July 2, 2008
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.
