By Howard Robin

... The issue of climate change is of global significance in context of its potential impacts as well as the strategies that are needed to address the phenomenon. This is evident in the high level of participation of individual countries as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the climate change regime... Many countries have recognised the need to address the issue of climate change.  However, their ability to influence a global policy varies due to their unique economic, political, technological and military capacity.  Some countries have been able to significantly influence decisions on international policy, while others have hampered or retarded the implementation of those policies.  Therefore, this inequity of economic and political power has encouraged political alliances to be forged...the presence of all these groups has positive implication especially for the least powerful political and economic states. The position and needs of these states would not have been heard if they were standing on their own. These states are able to make a more forceful statement by their numbers, using their collective resources and expertise and articulating their position through the most influential parties.