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Georgia judge cites carbon dioxide in denying coal plant permit. A judge has thrown out a permit for a new coal-fired power plant because it did not set limits on carbon dioxide emissions -- the first time a court decision had linked carbon dioxide to an air pollution permit. New York Times. 01 July 2008
Penguin decline indicates state of world oceans. The struggle of penguins to survive is a clear sign that the world's marine systems are in trouble. Of the 17 penguin species more than half are listed as endangered or vulnerable. London Daily Telegraph. 01 July 2008
Global warming takes a toll on coral reefs. Long suffering from land-based pollution, habitat destruction, and overfishing, coral reefs now must also contend with climate change, which has accelerated their global decline. Environmental Health Perspectives. 01 July 2008
Dominion begins construction of coal-fired plant in Wise. On a day when a dozen people were arrested n Richmond protesting Dominion Virginia Power's new coal-fired power plant in Wise County, the company began construction of the plant. Richmond Times-Dispatch. 01 July 2008
Insurers criticized for new rate models. Scientists say the jury is still out on whether rising sea temperatures will cause more hurricanes to hit U.S. coastlines. Yet some insurance companies are boosting premiums based on assumptions that they will. Others are withdrawing from coastal communities altogether. Wall Street Journal. 01 July 2008
Grasslands face severe desertification despite protection. China grasslands are still suffering severe desertification despite government funding of more than 10 billion yuan($144 million) in the past eight years to protect and restore them, an agricultural official said on Monday. Xinhua News Agency. 01 July 2008
Squid, lobster numbers rise as fish fall due to warming. Scientists from the University of Rhode Island say rising sea temperatures linked to global warming is the primary cause of shifts in the abundance and types of species living in the bay and adjacent Rhode Island Sound. National Geographic News. 01 July 2008
Antarctica slides with daily 'quakes'. The earthquakes that rocked the St. Louis area in April are mere hiccups compared to the massive earth rattlers that a Washington University professor and his colleagues have detected from a river of ice in Antarctica. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 01 July 2008
Crustaceans, squid found where once there were fish. Researchers are pointing fingers at global warming again, saying it has caused dramatic shifts in some aquatic communities in which fish populations die off and crabs, lobsters and squid take over. Xinhua News Agency. 01 July 2008
Penguins seen as 'canaries in climate coal mine' The 200,000 Magellanic penguins from the Punta Tombo colony on the Atlantic coast of Argentina have become the canaries in the global warming "coal mine," signaling the effects of climate change on oceans through their rapidly declining population. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 01 July 2008
A new twist in penguins’ already uncertain future. P. Dee Boersma has been watching the penguins of Punta Tombo for almost 30 years and now sees a new threat to their survival: a changing climate. New York Times. 01 July 2008
Canary in a tux? Penguin woes signal sea problems. The dwindling march of the penguins is signaling that the world's oceans are in trouble, scientists now say. Associated Press. 01 July 2008
Bangladesh wants SAARC fund for climate change. Bangladesh has proposed the creation a fund to fight climate change in densely populated South Asia, which experts say is vulnerable to rising seas, melting glaciers and greater extremes of droughts and floods. Reuters. 01 July 2008
Oregon utility rates expected to climb in the next few years. Customers will likely see higher bills as PGE and NW Natural face growing demand and surging costs for fuel and climate mandates. Portland Oregonian. 01 July 2008
Bovine growth hormone 'could cut CO2 emissions'. The use of bovine growth hormone to boost milk production could cut emissions of greenhouses gases substantially, according to a study that makes a strong environmental case for the controversial cattle injections. London Independent. 01 July 2008
Global carbon price needed, Shell says. The capture and storage of carbon dioxide to reduce emissions can only work if the market for the greenhouse gas becomes global, the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Monday. Bloomberg News. 01 July 2008
Second wind energy project quietly goes into service in WV. Developers see strong winds along the state's eastern mountain ridges as a source of clean power to replace coal and help deal with the climate change crisis. Charleston Gazette. 01 July 2008
Can a cow hormone help save the environment? A much-maligned product from Monsanto - the bovine growth hormone somatotropin - leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions and greater energy savings, according to researchers. New Scientist. 01 July 2008
Energy bills will rise by £213 to meet EU emissions targets. Every household in the country will face a £213 rise in their annual energy bills if the UK is to meet European Union emissions targets, according to an Ernst & Young report, which also warns that half of all Britons are not prepared to pay. London Independent. 01 July 2008
Wind farms 'repay lost C02 in 3 years'. It takes just three years for a wind farm to pay back the carbon dioxide released from peat land damaged during construction, according to a new report. Edinburgh Scotsman. 01 July 2008
Converted plonk for the Aston Martin steers Charles towards a greener lifestyle. That Prince Charles' car has been converted to run on bioethanol, made from surplus wine, was one of the minor examples of his green credentials touted in the annual review of his income and activities published yesterday. London Guardian. 01 July 2008
One is cutting one's carbon footprint. For years Prince Charles has expounded on the importance of saving the environment while at the same time being attacked for driving a gas-guzzling Aston Martin. Edinburgh Scotsman. 01 July 2008
Prince Charles's Aston Martin is wine powered. The Prince of Wales has reduced his motoring emissions by running his 38-year-old Aston Martin, a 21st birthday present from the Queen, on fuel made entirely from English wine. London Daily Telegraph. 01 July 2008
An inconvenience store truth? Battle brews over green policies. Amid the heated competition among local governments to prove they are environmentally friendly, one plan has repeatedly surfaced: taking some of the convenience out of convenience stores. Asahi Shimbun. 01 July 2008
Green guilt? Top airlines and tour operators keen to shore up their green credentials nowadays offer customers carbon "offsets" to compensate holiday pollution. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Keeping the lights on in a low-carbon world. Whether state efforts and plans by energy companies to broaden portfolios can keep the lights on remains to be seen. It’s a big order and one of the most important of our time: Meet demand, maintain affordable prices, protect the Earth. Media General News Service. 01 July 2008
Carbon-storage partnership formed. The Kentucky Geological Survey and three energy companies have formed a partnership to test storing carbon dioxide permanently underground. Louisville Courier-Journal. 01 July 2008
Governor entices Tesla to build cars in Bay Area. In a surprise move, Tesla Motors will build its electric-car factory in the Bay Area, not New Mexico as previously announced, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday. San Jose Mercury News. 01 July 2008
Experts urge states to invest in CO2 carbon capture and storage. Capturing and storing carbon emissions from power generation holds the key to managing climate change amid rising use of polluting oil, gas and coal, an international CO2 conference heard in The Hague on Monday. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Futuristic 'MonoMobile' inventors ride into Dayton. The concept electric car called the Liberator drives on roads using battery power, then could hook to an overhead track for longer travel - the MonoMobile- allowing the battery to recharge while the driver relaxes or works. Dayton Daily News. 01 July 2008
Occidental deal with SandRidge to boost oil output. The petroleum firm will build a plant in Texas to remove excess carbon dioxide from natural gas and use it to extract more crude. Los Angeles Times. 01 July 2008
Government puts carbon capture on fast track. The government has stepped up the pace of change in the battle against global warming by announcing a shortlist of bidders for its carbon capture and storage demonstration project and outlining a proposed new legislative framework for "clean coal". London Guardian. 01 July 2008
Opec ministers, oil company heads express concern. As oil set a new record, top industry executives and a senior EU official on Monday urged the world to pull together in the face of skyrocketing energy prices, while acknowledging that even if it does, costly crude is here to stay for years. Associated Press. 01 July 2008
Groups sue DEQ over proposed Highwood power plant. Two environmental groups have sued the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Associated Press. 01 July 2008
Judge: reduce CO2 or don't build coal plant. In a ruling believed to be unprecedented, a Georgia judge halted the construction of a coal-fired power plant because it had not made provisions for reducing its emissions of carbon dioxide. The Daily Green. 01 July 2008
Fulton judge invalidates permit for coal plant. Environmentalists nationwide are celebrating Monday's Fulton County Superior Court decision they say will make it harder — if not impossible — to build new coal plants. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 01 July 2008
Georgia court orders greenhouse-gas limits. In a decision with potentially significant ramifications for power companies and the national debate over global warming, a state court in Georgia ruled Monday that a proposed coal-burning power plant can't proceed unless its carbon-dioxide emissions are limited. Wall Street Journal. 01 July 2008
Georgia court cites carbon in coal-plant ruling. A Georgia state court on Monday invalidated a permit to build a 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant, citing the developers' failure to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. Reuters. 01 July 2008
Britain seeks to set pace in carbon capture quest. Britain announced a shortlist of four firms on Monday in a tender to build the world's first commercial-scale power plant to burn coal and gas without adding to global warming. Reuters UK. 01 July 2008
Dominion begins construction of Wise County power plant. Dominion Virginia Power announced Monday that construction of a new 585 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Wise County has commenced. Kingsport Times-News. 01 July 2008
Economics of eco-tourism. Eco-tourism --- what the brochure will not reveal is tourism's dirty little secret: the environmental cost of your trip. Emirates Business 24/7. 01 July 2008
Oil shock bumps global warming to G8's back burner. The Group of Eight (G8) is set to fudge its decision on climate change next week, reflecting the issue's weaker status in the absence of European campaigning and in the face of sky-high oil prices. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Voters will wear tax on carbon to fight global warming. Most Australians are prepared to pay higher energy bills to fight global warming but support wanes when households are confronted with the extra spike in fuel prices likely to be caused by the inclusion of petrol in an emissions trading scheme. Sydney Australian. 01 July 2008
McCain's energy record is on/off. Promoting his energy plans, Sen. John McCain promised a forceful national strategy to combat global warming and end U.S. dependence on foreign oil. But the senator's legislative work on energy and climate change is also full of contradictions. Los Angeles Times. 01 July 2008
Cost of curbing climate change not as high as assumed, says UN official. The price tag of addressing climate change is not as great as believed, the head of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized today. Associated Press of Pakistan. 01 July 2008
Government does the groundwork. European officials are considering resurrecting a controversial soils directive that was thrown out by farm ministers six months ago. Northern Scotland Press and Journal. 01 July 2008
UN chief urges rich nations to lead on Africa, climate. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appealed Tuesday to rich nations not to backtrack on assistance to Africa and action against climate change at next week's Group of Eight summit. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Vietnam adopts Euro II standards to cut emissions. Vietnam today will implement Euro II emission standards for all new cars and motorbikes in a bid to reduce air pollution. Thanhnien News. 01 July 2008
Midterm CO2 goal needed: Ban. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon lauded Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura for not wearing a tie as part of energy-saving efforts but demanded bolder action Monday to save the Earth, urging Japan to set a midterm emissions-reduction goal. Japan Times. 01 July 2008
Stern optimistic U.S. will act on climate. British climate change expert Nicholas Stern said on Monday he's confident the United States will move to regulate greenhouse gases in the first half of next year, providing leadership that would help the world reach an agreement in late 2009 on slowing climate change. Reuters. 01 July 2008
India focuses on renewables in new climate plan. India unveiled on Monday a national plan to deal with the threat of global warming, focusing on renewable energy for sustainable development while refusing to commit to any emission targets that risk slowing economic growth. Reuters. 01 July 2008
UN presses China on climate change. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told China on Tuesday to accept its global responsibilities on climate change, as he began a three-day visit to the world's most populous nation. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Climate change will have destabilizing consequences. U.S. intelligence agencies usually stay outside the political fray, but they recently waded firmly into the debate over climate change by producing an unsettling assessment of national security implications of changing weather patterns. US News & World Report. 01 July 2008
Bush comes around. It may have surprised some people, but really it was as inevitable as sunrise: After seven years of denial, the Bush administration can no longer ignore the biggest environmental problem facing the West and the entire planet. High Country News. 01 July 2008
Smoking guns and melting ice. The only way global warming has gotten the slightest respect in Bush's Washington is as a national security issue. The Nation. 01 July 2008
EPA: Global warming a danger, emissions should be regulated. The EPA was on its way towards finding global warming emissions to be a danger to public welfare, and that these emissions should be regulated in vehicles and fuels, according to a review of subpoenaed global warming documents. Medford Transcript. 01 July 2008
White House rejected EPA climate findings: Congress. White House officials refused to open e-mail from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that said global warming threatens public welfare and urged more fuel-efficient cars, congressional staff said on Monday. Reuters. 01 July 2008
Energy bill gets Derry thinking. Town officials want to reduce the local government's energy consumption by 20 percent this year as they deal with surging oil prices and environmental concerns. Manchester Union Leader. 01 July 2008
Warming underlies the West's key woes. Over and over again this week, Western governors have been confronted with the issue of climate change and the threat it poses to the sustainability of the region's way of life. Salt Lake Tribune. 01 July 2008
Pacific Coast governments form collaboration. California is joining with the governments of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska in a regional collaboration to offer a unified voice on issues pacing the West Coast. Central Valley Business Times. 01 July 2008
Highwood plant foes slap DEQ with lawsuit. Two environmental groups on Monday sued the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, alleging the state has failed to limit greenhouse gas emissions in an air permit for a coal-fired power plant planned east of Great Falls. Great Falls Tribune. 01 July 2008
Bangladesh wants SAARC fund for climate change. Bangladesh has proposed the creation of a fund to fight climate change in densely populated South Asia, which experts say is vulnerable to rising seas, melting glaciers and greater extremes of droughts and floods Reuters UK. 01 July 2008
RI sets up 'powerful' climate change council. After two months of delay, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has formed a "powerful" climate change council to speed up efforts to combat global warming, a government official said Monday. Jakarta Post. 01 July 2008
India unveils plan to combat climate change. India's prime minister announced a plan Monday to combat global warming by focusing on renewable energy, even as he stood by a refusal to commit to greenhouse gas emission targets that could stall the country's economic growth. Associated Press. 01 July 2008
India offers 8 ideals on a climate change policy, but few details. The Indian government pledged Monday to devote more attention to renewable energy, water conservation and preserving natural resources in the country’s first climate change plan, but it did not set concrete goals or pledge to cap harmful emissions. New York Times. 01 July 2008
Foreign governments help China map out plans for climate change. A joint initiative by foreign governments and international agencies was launched here on Monday to assist China's ecologically fragile provinces to map out plans to cope with the climate change. Xinhua News Agency. 01 July 2008
India focuses on renewable energy in new climate plan. India yesterday unveiled a national plan to deal with the threat of global warming, focusing on renewable energy for sustainable development while refusing to commit to any emission targets that risk slowing economic growth. Doha Gulf Times. 01 July 2008
Sunny side up for India's climate change plan. It’s sunny-side-up for India if the National Action Plan on Climate Change is anything to go by. CNN-IBN. 01 July 2008
Rudd may overhaul public transport. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has hinted at a new frontier for tackling climate change: a national overhaul of public transport. Melbourne Herald Sun. 01 July 2008
Climate strategy 'half-cocked': Turnbull. The Opposition has told the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, to drop the macho-man act and delay the implementation of an emissions trading scheme to make sure it is not "half-cocked". Sydney Morning Herald. 01 July 2008
Sustainable development recipe. For the uninitiated - it all started in 1992 when 172 countries met in Rio de Janeiro at the Earth Summit and created the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Fiji Times. 01 July 2008
British renewables push will boost energy bills. Meeting Britain's renewable energy targets will add significantly to domestic energy bills on top of already steeply rising fuel prices, a report said on Monday. Reuters. 01 July 2008
Human rights, rare species on EU biofuels agenda. The European Union is near to agreeing standards for biofuels that put human rights and endangered species high on the agenda, a diplomat chairing the negotiations said. Reuters. 01 July 2008
Eco-tourism's green brings in the greenbacks. Flip through a travel brochure, and you're likely to see pictures of sun and sand in Southeast Asia, of luxury lodges in the Serengeti, of scuba diving in the bejewelled coral reefs of the Caribbean, but what the brochure won't reveal is the environmental cost of your trip. Agence France-Presse. 01 July 2008
Plan calls for new heights in agriculture. Vertical farming, the concept of raising crops in city high-rises, is finding favour with urban planners for economy of space and elimination of food transportation. Ottawa Citizen. 01 July 2008
Region readies for push in green-collar jobs. Lower Fairfield County has built its economy on the financial services and technology sectors, but the next wave of growth will not be based on the green in the wallet but the green of the soaring environmental movement across the nation. Stamford Advocate. 01 July 2008
State legislature approves tax breaks for rooftop gardens. State lawmakers have approved a bill to give tax breaks to homeowners who install "green roofs" - gardens atop buildings. New York Daily News. 01 July 2008
California wins over wayward Tesla. Electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. said yesterday it will manufacture the lower-priced follow-up to its Roadster sports car in California after the state offered a tax break to keep the operations there. Reuters. 01 July 2008
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