet over setting ambitious climate change limits...