LAST weekend, our family took a drive to visit friends in Kuala Lumpur. The round trip added about 200kg of carbon dioxide to the air.

TEXT AND ILLUSTRATION: LARRY HAVERKAMP AND MAROO

It sounds like a lot but it's a small part of the 10 billion kilos the world adds each year from burning carbon fuels like oil, natural gas, coal and wood.

Carbon dioxide accounts for about 60per cent of 'greenhouse gases' which trap heat reflected from the earth's surface. Since it can't escape, it warms the planet and contributes to today's hot topic: global warming.

World leaders from 193 nations met last week in Copenhagen, Denmark, to build on the previous treaty drafted in Kyoto in 1997.

The Kyoto treaty had problems. It set legally binding carbon dioxide emission limits for developed countries with no restrictions on developing nations, including two of the worst polluters: China and India.

Another drawback: The US refused to sign it.

Ice caps at the North and South Poles reflect heat and light back into space. If they melt, global warming accelerates.

Last week, former US Vice-President AlGore gave the Copenhagen conference a shock when he presented new evidence that North Pole ice has a 75 per cent chance of completely disappearing in five to seven years.

Once melted, the ice caps are not easy to regenerate. It would take a new ice age to bring them back.

Global warming's most deadly effect is shifting weather patterns.

It reduces agricultural output, resulting in starvation, especially in developing countries which lack technologies to adapt, such as irrigation.

Sea levels will also rise. At the present rate, carbon dioxide will raise the earth's temperature by at least 3 deg C. The last time the earth was 3 deg C warmer, sea levels were 25m higher.

Singapore is especially vulnerable since only a small portion of the population can squeeze onto Bukit Timah Hill.

Experts finally agree that global warming is for real. Unfortunately, no one can agree who should make the sacrifices needed to save the planet.

The US special envoy on climate change, Mr Todd Stern, said in Copenhagen: 'There is no way to solve this problem by giving major developing countries a pass.'

He singled out China as a special concern.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd mentioned that China had just passed the US as the world's largest polluter.

Next, China accused the US of trickery, after which African nations joined in and attacked the greed of all developed countries. Things went downhill from there.

At the end, world leaders reached a watered-down agreement with no emission targets, no inspections and no legal enforcement.

They will meet in Germany next year to try again.

Rich: You stop Poor: You stop

HERE is an imaginary conversation which shows the divide between rich and poor nations. It all comes down to money.

Rich Nations: You expect us to do all the pollution reduction and pay you too? It's outrageous!

Poor Nations: Hey, you got rich from polluting the world over the past 100 years. Now you want us to remain pure and poor. No way! You pay!

Rich Nations: Here's the deal: Cut your carbon dioxide emissions. Make it legally binding and open to inspection.

In return, we will pay you for your trouble: US$10 billion ($14b) in each of 2010, 2011 and 2012. After that, we'll see how it goes.

Poor Nations: Ha, ha! You are making a joke, right? We accept your cheapskate offer for a starter, but increase it to US$100b per year by 2020. Otherwise, smell our smoke.

Rich Nations: It's late. We're sleepy. We accept.

That is how discussions ended in Copenhagen. After two years of hard work, the best brains from 193 nations failed in their goal of replacing the 1997 Kyoto treaty with legally binding and verifiable carbon dioxide reductions for all nations.

Was it our last chance to save the planet? Possibly.

It's a lot like the bickering that took place between dinosaurs millions of years ago. They couldn't agree on who should stop polluting first, with the tragic result that all became extinct.

That is a little-known fact. If you don't believe me, look around and tell me how many dinosaurs you see.

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