Today's Climate

US Midwest Floods Show Impact of Global Warming (Reuters)

Floods like those that inundated the US Midwest are supposed to occur once every 500 years, but this is the second since 1993, suggesting flawed forecasts that do not take global warming into account, climate scientists have said.

City of Houston Gives Wind Power a Turn (Wall Street Journal)

Houston, Texas -- the heart of the US oil patch -- has begun using wind power for about a fourth of its municipal power needs at a lower price than it is paying for power produced from coal and natural gas, city officials have said.

Brazil Leader: Poor Countries Should Set Climate Targets (AFP)

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has urged developing countries, including his own, to join rich nations in setting targets to reduce emissions blamed for global warming.

Clean Energy Spending on the Rise (BBC News)

Spending on clean power last year hit $148 billion, up 60% from '06, the UN Environment Program has said in a new report. Wind energy got the most investment, while solar grew fastest as a sector.

Lobbyists Push for Sway Over Fuel-Economy Rules (Wall Street Journal)

US lobbyists are bombarding federal regulators to tailor the nation's proposed auto efficiency standards to their liking, with automakers arguing the rules are too aggressive and consumer advocates saying they're far too weak.

Agassi Presents Congress with US Electric Car Figures (Globes)

For the price of two months worth of oil, some $100 billion, America can put in place the infrastructure needed to power the nation’s cars and end its oil dependence, Project Better Place CEO Shai Agassi has told the US House during a hearing.

Climate More Urgent than Economy, Say Voters (Guardian)

Over half of UK voters think that taking action against climate change matters more than tackling the global economic downturn, according to a Guardian poll published today.

U.S. Solar Energy Industry Blasts Government Move (Reuters)

Leaders in the US solar energy industry have blasted the US government for the freeze on applications for new solar projects on public land in six Western states.

Georgia Judge Cites Carbon Dioxide in Denying Coal Plant Permit (New York Times)

A judge in Georgia has thrown out an air pollution permit for a new coal plant because it did not set limits on CO2 emissions, relying on last year's decision by the US Supreme Court that said CO2 could be regulated as a pollutant.

McCain's Energy Record is On/Off (Los Angeles Times)

On energy and climate issues, Sen. McCain has swerved from one position to another over the years, taking often contradictory stances. That record of inconsistency shows little of the clear direction he has said would come from a McCain White House.

Promise of Biofuel Clouded by Weather Risks (New York Times)

The Midwest floods have brought into sharp relief a new economic hazard. As America grows more reliant on corn for fuel, it's becoming far more vulnerable to the hazards that can damage crops, from droughts to plagues to storms.

Stern Optimistic U.S. Will Act on Climate (Reuters)

Climate expert Nicholas Stern has said he's confident the US will move to regulate greenhouse gases in the first half of next year, providing leadership that will help the world reach an agreement in late 2009 on slowing climate change.

Tax Breaks Keep Electric Car Maker in California (Los Angeles Times)

Tesla Motors, the company that built the first mass-produced, all-electric car, will keep its manufacturing plant in California, thanks to a new tax break worked out by Gov.Schwarzenegger and the state treasurer.

Penguin Woes Signal Sea Problems (AP)

The dwindling march of the penguins is a sign that the world's oceans are in trouble from global warming, ocean oil pollution, depleted fisheries and tourism and development, according to a new scientific review paper.

Detroit's Mood Grim as Automakers Face the Brink (Reuters)

GM, once an emblem of US economic might, is being driven to the brink by dwindling sales that are expected to test cash reserves and the nerves of investors. Crosstown rivals Ford and Chrysler LLC face similar pressures.

Portugal to Join Renault-Nissan Electric Car Project (Thomson Financial)

Portugal PM Jose Socrates will soon sign an agreement for his nation to join the Better Place electric car project backed by Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co, Diario Economico has reported.

San Antonio Looking to Dip Into Solar Pool (AP)

San Antonio's CPS Energy has set a goal of producing 100 megawatts of solar energy by 2020 for the first time ever, while it plans to seek suitors for a new, giant solar plant in the next few months.

Opinion: The World's Will to Tackle Climate Change is Irresistible (Rajendara Pachauri, Guardian)

There is growing concern that the economic slowdown will cause a parallel slowdown in climate progress, with governments less willing to advocate for reducing CO2 emissions. A valid worry. And yet, there are reasons to believe the exact opposite will occur.

Western Guvs Discuss Balancing Energy, Wildlife (Los Angeles Times)

Governors from several Western states have agreed to form a council that will study ways to protect wildlife habitat in the face of ever-increasing demand for energy development in their region.

Aluminum Supply in Deficit on Coal Shortage (Reuters)

The world aluminum market is headed for a 200,000-ton deficit this year and in 2009, as coal supplies turn scarce and producers are forced to cut output, the banking group UBS has announced.

Tax-Free Financing for Coal Power Plants Under Attack (Reuters)

Green groups and others are opening a new frontier in the fight against new coal plants in America by questioning the use of tax-exempt bonds to help fund such projects.

Senators Ask for Congress-White House Energy Summit (Reuters)

US Senators have asked for a national summit between Congress and Pres. Bush to end a partisan stalemate and develop a plan for solving America's ongoing energy crisis.

Army Base Tracks Its Carbon 'Bootprint'  (Los Angeles Times)

Ft. Carson, Colo., has become the first army base in the US to implement a system for monitoring its greenhouse gas emissions. The findings: 200,000 tons last year. The next step: reducing that by nearly a third.

Spanish PM Firm on Phasing Out Nuclear Power (AFP)

Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has announced that he will not extend the life of Spain's ageing nuclear power plants, echoing his government's commitment to a total nuclear power phase-out.

G8 May Invest $10 Bln/Year in Technology to Cut CO2 (Reuters)

The G8 nations are looking to invest more than $10 billion a year in technologies to cut carbon pollution, and also to set country-by-country medium-term goals to slash emissions by 2020-2030, a Japanese daily has reported.

Global Warming Expert Calls on CA to Do More to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Los Angeles Times)

Rajendra K. Pachauri, head of the UN's IPCC, has praised California's blueprint for addressing climate change but reminded the state's public officials that Europe is moving far more quickly to address the issue.

Emission Curbs Could Close New Coal Plants (Guardian)

Fresh doubts have been raised over plans for new coal plants in the UK after the environment regulator said it expects that those not fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment will have to close.

Geothermal-Rich SE Asia Struggles to Tap Earth's Power (Reuters)

Faced with looming energy crises in their developing economies, Indonesia and the Philippines are looking to tap the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area peppered with volcanoes and home to the world's biggest reservoir of geothermal power.

Court Says No Deadline for EPA on Global Warming (Guardian)

A federal appeals court refused Thursday to make a resistant Bush administration speed up a decision on whether greenhouse gases and global warming threaten public health and welfare.

Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects (New York Times)

Faced with a surge in the number of proposed solar power plants, the federal government has placed a moratorium on new solar projects on public land until it studies their environmental impact, expected to take two years.

Companies that Mass Marketed PCs Turn to Photovoltaics (Scientific American)

Although solar cell technology for converting the sun's power into electricity has improved steadily in recent years, high costs and inefficiencies have kept it from being a serious replacement for fossil fuels.

Hawaii: Solar Water Heaters Become a Legal Requirement (New York Times)

Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, has signed into law a bill requiring the solar water heater
systems in homes starting in 2010.

EU Reaches Landmark Deal to Cap Airline Emissions (International Herald Tribune)

The European Union reached a landmark agreement Thursday to cap emissions from aircraft, raising the stakes in an increasingly ferocious battle with the United States over how to regulate global greenhouse gases.

Harness Volcano Power, Energy Experts Say (London Daily Telegraph)

Volcanoes and hot springs could supply up to 25 per cent of America's power needs, energy experts have said.

US to Plough $1.3bn into Carbon Capture (BusinessGreen.com)
Department of Energy is looking for partners to help commercialize clean coal and carbon capture systems to the tune of $1.3bn.

House Approves More Funds for Thriving Public Transit (Los Angeles Times)
As commuters increasingly turn to bus and rail lines because of soaring gasoline prices, public transit--long the poor relation of American travel--is finally getting respect, and money.

Tropical Ocean Sucks Up Vast Amounts of Ozone (New Scientist)
An important mechanism for sucking ozone and methane out of the atmosphere has been discovered over the tropical Atlantic. The finding reveals how the two greenhouse gasses are kept in check by natural chemical reactions.

Cost of Tackling Global Climate Change Has Doubled, Warns Stern (Guardian)

Lord Stern, author of the influential UK report that said the world needs to spend 1% of its wealth to tackle climate change, has issued an updated warning. The cost of averting disaster has now doubled, and inaction will mean far greater economic damage.

California Unveils Ambitious Climate Plan (Reuters)

California has announced its new climate action plan for clean cars, renewable energy and stringent caps on big polluting industries. It's the most comprehensive climate plan the nation's ever seen, and it could serve as a national blueprint.

Delaware Wind Farm Power Project Gets Green Light (AP)

Legislation to allow America's first offshore wind farm breezed through the Delaware State Legislature yesterday and was quickly signed into law.

Report: Climate Change Linked to US National Security (AP)

Global warming will mean migration and humanitarian disasters, undermining shaky governments and possibly expanding the terrorism threat against the U.S., the nation's intelligence agencies have said in a new report.

Corn Prices Stall VeraSun Ethanol Plant (Bloomberg News)

VeraSun Energy Corp., the second-largest U.S. ethanol producer by capacity, has delayed the opening of a 110-million-gallon-a-year distillery in Hankinson, N.D., because of rising corn prices.

Fla. Governor Kicks off Climate Summit in Miami (AP)

Gov. Charlie Crist yesterday evoked Pres. Kennedy's challenge to land on the moon and called for the same dedication and innovation to finding ways to solve climate, during an address that kicked off his second annual summit on global warming.

Tokyo Approves Japan's First Greenhouse Gas Curbs (AFP)

Tokyo's local government has ordered Japan's first mandatory cuts in carbon pollution, with the passage of a law that will force 1,300 major businesses to slash CO2 emissions by 25% by 2020.

Texas Governor Trying to Slash Ethanol Production (AP)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, supported by US livestock producers concerned about rising feed prices, stepped up his effort yesterday to pressure the federal government to cut ethanol production requirements in half.

Intelligence Report Assesses Impact of Climate Change (US News & World Report)

The US intelligence community has completed a first-ever classified analysis of the national security threats posed by climate change, part of which will be presented to Congress today.

Carbon-Credit Schemes Fall 30% Short of Projections (Guardian)

The vast majority of schemes that sell carbon credits to offset pollution are delivering 30% less than they promise, according to a new report published today by ratings company Ideacarbon.

Floods and Droughts Make Mild Diseases Deadly (Reuters)

Extreme floods and droughts brought on by climate change can turn normally harmless infections into significant threats, creating a "one-two punch" that can devastate populations of wildlife or livestock, new research has found.

Offshore Wind Finally Coming Stateside (Earth2Tech)

Bluewater Wind is on its way to building what will likely be America’s first offshore wind farm. The farm, sited off the coast of Delaware, will have 150 turbines and an energy capacity of over 400 megawatts.

New Jersey Dealing With Solar Policy’s Success (New York Times)

Demand for solar is booming. And New Jersey, which has used a rebate program to help install more solar panels than any other state but California, is now getting burned by its own success -- and a backlog of more than 700 applications.

Branson Would Pay Aviation Carbon Emissions Tax (USA Today)

Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson has said that he is willing to pay carbon emissions taxes on his aviation business to fight climate change, a move that the airline industry has vehemently rejected.

Opinion: Biofuels Put Bucks Over Ducks (Christian Science Monitor)

The US Agriculture Department is expected to help keep the struggling corn ethanol industry afloat by letting farmers plow up land set aside for wildlife.