Written by, Nov. 10 -- Shannon Gibson/The Conversation

Nearly every country in the world has acknowledged that climate change is a serious problem. It's hard to ignore, as billions of people suffer through increasingly destructive storms and extreme heat.

In response, most governments have promised repeatedly to cut greenhouse gas emissions that are driving global temperatures higher. Yet those emissions are still hitting record levels, and global negotiations over how to slow climate change routinely end with weak promises.

There's a reason: All it takes to water down a deal during these negotiations - the 2026 U.N. climate conference started Nov. 9 - are a few voices obstructing progress, often without ever saying "no," and all the w...