The international politics of climate change

The signing of a convention which would begin to tackle the threat of human-induced climate change is expected to be a centrepiece of the June 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development. Negotiations to date have already revealed serious divisions of interest, of which those dividing North and South still predominate. This article suggests that the best prospects for building an effective long-term regime will arise from seeking to develop non-traditional alliances across the North—South divide, so as to form a central coalition that more reluctant states will ultimately have to accept. The convention to be signed at Rio will not solve the greenhouse problem, but it could form the basis for negotiations that can start effectively to address it.