When we read that the world's largest coal exporter and the world's largest coal consumer have joined forces to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants, we couldn't help but think that's like putting ExxonMobil in charge of CAFE standards.

But our incredulity was slightly assuaged as we realized the exporter is Australia, and the negotiations are led by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who ousted the previous PM with his promise of signing the Kyoto Protocol.

Rudd already has promised China $24 million to develop clean coal technology and carbon capture and sequestration for Chinese power plants. But "clean coal" is an oxymoron to many people, since even with CCS you still have to mine for it, which doesn't exactly keep the environment pristine. And lots of methane, an even more potent GHG than CO2, is emitted during the mining process.

Maybe Rudd will invite the U.S. to the first official ministerial level talk later this year, considering the U.S. has the world's largest coal reserves and all. Rudd has previously offered to lead discussions between China and the West, and with Japan joining the U.S. in demanding "developing" nations like China be required to reduce emissions along with the industrialized world, he might just get his chance.