The summit showed how the confluence of an economic crisis and feckless negotations are making it harder for governments to commit to sustainability. But business still has a role.

The still-unproven carbon capture and storage technology is one of the most controversial topics among the business community at COP17. Will the ability to sequester emissions from fossil fuels save us, or doom us to rapid climate change?

Cities are the place where so much of the climate change solution lies, which is why mayors are making their voices heard at the Cancun climate summit. They are committed to finding sustainable solutions and keen to criticize national governments for not helping them to succeed by continuing, for example, to subsidize fossil fuels.