By Ben Gill

This week marks 25 years since the discovery of a hole in the ozone layer by British scientists Joseph Farman, Brian Gardiner, and Jonathan Shanklin of the British Antarctic Survey.  The ozone is the Earth’s protective layer against damaging effect from ultraviolet rays. However it also marks an unprecedented international response, with the Montreal Protocol written up within two years and becoming the first UN treaty to achieve universal ratification last year.

Swift action has already begun reversal of the damage. So, if we mobilised globally to solve an anthropogenic environmental threat then, why so much difficulty in tackling climate change today?

There are now at least three lengthy accounts circulating of that crucial meeting between key heads of state on the last official day of the Copenhagen climate conference, where hopes for a firm and binding climate agreement were dashed.

The latest to join the canon is Der Spiegel, which has published an English translation of its ‘secret recordings’ story from the meeting. It’s predictably full of drama:

“We have all along been saying ‘Don’t prejudge options!,’” said a representative of the Indian delegation*, prompting Merkel to burst out: “Then you don’t want legally binding!” This, in turn, prompted the Indian negotiator to say angrily: “Why do you prejudge options? All along you have said don’t prejudge options and now you are prejudging options. This is not fair!” Chinese negotiator He Yafei stood by this remark.

This is a fascinating account and the story should be read in full.  Putting it together with the other accounts is even more revealing.

China’s backslide on its energy intensity targets might have come at a bad time, as the country prepares to host climate talks with ministers from 25 countries on Friday.

The New York Times reports that the country’s cabinet held a special meeting to discuss the problems meeting energy targets, and that Premier Wen Jiabao said: “We can never break our pledge, stagger our resolution or weaken our efforts, no matter how difficult it is.”

Meanwhile there are new reports from the Chinese press saying the country will redouble its efforts.