China bans airlines from joining EU emissions scheme.
Reuters 06 Feb
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Other NewsEditorialsCan 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 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 Germany's solar crack-up.Germany enjoys, if that's the right word, a thriving solar-energy industry. But the cost of this success, to taxpayers and electricity users alike, has risen to astronomical levels. Wall Street Journal 26 Jan No reason to rush decision on pipeline.It will take far more than the short 60-day limit Congress irresponsibly imposed for deciding whether some version of the project can be done without inflicting unacceptable and irreversible damage to the environmnent. Philadelphia Inquirer 20 Jan A good call on the pipeline.President Obama has properly rejected, at least for now, the Keystone XL oil pipeline that would run from Canada to the Gulf Coast. He rebuffed the demand of House Republicans that the controversial project be decided in haste under an election-year deadline. New York Times 19 Jan Obama's Keystone rejection is hard to accept.There are far fairer, far more rational ways to discourage oil use in America, the first of which is establishing higher gasoline taxes. Environmentalists should fight for policies that might actually do substantial good instead of tilting against Keystone XL, and President Obama should have the courage to say so. Washington Post 19 Jan Obama's pipeline decision delays energy security.The administration made itself vulnerable to being hogtied on this issue. What's really going on here, of course, is the most craven sort of election-year politics. Environmental groups made the pipeline a key test of their support for the president. Republicans hoped to embarrass Obama, and they succeeded. USA Today 19 Jan OpinionEd Davey's promotion is a great opportunity for a greener future.A new energy secretary for the UK means a new chance for Prime Minister David Cameron to mend fences with the coalition and reaffirm his commitment to making "the greenest government ever." The Guardian 07 Feb Fulsome fossil fuels and the 'Peak Oil' myth.With “Peak Oil” exposed as yet another Chicken-Little fallacy, those of us who rejected the idea of CO2-caused planetary meltdown and instead embraced reduced dependence on foreign oil as a reason for widespread vehicle electrification are seemingly left with a solution, but no credible problem. Forbes 07 Feb Why Tory wind opposition will drive up costs.The door had not even swung back behind the departing energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne before his opponents seized their chance. Over 100 Conservative MPs wrote to prime minister David Cameron demanding cuts to support for onshore windfarms and easier ways to block them through planning objections. The Guardian 07 Feb Co-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 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 Cut emissions, boost health.Reducing greenhouse gases would save billions in health care costs. Policy makers should take note. European Voice 02 Feb In climate fight, tracking the line between diagnosis and treatment.The last few days have seen frenzied volleys in the fight over climate science and policy. Most of the authors in both camps are scientists. It will be economic pressures, not scientific findings, that largely determine what the world’s nations do, or don’t do, to limit the flow of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from fuel burning. New York Times 02 Feb Fight against climate change is uphill ride.To combat combat change requires people, business, government and international bodies to work together to make changes that will safeguard our planet's resources and enable our economies to produce sustainable growth and new green jobs. Jewish Chronicle 02 Feb |
Another green energy company stumbles.Fisker Automotive, maker of exotic electric sports cars being built with help from a $529 million federal loan, has announced layoffs at its Delaware plant as it tries to persuade the Department of Energy to continue backing it with public money. Center for Public Integrity 07 Feb UK emissions rose 3.1% as economy recovered in 2010.The dramatic fall in greenouse gas emissions caused by the recession has proved to be a blip, with UK emissions rising 3.1% in 2010 as the economy recovered. The UK's emissions have been falling over the past decade as energy generation has switched to less carbon-intensive gas power, but this is the first time emissions have risen since a modest rise in 2003. The Guardian 07 Feb Electric cars: 'Plug-ins' look for spark in 2012.Automakers in 2012 will launch 13 plug-in vehicles, running on electricity alone all or most of the time. This is the year that will tell whether the electric car market has a roaring liftoff or a slow-rolling start, analysts say. Christian Science Monitor 07 Feb Use Rio 20 to overhaul idea of growth, urges EU climate chief.The world must use a landmark environmental summit this year to change forever the current damaging model of economic growth, Europe's climate chief has warned, or face future crises as severe as the one currently enveloping the eurozone. The Guardian 07 Feb Offshore wind turbines set to benefit British industries.British industries from boat-building to concrete, and electric cabling to gearbox manufacturing are in the line-up to benefit from the construction of thousands of offshore wind turbines, if new plans go ahead. The Guardian 07 Feb Fisker stops work on Karma to renegotiate federal loan.Fisker Automotive has stopped work at a former General Motors auto plant in Delaware where it plans to build Project Nina, a family-size plug-in hybrid that is expected to sell for about $50,000. Los Angeles Times 07 Feb China carriers won't pay fees for emissions.China on Monday said it prohibited its airlines from paying for carbon emissions under the European Union's new system to limit greenhouse emissions, in an escalation of Beijing's opposition to the plan. Wall Street Journal 07 Feb Europe holds China to carbon tax payments.European officials are insisting that Chinese airlines will have to pay for their carbon emissions, rebuffing an attempt by Beijing on Monday to shield them from a controversial emissions trading scheme. Financial Times 07 Feb UN panel promotes carbon tax, eco-based prices.Governments must craft a global pact that promotes a carbon tax and prices goods based on ecological costs, politicians and U.N. panelists urged Monday. Associated Press 07 Feb Mitt's Solyndra? He handed out renewable energy subsidies, too.Republicans are pounding Barack Obama on Solyndra, but it may be a complicated argument for their front-runner to maintain: While Mitt Romney was governor, Massachusetts also picked some winners and losers with energy subsidies. Politico 07 Feb Government: REDD payments to benefit communities.The Tanzanian government has agreed to let 80 per cent of payments done under Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) to go to communities that protect forests. Dar es Salaam Daily News 07 Feb UK committed to green economy, new secretary says.Though greenhouse gas emissions from the United Kingdom were up, London aims to meet its overall climate objectives, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said. United Press International 07 Feb Subsidy cuts could pull the plug on community green energy schemes.Community scale green energy projects could be put out of business by Scottish Government plans to slash subsidy support for onshore wind and hydro schemes, the SNP has been warned. Edinburgh Scotsman 07 Feb Nick Clegg defends wind power subsidies after Tory-led attack.Nick Clegg has led a fightback against concerted attacks by Conservative MPs on government subsidies to support wind power. The Guardian 07 Feb Bill Gates backs climate scientists lobbying for large-scale geoengineering.A small group of leading climate scientists, financially supported by billionaires including Bill Gates, are lobbying governments and international bodies to back experiments into manipulating the climate on a global scale to avoid catastrophic climate change. The Guardian 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 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 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 |
