Copenhagen update: It's about the money

Yesterday the International Herald Tribune reported that the African Union, fearing that they may be forced to return to Africa with no cash in their pockets, has returned to talks at Copenhagen with a new proposal: "Reflecting the gulf between north and south over money, the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, speaking on behalf of the African Union, offered to reduce to $100 billion a proposal for wealthy countries to provide energy and adaptation aid of $400 billion a year starting in 2020," the paper reported.

It is clear that the main objective of the African Union is to get payed. What's more, they feel they are entitled. Thanks to overblown reports of man's role in climate change, the feeling across Africa (and other developing areas) is that their environmental woes are being caused by "the north."

This is another unfortunate example of how these Copenhagen talks are about economics, not the environment. Perhaps the African Union should try listening to the wisdom held in the words of "The Gambler": "You never count your money, while you're sittin' at the table, there'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done."