And yet--if only to insure against catastrophic global climate change that could irreversibly damage the world's human, natural and physical capital--an effective global agreement on mitigation must be achieved and put into force by the time the Kyoto Protocol's implementation period ends in 2012.

FORBES: Carbon Prices, Not Quotas

Conference was intended to produce a framework agreement for climate change mitigation beyond 2012, as a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

FORBES: Climate Friend or Foe? China in Copenhagen

It is not surprising that Bali is unlikely to achieve anything tangible, for it is aimed at the hardest part of climate-change mitigation getting an international agreement which all the big emitters ratify.

ECONOMIST: Climate change

The costs of failing to reduce climate risk must be internalised in the negotiations or agreement will be reached merely by lowering ambition for mitigation .

BBC: Climate compensation row at Doha

The Leaders found common ground among the critical pillars of mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology, which are necessary for any successful agreement in Copenhagen.

WHITEHOUSE: THE WHITE HOUSE