The countries with the most emissions of greenhouse gases are meeting twice more this year to explore partnerships and ways to smooth the road toward a new climate treaty. Should boosting solar research be one focal point? See Dot Earth blog for more: http://www.nytimes.com/dotearth

1. A query from Dot Earth: Why not have R&D, especially solar, be a focal point for the Major Economies Meetings on Energy & Climate?

2. It wouldn’t be hard to stimulate energy research given the diminutive size of the effort now in the U.S. ( green ):

4. For scale, here’s the total U.S. government investment in R&D – defense and everything else:

6. Within the following energy research menu for industrialized countries, why is solar such a tiny sliver ( orange )?

8. Some serious innovators have long understood the potential of solar power. Who said this (next slide)?

9. “ I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

10. “ I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” - Thomas Edison, speaking with Henry Ford & Harvey Firestone, 1931

11. More info at nytimes.com/dotearth [email_address]