For more than a decade they have continued to come together at summits and conferences bringing messages of change, hope and a greener earth. But each time they have left with no concrete policies on how to make these ideals reality.

Sunday, world leaders met in Singapore at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, to discuss climate change. But little was accomplished. And when we say little was accomplished, we’re referring to the photo opportunities of world leaders standing together smiling and waving.

What was decided was that nothing would be decided at the next major climate change meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. That conference, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, planned to create a new agreement to limit carbon emissions.

For decades, the worsening state of our world’s climate has been a topic of national importance. Now, in the 21st century, we have educated guesses as to the causes and effects of the changing climate. We have proposed solutions to the problem. So why is it taking so long to work past the politics and red tape, especially if so many countries are on board?

The APEC concluded we don’t know how to reach a final agreement on climate control and we won’t know in less than a month when the Copenhagen conference is scheduled to begin. So does it mean to say two years down the road we still will be trying to resurrect the failed 1997 Kyoto Protocol, an earlier attempt to solve the issue?

Another problem in the way — or rather two huge problems — are China and the United States. The two countries responsible for the most carbon dioxide emissions are refusing to commit to an agreement that would limit the amount of emissions they could produce.

Both, or at the very least one of the two countries, need to step up and take responsibility. But the U.S. Senate has stated that legislation regarding a climate bill could not happen before next year.

President Barack Obama can be given credit for at least trying to keep the environment as an important issue even as the eco-friendly trend is fading — and it is. There no longer is any buzz about solar panels and wind energy. Organic clothing and all-natural food still is around, but it’s out of the spotlight. Obama is doing a better job than former President George W. Bush with the environment, but as Bush’s policy was to deny and ignore the changes, it’s not saying much for Mr. President.

Climate change is too important an issue for world leaders to waste meetings. As long as they continue doing so, they’re no better than those senior pranksters who never pull the great prank.