Negotiations between the US and China on a new regime to combat climate change are sticking on the question of technology transfer.

Developing countries have had a relatively small role historically in producing carbon emissions as their industrial revolution was relatively recent (and continuing), but it is feared they will soon make up for lost time.

The general dynamic of talks  between developed and developing countries is expected to be that developing countries will agree to emissions constraints only in return for the transfer of clean technologies to support sustainable high economic growth.

The US, however, is balking at aggravating already poor balance of trade with China.

According to AFP:

"The US House of Representatives this month unanimously voted to make it US policy to prevent the Copenhagen treaty from "weakening" US intellectual property rights on a wind, solar and other eco-friendly technologies."