The Battle of Bali...

Yes, at the forefront of the battle is the G-77...yes, the G-77...

The Battle of Bali is underway, as The Times of India (December 4) reports: ‘India teams up with China, Pak[istan] at climate change meet’:

“At Bali ... battling for its right to development, India has found its best friends across the borders - China and Pakistan.”

Long-standing political problems are clearly being laid aside to oppose the blandishments of the bullying Neo-Colonial North:

“The border dispute and other troubles seem far away for officials at the climate change frontlines - their only brief is to ensure that India and China have the space and opportunity to grow unhindered by cuts and targets.

So, anybody expecting India and China to play differently were disappointed - through the day there was a frantic to-ing and fro-ing between the officials to make sure the two countries were on the same page.

And they have help - from Pakistan. Pakistan is now the chairman of the G-77...” [The ‘Group of 77’ (G-77) at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing countries, designed to promote its members’ collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint-negotiating capacity. They are starting to flex their muscles]

Moreover, the G-77 may have a weakening and less than united foe:

“The threat to western lifestyles as a result of emission cuts is becoming difficult politically. So while Australia, under new PM Kevin Rudd, took a U-turn by ratifying Kyoto, Canada, under conservative Stephen Harper, took a different turn.”

So, what is the G-77 approach?

"The first thing that the rich countries should do is set their own house in order and start reducing emissions," Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the Chair of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is reported as saying.

"Secondly they have to find means by which they can assist the developing countries ... there has to be a serious effort to transfer technology."