In any case, the Jakarta meeting should be less contentious than last year's gathering in Brunei.

CNN: TEST OF WILLS

But the talks in L'Aquila at least suggest some prospect for progress during the complicated bargaining and trade-offs ahead of the Copenhagen meeting, which is likely to be at least as contentious, and complex, as the Kyoto gathering in 1997.

ECONOMIST: The G8 and climate change

The sometimes contentious issue is among several up for discussion during a weekend gathering of the Council of Great Lakes Governors on this Lake Huron resort island.

WSJ: Great Lakes governors seek agreement on invasives