The difficulty in reaching a global deal to mitigate the affects of climate change simply shows that the media still has a big role to play. That is especially true in the US, where skeptics of global warming seem to be gaining ground. Climate legislation has become less likely after the mid-term elections. Yet per capita carbon emissions in the US are among the highest in the world.

Although many Chinese journalists are covering the Cancun conference, major newspapers and news portals in the country are also less than enthusiastic about the topic. For China, the challenge for its media to inform and enlighten the public about the issue is equally challenging.

Yes, China's per capita emission is still low and much of the emissions by manufacturing industries are actually relocated from industrialized countries. These are true. Yet that should not be used as an excuse for China to slow down its green energy momentum. China's green revolution, which is already among the most aggressive in the world in the past years, should become even more ambitious, given the huge challenge imposed by its rapid economic expansion.

Global warming is more "sexy" than the cables on WikiLeaks. The floods, droughts, wildfires and decimation of biodiversity it has caused and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people around the world are testament to that.

The worsening effects of climate change are an appalling foretaste of what the future has in store for the planet and all of us if we continue business as usual.

The media should not ignore climate change, certainly not when a UN summit is desperately trying to find a way to prevent tragedy.

A better-informed public would substantially increase the chance of success.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily US Edition. You can reach him at chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn