Nightmare on Cancun Street

The divide between key countries has even got personal.

Su has started referring to the US publicly as "a developed country [he] won't name" before bucketing their involvement and negotiating position.

Considering the normal pleasantries of diplomatic exchanges, Su's comments demonstrate how little good will is left.

Another challenge is that in recognition of mitigation efforts, developing countries want an annual $100 billion international climate change fund established and financed by developed world taxpayers "as part of the repayment of their climate debt".

In response to the proposal, chief US climate negotiator Jonathan Pershing has described the financial demands on the US from some countries as being "staggering sums out of line with reality".

But there's been no discussion in Australia about how our contribution will be financed, including whether previous proposals for new taxes on internationally traded goods will be imposed that will disproportionately harm geographically isolated economies dependent on trade.

These realities bode poorly for Australia as the Gillard government continues to be pulled by the collar by the Greens to take on expensive mitigation commitments out of step with the international community.

For Australia's sake let's hope Combet gets a wake-up call when he arrives in Cancun next week.