The changing mood of the negotiations

Less than two weeks before the U.N. COP-15, statements on possible outcome are following one another.
Last week Obama and the Chinese President Hu Jintao admitted that in Copenhagen there will be only a political deal, not the expected legally binding agreement.
Surprisingly, today a senior administration official of the White House announced that the United States will propose an emissions reduction target in Copenhagen. This probably will be the reduction target of 17% from 2005 levels by 2020, included in the Kerry-Boxer Bill, that still needs to be approved by the US Parliament.
In addition, few days ago the European Commission President Barroso said that Russia promised an emission reduction target by 25 % from the level in 1990 by 2020, more than the 10-15% announced during the last talks.
So, it seems that something is happening at the political level. The United States and the Russia, two of the major emitter countries will probably come in Copenhagen with some numbers on the table.
Despite the low mood in the last talks in Barcelona, these seem to be good signals for a possible agreement in Cophnagen.
Now it's up to China and India propose something concrete.