The narritive this morning in the UK media has shifted to blaming Chinese intransigence and lauding the heroic efforts of Ed Milliband, but all this misses the point.
The force that prevented real action wasn't one country against another, it was an idea - the idea that economic growth is the only thing that matters and must at all costs be allowed to continue. This idea is present in the thinking of almost all of the 'leaders' at Copenhagen although it expressed itself in different ways - The US wants to to continue their growth that has been going on for a century or two, China has just got a taste of it and wants more and many developing countries have looked on longingly and want their chance to sup this magical elixir.
But the truth is that none of these countries can have what they want. Any solution must first recognise this and then decide how to distribute the kind of opportunities that we can sustain.
