Clear and present dangers not so clear, or present.
Climate Central 03 Feb
Economics
Energy
Other NewsEditorialsGlobal warming alarmists chilled.The Earth's temperature hasn't increased significantly in about 15 years, which wouldn't be big news except global warming extremists had predicted temperatures would soar during that time because of manmade greenhouse-gas emissions. Marysville-Yuba City Appeal-Democrat 05 Feb Can Californians afford cleaner cars?California's history-bending rules will do what they are designed to do - reduce pollution and cut greenhouse gases - only if the public buys the clean cars in the volumes predicted. That's the big uncertainty. Modesto Bee 03 Feb Climate change should have effect on politics.Azaleas are budding and daffodils can be found in full bloom along rural roads around West Alabama. Is that proof of global warming? Hardly, but that doesn’t mean evidence of sustained, rapid climate change isn’t mounting. Tuscaloosa News 02 Feb Climate data chills global warming alarmism.The Earth's temperature hasn't increased significantly in about 15 years. Yet governments around the world used the threatened overheating as an excuse to regulate, tax and subsidize in order to curb greenhouse gases. Orange County Register 02 Feb Buyers will be key to state goal of cleaner cars.The California Air Resources Board has pushed the envelope yet again. But the history-bending rules will do what they are designed to do – reduce pollution and cut greenhouse gases – only if the public buys the new clean cars in the volumes predicted. That's the big uncertainty. Sacramento Bee 01 Feb Bullet train becoming 'Moonbeam Express.'In a brazen denial of the obvious, Gov. Jerry Brown now insists the proposed California high-speed rail can be built for much less than its own business plan stipulates, and wants to use anti-global-warming carbon taxes to underwrite the proposal, whose price tag has nearly tripled in the three years since voters approved it. Orange County Register 01 Feb Mr. O'Malley's misguided effort to aid Maryland wind projects.Gov. Martin O’Malley wants to erect wind turbines off Maryland’s coast, eventually generating perhaps a third of the state’s electricity. But it’s a bad deal for nearly everyone in Maryland — including people who believe, as we do, in moving away from fossil fuels. Washington Post 31 Jan In defense of clean energy.After months of standing by as Republicans tried to gut environmental laws and discredit his clean energy initiatives, President Obama blasted Republicans for their single-minded commitment to fossil fuels, argued the case for a diversified energy strategy and dared to talk about climate change. New York Times 28 Jan OpinionCo-operation in a world of scarce resources.From competition among hunter-gatherers for wild game to imperialist wars over precious minerals, resource wars have been fought throughout history; today, however, the competition appears set to enter a new - and perhaps unprecedented - phase. Al Jazeera 06 Feb Britain's green-minded climate change minister resigns: Why that's good for the environment.From a distance it must be hard to feel excitement at the news of the resignation of Britain's energy and climate change secretary. But this domestic hiccup matters to anyone with an interest in the fate of climate change targets agreed by EU countries back in 2007. Economist 06 Feb How to fool people using 'cherry-picked' climate data.The climate drives the weather. People care about the weather – what happens day to day – our weather can bring us joy or misery. It is time to care about the climate as well, because our decisions and actions today will reverberate in our weather for centuries to come. Forbes 06 Feb Carbon bubble: Bank of England's opportunity to tackle market failure.The depth of the financial system's exposure to high carbon and environmentally unsustainable investments could be a systemic risk that threatens economic security. The Guardian 06 Feb Chris Huhne's exit gives Cameron the chance to end the scourge of wind turbines.Under Mr Huhne’s stewardship, Britain has been saddled with the most fanatical deep green energy policy in the world. Those who have been horrified by this lunacy are pinning their hopes on Mr Huhne’s successor, fellow Lib Dem Ed Davey. London Daily Mail 06 Feb Lack of climate justice puts world at risk.Deep diplomatic despondency seems to characterize our time, and we need books that are brutally honest about what is at risk. Such a book is Praful Bidwai’s The Politics of Climate Change and the Global Crisis. The book asks how India will combine the task of fighting poverty with promoting global justice. New Delhi Asian Age 05 Feb Obama won't touch climate with a 10-foot pole.In his State of the Union address on January 24, President Obama largely avoided the topic of climate change. But there are several reasons that Obama won't be able to avoid talking about climate change for too long – and well he shouldn't. Mother Jones 04 Feb Once, men abused slaves. Now we abuse fossil fuels.Pointing out the similarities (and differences) between slavery and the use of fossil fuels can help us engage with climate change in a new way. The Guardian 03 Feb |
It's the economy. And politics. And not much else.Economics and political cues dictate climate change concern for a public that has a remarkably short attention span on the topic, researchers find. Science-based education efforts have 'only a minor effect.' Daily Climate 06 Feb China bars its airlines from paying EU carbon tax.China announced Monday it will prohibit its airlines from paying European Union charges on carbon emissions, ratcheting up a global dispute over the cost of combatting climate change. Associated Press 06 Feb Carbon tax only a good start: report.A carbon price alone will not be enough for Australia to meet its target of a dramatic cut in greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century, an analysis by the Grattan Institute has found. Sydney Morning Herald 06 Feb Dueling claims on Obama's energy record ignore production boom and reasons for it.You wouldn’t know it from the Republicans, but these are boom times for American energy. And you wouldn’t know it from President Barack Obama, but he has very little to do with that. Associated Press 06 Feb UK's new energy secretary confirms green targets.Britain's newly-appointed Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey on Monday confirmed the country's commitment to its green energy targets and its focus on growing the offshore wind power generation capacities. Reuters 06 Feb 100 Tories call for wind-farm subsidy cuts.The Scottish Government has launched a robust defence of its flagship green energy policy after concerns were raised by more than 100 Tory politicians about the cost of subsidies paid for onshore wind farms. Edinburgh Scotsman 06 Feb On Keystone pipeline, GOP plays Buffett card to counter Dems' Koch claims.Senior Capitol Hill Democrats battling the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline are casting the project as a sop to the Koch Brothers, billionaire industrialists who pour money into conservative causes. The Hill 06 Feb China bans airlines from EU carbon scheme.China banned airlines from taking part in a European Union carbon-emissions system designed to curb pollution, saying the program violates international rules. India, the U.S., and global airlines have also raised objections to the levy, arguing it will raise costs and be less effective than a global solution. Bloomberg News 06 Feb China 'bans' airlines from joining EU carbon tax scheme.China has "banned" all airlines in the country from joining the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme aimed at cutting carbon emissions. BBC 06 Feb China bans airlines from paying EU carbon charges.China said Monday it has banned its airlines from complying with an EU scheme to impose charges on carbon emissions opposed by more than two dozen countries including India, Russia and the United States. Agence France-Presse 06 Feb China bans airlines from joining EU emissions scheme.The Chinese government said on Monday it has barred the country's airlines from joining a European Union scheme to charge for carbon emissions from flights into and out of Europe and prohibit airlines from charging customers extra because of the EU plan. Reuters 06 Feb Pacific Rim countries eye climate-change plan.Pacific-Rim countries belonging to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation plan to map out strategies to adapt to and mitigate the ill effects of climate change on agriculture via a symposium which kicked off in Pasig City on Monday. BusinessMirror 06 Feb Planes, trains, automobiles; but bicycles?Today, less than 13 percent of US kids use the old foot-mobile, or ride their two wheelers to class. Making children more mobile was what the Federal Safe Routes to School program was all about. It could soon come to a screeching halt. It’s one of the programs on the chopping block as Congress considers a new federal transportation bill. Living On Earth 05 Feb New transportation bill proposes big changes.The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has proposed a sweeping, new transportation bill. The legislation would encourage private companies to build their own toll roads and pay for infrastructure with money from oil companies. Living On Earth 05 Feb 100 Tories revolt over wind farms.David Cameron has been hit by a major protest by Conservative MPs over the Government’s backing for wind farms. The Telegraph 05 Feb Expanding UNEP is contentious in Rio talks.The UN Environment Programme is emerging as a hot issue in preparations for June's Rio conference, styled as a once-in-a-generation chance to restore a sick planet to good health. Agence France-Presse 05 Feb Wind farm subsidy cut urged by British conservatives.More than 100 Conservative MPs have written to the prime minister urging him to cut subsidies for wind turbines. BBC 05 Feb College Station, Texas, reins in green projects.College Station City Council opted to go green in 2008. But last week, after four years, the city toned down those ambitions. It removed the word "leader" from its policy statement and added a note about fiscal responsibility. Bryan College Station Eagle 05 Feb Chris Huhne's successor faces clash as Tories attack wind farms spending.The challenge facing the new Liberal Democrat energy secretary, Ed Davey, has been laid bare by the revelation that 101 Tory MPs are demanding drastic cuts to the £400m-a-year government subsidies for wind farms. The Guardian 05 Feb Activists fight green projects, seeing U.N. plot.Activists with Tea Party ties are railing against local and state efforts to control sprawl and conserve energy. They brand government action for public transportation routes and open space as part of a United Nations-led conspiracy to deny property rights and herd citizens toward cities. New York Times 04 Feb How Steven Chu lost his battle with Washington.Steven Chu arrived in town as one of Obama’s most celebrated appointees, with an ambitious mission: Use a backwater Cabinet position to reinvent America’s energy system. Now Chu may have no choice but to preside over a similarly dramatic retreat. New Republic 04 Feb India, EU try to break logjam over airline carbon tax.The European Union is willing to consider whether India's efforts to reduce carbon emissions could qualify for waivers under an EU law that charges airlines for polluting, the 27-nation bloc's climate chief said on Friday. Reuters 04 Feb EU climate chief sees 'unpleasant' talks ahead.EU climate chief Connie Hedegaard acknowledged Friday that "difficult and unpleasant" negotiations lay ahead with countries like India and China to agree a global framework to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Agence France-Presse 04 Feb Democrats counter energy security claims about Keystone pipeline project.Democrats this week opened an aggressive front to counter the Republican push to green-light the Keystone XL pipeline, alleging the project will do little to improve U.S. energy security. The Hill 04 Feb Island nations want climate change in world court.Small island nations, whose very existence is threatened by the rising sea levels brought about by global warming, are seeking to take the issue of climate change before the International Court of Justice. Associated Press 04 Feb Pre-Keystone, Obama backed sands pipeline.Despite environmental opposition, the Obama administration has approved a controversial oil-sands pipeline. No, not the Keystone XL pipeline that Washington has been fighting over for months. National Journal 04 Feb House GOP seeks to tie Keystone to highway bill.House lawmakers plan to wrap the Keystone bill into a package that includes funding for highways and infrastructure, a move certain to face stiff opposition from Democrats in the Senate and the White House. Reuters 04 Feb White House gives up more Solyndra docs.Amid threats by a top House Republican to pursue contempt charges, the White House on Friday sent lawmakers more internal documents related to the $535 million loan guarantee to failed solar firm Solyndra. The Hill 04 Feb |
