Economics

Danish leader seeks speedy delivery of climate aid to poor nations.

Visiting Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen called Tuesday for the early implementation of financial aid worth $30 billion pledged by rich countries to help poor nations grapple with the impact of climate change. Japan Times 12 Mar

Japan faces rocky path to emissions trading system.

Japan faces a rocky path to launching an emissions trading system after the government approved legislation on Friday that was vague on how the scheme would set limits on emissions. Reuters 12 Mar

Japan fudges plans for emissions cap-and-trade.

As widely expected the Japanese government today effectively delayed a decision on how to structure its proposed emissions trading scheme until after this summer's election. London Business Green 12 Mar

How fundraising helped shape Obama's green agenda.

Once again, there are questions about whether a new President's approach to energy is a product of Washington's unchanged, pay-to-play culture in which political supporters are offered special access to the policymaking process. Time Magazine 10 Mar

Energy

Obama adviser pushes multi-pronged energy policy.

Top White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers stressed President Barack Obama's commitment to comprehensive energy legislation that includes investments in renewable energy, nuclear power and fossil fuels, and a price on carbon emissions. Houston Chronicle 12 Mar

Clean energy is premier's latest flavour of the year.

After months of frustration with the slow progress of the B.C. Liberal government green energy plan, Premier Gordon Campbell has installed a green energy czar to expedite the drive from his own office. Vancouver Sun 12 Mar

Lawmakers debate green electricity,

As the Hydro-Quebec power agreement was being completed in Quebec City, 250 miles to the south legislators were hearing the potential benefits and pitfalls of declaring that electricity to be renewable. Barre-Montpelier Times Argus 12 Mar

U.S. oil industry braces for carbon rules.

As oil and natural gas prices settle into an equilibrium for now, a new variable is emerging as the most worrisome for Big Oil: the cost of carbon. Reuters 11 Mar

Other News

Editorials

Something worse than inaction.

Congress is responsible to address the very real danger of climate change, not deny the government the tools it needs - and legally has - to fight it. New York Times 13 Mar

Misleading us on climate change.

When has scientific discovery moved so fast? The climate warming lobby started with a handful of then maverick scientists and in a few years gathered speed as the media hyped their research and funding agencies, who were intrigued by the new "evidence". Jeddah Arab News 13 Mar

Chortling at Chu.

Our secretary of energy pushes bio-refineries and windmills to oil executives at an energy conference as the administration announces a three-year offshore drilling ban. This is a policy for economic suicide. Investors Business Daily 13 Mar

Sceptical environmentalism.

There are other reasons why the green movement has failed to deliver on its promises at the highest levels and these have nothing to do with development or scientific evidence. Georgetown Stabroek News 13 Mar

Cap and tax.

The chosen solution for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, a combination of energy taxes and carbon controls, is politically inexpedient. That means that the Senate's Green Three will have to buy the votes they need, sweetening the deal with special favors and parochial giveaways. National Public Radio 12 Mar

Global warming challenge.

The possibility of suspending California's Global Warming Solutions Act, a law unlikely to change temperatures but certain to wreak economic havoc, appears to have increased dramatically. Orange County Register 12 Mar

Going green vs. going broke.

Will cutting carbon kill jobs in California? Republicans say California can't afford its global warming law. But the real question should be: Can we afford not to cut pollution? Los Angeles Times 11 Mar

Climate of fear.

The integrity of climate research has taken a very public battering in recent months. Scientists must now emphasize the science, while acknowledging that they are in a street fight. Nature 11 Mar

Opinion

What’s in a (wrong) word?

Let’s not confuse real mistakes with the normal progress of science. Climate Central 13 Mar

Global warming novel burns with wit, energy.

This gleeful satire of human indifference to the threat of global warming might not be Ian McEwan's best novel, but it's probably his funniest. And maybe his blackest. Winnipeg Free Press 13 Mar

The reality of warming.

Critics fail to distinguish between weather change and climate change. The distinction is important because unless it is understood, the arguments about global warming can stray from science, becoming hostage to political ideologies and simplistic reasoning. Cape Cod Times 13 Mar

Noel Kempff project is 'saving the forest' by forcing destruction elsewhere.

One-off carbon offsetting projects do not deliver real benefits to the atmosphere unless governments undertake much wider efforts to curb deforestation. London Guardian 12 Mar

Climate surprise and empty desert vistas.

Climate change requires us to respond by building large numbers of renewable energy facilities in lieu of burning carbon-based fuels. That is the only direct route to resolving our overarching environmental challenge: to directly reduce CO2 emissions. San Diego Daily Transcript 12 Mar

Why are climate scientists losing the American public?

Even as predictions about the possible effects of climate change get more troubling each day, Americans are increasingly skeptical of the science. This is depressing news for those who have spent years building the case for public concern. Washington Post 12 Mar

Copenhagen Accord: What future for the climate?

As the dust settles after what appeared to be a failed climate change convention in Copenhagen, leaders, delegates and experts have gone back to the drawing board to look at what went wrong and how to avert such in the future. Abuja Daily Trust 12 Mar

Only a carbon tax and nuclear power can save us.

What the world needs is a nation that will set an example, stop pandering to special interests, do what is necessary for the people and the rest of the life on the planet. Is it possible that Australia could provide that example, that moral leadership? Sydney Australian 11 Mar

Kerry: Energy bill more about jobs.

Sen. John Kerry, hoping to win over wavering senators, said he is pushing environmental reforms to create jobs and spark energy independence, with climate benefits along "for the ride." Associated Press 13 Mar

One body to coordinate Singapore's climate change policies.

As a global agreement on climate change gets closer to becoming reality, and Singapore gears up to deliver on its domestic commitments, a single body will now coordinate two key aspects - the international and the domestic - of the country's climate change policies. Singapore Today 13 Mar

'A panel of men?' UN names 19-man climate panel.

A women’s group is criticising the United Nations for appointing only men to a 19-strong panel of experts to work out how to raise billions of dollars to fight climate change. Reuters 13 Mar

Leaders move toward setting vehicle emissions limits.

California planners met with civic leaders to map out their strategy for reducing car and truck emissions in order to meet the goals of a legislative bombshell that requires all urban regions in the state to cut emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020. San Diego North County Times 13 Mar

Evangelicals seen as key in climate debate.

When it comes to energy "we all need to repent." Wilmington News Journal 13 Mar

Senate approves bill that includes biodiesel credit.

The U.S. Senate approved a bill that extends the $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel, which expired Dec. 31. Bloomberg News 13 Mar

Violent backlash against climate scientists.

Climate-change science has come under full-scale attack in a last-ditch effort to delay or prevent action by the US government against global warming, experts warn. Inter Press Service 13 Mar

Climate-change panel under scrutiny.

A global coalition of national science academies will review how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change operates, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced this week. Chemical & Engineering News 13 Mar

Princely push to climate debate.

The UK's special representative for international trade and investment, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, today continued the promote the paradigm that the developing world should partner with developed states in addressing climate change. New Delhi Business Standard 13 Mar

Carbon law hurts jobs.

A 2006 law mandating strict regulations on carbon emissions to reduce the state’s effects on global climate change could have adverse short-term effects on employment, California’s legislative analyst said in a letter Monday. Burbank Leader 13 Mar

Climate bill watered down despite Hatoyama pledge.

The Cabinet on Friday approved a bill that leaves room for a carbon trading mechanism that could, in effect, lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, not less. The legislation's goal is to slash Japan's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. Asahi Shimbun 13 Mar

Emissions bill, urging '11 carbon tax, gets nod.

The government formally approved a bill Friday that would aim to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 on condition that all major emitters set similarly ambitious targets, and introduce a carbon tax next year. Kyodo News 13 Mar

Longannet owner to share £90m government fund for carbon capture.

Prospects for a new industry bringing 10,000 jobs to Scotland are a step closer after a Whitehall decision to finance work on adding carbon capture and storage equipment to Longannet power station in Fife. London Times 13 Mar

Scientists need to do better job of explaining climate change science, NOAA's director says.

Climate change is here and scientists need to do a better job of explaining it to the public, the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday. Associated Press 13 Mar

Political ads: Weapon in climate change war?

Since the U.S. Supreme Court in January ruled that corporations have the same right as individuals to free political speech, big business is now free to blitz the airwaves to attack politicians who support action against climate change. Reuters 12 Mar

More Americans say global warming exaggerated - poll.

A growing number of Americans, nearly half the country, think global warming worries are exaggerated, as more people also doubt that scientific warnings of severe environmental fallout will ever occur, according to a new Gallup poll. Reuters 12 Mar

Battle over climate science spreads to US schoolrooms.

Efforts in the past have been thwarted when courts ruled them unconstitutional, but those advocating the teaching of sound science may find it harder to fight misrepresentations concerning climate change. New Scientist 12 Mar

More funds needed to fight deforestation: Sarkozy.

Rich nations must contribute more to a climate change fund and help fight deforestation, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at a 64- nation conference Thursday on saving the world's forests - a key defense against global warming. Associated Press 12 Mar

Climate activists say businesses are buying their way out of costly greenhouse gas cuts.

Major European polluters are buying their way out of making big cuts to greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing carbon offsets that pay for environmental programs in developing nations, a nonprofit group said Friday. Associated Press 12 Mar

No room for women.

A new group overseeing financing for a United Nations climate effort has 19 members - none women. New York Times 12 Mar

China unsure on warming cause, to stick with CO2 cuts.

China's top climate negotiator said on Wednesday that the cause of global warming was still not clear but the problems it was creating were so serious that the world must anyway act to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Reuters 12 Mar

Bulgaria drops CO2 claim, hopes for plan approval.

Bulgaria has dropped its claim for extra pollution allowances for 2007 in a bid to persuade Brussels to speed up the approval of its long-delayed 2008-12 national plan for carbon credits, officials said on Friday. Reuters 12 Mar

The IMF in Africa: Going green.

Dominique Strass-Kahn, the head of the IMF, believes that we urgently need the Green Fund. Africans will be hit first and hardest by climate change - and they will need a reliable system in place. Economist 12 Mar

Japan's Cabinet adopts draft bill for 25% emissions cut by 2020.

The Japanese government formally approved a bill Friday to fight global warming by aiming to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 on condition that all major emitters set similarly ambitious targets. Kyodo News 12 Mar

Meeting on deforestation boosts morale, budget,

A conference bringing together more than 60 nations Thursday added $1 billion to the fight against deforestation and boosted the morale of those hoping to save the world’s forests – a key defense against global warming. Associated Press 12 Mar

The stakes of carbon trading are losing their sizzle.

Global carbon dioxide emissions offsetting markets are fast losing their luster in the minds of investors, both in the United States and abroad. ClimateWire 12 Mar

Canada lags far behind U.S. in spending on energy efficiency plan.

The Obama administration is spending eight times more per person on new renewable energy, public transit and energy efficiency measures than Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government, a new analysis concludes. Canwest News Service 12 Mar

Sarkozy to press G20 on climate funding.

France will push the Group of 20 countries to impose a tax on financial transactions to raise billions of dollars to help developing nations fight climate change, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday. Reuters 12 Mar