1.   And many in the vast middle emerged slightly worse off than they were when the decade began.

2.   Because environmentalists who balk at compromise can emerge worse off than they might otherwise.

3.   Environmentalists who balk at compromise can emerge worse off than they might otherwise be.

4.   The poor got a little poorer, the rich got a lot richer and the large group in the middle emerged slightly worse off than when the decade began.