Between the nagging woes of a deflated national economic and the thunderhead of another presidential election gathering on the horizon, the likelihood of the U.
S.
Congress passing a comprehensive climate change bill is quickly dimming.
But maybe it doesn't matter.
If the recent trend is any indication, maybe star-studded non-governmental organizations with full coffers and political muscle can do more than beleaguered nations with brimming agendas.
The United States is the global leader in consuming natural resources and producing greenhouse gas emissions.
Because of its environmental impact and long shadow of political influence the U.
S.
is often looked to for climate change leadership from the international community.
For various reasons - some practical, like the amount of economic re-tooling and restructuring that is involved in curbing fossil fuel emissions, to some less pragmatic, like the quagmire of debate about the how real climate change is - the U.
S.
is shying away from that leadership role.
The U.
S.
federal government is not alone in its inability to get on board with any of the international treaties or agreements on climate change; let alone develop laws that would limit emissions while promoting growth in alternative energy, carbon trading, and green-collar jobs.
Some nations are preparing for a changing climate, and others continue to struggle in finding the right course of action.
While national governments get swept up in geopolitics and security issues that are more attuned to old-line concerns like trade agreements and border disputes, non-governmental organizations have the ability to focus solely on the issue at hand: what to do about climate change.
That's why the recent announcement of New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg's partnership with Bill Clinton might make sense.
The two politicians are figureheads for an organization called the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
The goal of the group is to gather the leaders of the world's 40 largest cities and develop locally adapted strategies to the one of the planet's most pressing problems.
By gathering local leaders they want to " meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2015 and maintain economic growth," said Bill Clinton in a recent press conference announcing the partnership.
After all, maybe it makes sense to frame the climate change issue as a local challenge.
National governments have already proven their inability to create and sustain any kind of reform or policy that will have an impact.
Maybe cities, more so than nations, are better equipped to take the kind of localized, fast-moving action necessary.
According to the C40 Group, cities take up only two percent of the earth's landmass but contain 50 percent of its population.
This means these small islands of humanity account for roughly two-thirds of the world's energy use and generate up to 70 percent of its carbon emissions.
So maybe someday soon mayors might become more important in the battle to slow climate change than presidents, prime ministers, and other high-ranking officials.
Only time will tell whether or not the strategy will work.
In the meantime, while nations grapple with the age-old problems of trade, war, and finance, the idea of the glimmering city that fosters opportunity and success is getting a whole new context.