News Roundup
‘Oct. 18 (Bloomberg) — Current policies to fight climate change in China, India, the U.S. and other major carbon-dioxide emitters aren’t enough to limit global temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), a U.S. envoy said.’
via Climate Policies Won’t Limit Warming to 2 Degrees, U.S. Says – Bloomberg.com.
‘LONDON — Representatives of the world’s 17 biggest and most polluting nations were holding talks Sunday to search for a breakthrough on financing efforts to contain climate change and reduce gas emissions causing global warming.’
via The Associated Press: Biggest economies try again to strike climate deal.
‘NEW YORK — This month, the mayor of Mesa, Arizona, a city of about 500,000 inhabitants in the American Southwest, became the 1,000th local leader to sign on to a climate change agreement under the United States Conference of Mayors.’
via Green Inc. Column – Local Assaults on the Global Climate Problem – NYTimes.com.
‘Producers of natural gas are battling their erstwhile allies, the oil companies. Electrical utilities are fighting among themselves over the use of coal versus wind power or other renewable energy. Coal companies are battling natural gas firms over which should be used to produce electricity. And the renewable power industry is elbowing for advantage against all of them.’
via Energy Companies Battle One Another on Climate Bill – NYTimes.com.
‘MALE AFP – The Maldives’ government held an underwater cabinet meeting on Saturday in a bid to focus global attention on rising sea levels that threaten to submerge the low-lying atoll nation.’
via Maldives cabinet flags climate crisis at undersea meet – Yahoo! News.
‘The politically influential American Farm Bureau, the self-described “national voice of agriculture,” has outlined a new campaign effort to derail Congressional bills to combat climate change.’
via Farm Bureau Aims to Kill Climate Bill – Green Inc. Blog – NYTimes.com.
‘BRUSSELS Reuters – European Union states are struggling to agree on a common stance for a U.N. climate pact in Copenhagen in December, after leading the way among rich nations, draft documents indicated on Friday.’
via EU bogged down on Copenhagen climate stance | Green Business | Reuters.
‘India today probably produces more solar power than Germany did in 2003. Over a dozen PV plants operate in the country and increasingly companies like IndoSolar, Moser Baer, Titan Energy, Tata BP Solar, Solar Semiconductors, and Signet Solar to name a few, are making their presence felt on the world stage. In proclaiming his countries ambitions in solar power, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “We will pool all our scientific, technical and managerial talents, with financial sources, to develop solar energy as a source of abundant energy to power our economy and to transform the lives of our people. Our success in this endeavor will transform the face of India.”’
‘WASHINGTON Reuters – A U.S. cap-and-trade market on greenhouse gases should be designed carefully to avoid unfair economic pain in fossil fuel industries and other parts of the economy, experts told lawmakers on Wednesday.’
via U.S. climate plan must spread costs evenly: experts | Green Business | Reuters.
‘OSLO Reuters – World climate talks may need extra time next year to agree cuts in greenhouse emissions for 2020 since U.S. laws are unlikely to be in place before a U.N. meeting in Copenhagen in December, experts say.’
via U.N. climate talks may need extra time in 2010 | Green Business | Reuters.