Many of the cutting-edge technologies in areas such as wind and solar power and waste treatment have been developed by rich world scientists and companies in Europe and the US, and many of the most fertile places for their adoption are in emerging markets such as China and India. European and American science combined with efficient and cheap Chinese manufacturing should be a powerful combination. But experts say that, with the issue of trade in environmental goods and services mired in mistrust between rich countries and poor, much potential is being lost. And though traditional trade barriers such as import tariffs are not having a huge effect in blocking such international commerce, suspicion over the protection of intellectual property certainly is.

Bernice Lee, head of the energy, environment and development programme at Chatham House, the London think-tank, says: “Recently there has been a shift within the EU and the US from a more defensive stance on climate change to a more entrepreneurial one. But what is missing is the impetus to carry these technologies round the world to help meet the climate goals.”

The Bali international climate change conference at the end of 2007 saw a rancorous stand-off between rich and poor nations as to what should count as an “environmental good”. The European Union and US suggested cutting to zero the trade tariffs on a range of goods such as solar panels and solar-driven boilers and concluding a wider agreement on environmental goods and services.