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By Laura Smith - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

A prominent climate change researcher said Monday that a lack of confidence is standing in the way of the U.S. and China coming together on a substantive climate agreement.

“One of the greatest obstacles to achieving global progress on the issue of climate change has been a lack of confidence between the U.S. and China,” said Pew Center on Global Climate Change Vice President Elliot Diringer.

Speaking at a panel discussion hosted by The Brookings Institution, Diringer said countries will deliver their strongest possible efforts to fight climate change only if they are confident that other nations are doing the same.

"There has been long standing concerns here in this town, going back to the days of the Kyoto negotiations that China could not be counted on to do its part, and many have argued on that basis that the U.S. should hold off on enacting mandatory green house gas controls here," he said.