The Daily Climate

Economics

Obama green jobs program faces further investigation.

House Republicans are expanding their probe into the Obama administration's energy programs, investigating $500 million in green job training grants that placed just 10% of trainees in jobs, according to a government report. USA Today 01 Feb

U.S. Congress to oppose EU law on aircraft emissions.

The U.S. Congress will formally express its opposition to a European law aimed at reducing pollution from jetliners, a thorny diplomatic issue that has threatened to escalate transatlantic trade tensions. Reuters 01 Feb

Blue Chips urged to clean up their supply chain.

The Carbon Disclosure Project, an investor-backed group that lobbies companies to report on their carbon emissions and water use, will today release its annual report examining how companies and their suppliers are preparing for climate change impacts, such as drought and flooding. Business Green 01 Feb

Ukraine applies to resume participation in greenhouse gas quota trade.

Ukraine has turned to the Kyoto Protocol Compliance Committee of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change with the request to resume participation in international trading of greenhouse gas emission quotas, the State Environmental Investment Agency of Ukraine said. Kyiv Post 31 Jan

Energy

Ministers 'misled MPs over need for nuclear power stations.'

Ministers misled parliament over the need to build a new fleet of nuclear power stations, distorting evidence and presenting to MPs a false summary of the analysis they had commissioned, a group of MPs and experts alleged in a report published on Tuesday. The Guardian 01 Feb

Congress would replace Obama as Keystone decider under bill.

Three Senate Republicans plan to introduce legislation that would give Congress the authority to approve TransCanada Corp. (TRP)’s Keystone XL pipeline, which has been denied a permit by President Barack Obama. Bloomberg News 01 Feb

Pipeline hearings: Native groups want money, environmental assurances.

A week of hearings into the potential effects of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline ended Tuesday with questions about how much indigenous people can trust the process designed to weigh pros and cons of the controversial $5.5-billion project. Edmonton Journal 01 Feb

California adopts strict new car standards, updates zero-emissions vehicle mandate.

California air quality officials Jan. 27 adopted new standards requiring automobile manufacturers, over the next 13 years, to reduce ozone-forming emissions from cars and light-duty trucks by 75 percent from 2014 levels. Bloomberg BNA 01 Feb

Other News

IEA workshop to seek recommendations on easing roadblocks to unconventional gas.

Bloomberg BNA 01 Feb

GOP weighs contempt charges against White House on Solyndra.

The Hill 01 Feb

Nova Scotia Member of Parliament working hard to get climate change answers.

Halifax Chronicle Herald 01 Feb

Poland eyes changes to renewable support plan.

Reuters 01 Feb

Wall Street Journal under attack for climate op-ed.

Mongabay 01 Feb

Premier bows to motorists on unleaded fuel.

Sydney Morning Herald 31 Jan

An oil minister, plugging renewables?

New York Times 31 Jan

Forty percent emissions cut still on European agenda.

Euractiv 31 Jan

Northern Gateway Pipeline review board in focus.

Vancouver Observer 31 Jan

Keystone project on hold while TransCanada weighs three options.

Inside Climate News 31 Jan

Senate Republicans push Keystone bill.

Wall Street Journal 31 Jan

UK Meteorology Office numbers show earth hasn't warmed in 15 years.

Cleveland News Channel 5 31 Jan

Editorials

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

Global warming's 'dirty laundry.'

University of Virginia should disclose climate emails. Washington Times 28 Jan

Opinion

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

Stop harassing the Koch brothers.

The facts are clear: Koch Industries does not have a financial stake in the pipeline. Politico 03 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

Can the UK achieve its carbon targets without nuclear power?

I personally feel there is too much idealism in the argument that we can completely do without nuclear energy. But perhaps the Germanys of this world will prove me wrong? The Guardian 02 Feb

Check with climate scientists for views on climate.

Do you consult your dentist about your heart condition? In science, as in any area, reputations are based on knowledge and expertise in a field and on published, peer-reviewed work. The Journal failed to do its homework. Wall Street Journal 02 Feb

Expertise a prerequisite to comment on climate.

The opinion piece "Climate change 'heretics' refute carbon dangers" was the climate-science equivalent of dentists practising cardiology. Sydney Australian 02 Feb

How the stimulus revived the electric car.

Daremoshiranai/flickr

One success the Obama administration can duly claim is the rebirth of the electric-car industry in the United States. The question is: Will it last? ProPublica 03 Feb

Clear and present dangers not so clear, or present.

Let’s face it, human beings are not very good at dealing with distant, relatively uncertain threats. By the time some of the worst consequences of climate change clearly manifest themselves as near-term challenges, it will be too late to stop them. Climate Central 03 Feb

How the Sierra Club took millions from the natural gas industry — and why it stopped.

Mainstream environmental groups have struggled to balance local concerns about traditional pollution with planet-sized worries over climate change, and how to work with corporate America without being seen as selling out. Time Magazine 03 Feb

Storm over climate change among weather forecasters.

Spike55151/flickr

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. But weather forecasters, many of whom see climate change as a natural, cyclical phenomenon, are split over whether they have a responsibility to educate viewers on the link between human activity and the change in the Earth's climates. Reuters 03 Feb

Equity must be basis of climate talks: PM.

In one of his most emphatic public statements reaffirming the return of "equity" in India's climate change stance, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said global cooperation on climate change "must be based on the foundation of the right to development and the need for an equitable distribution of burden." Bombay Economic Times 03 Feb

Republicans urge feds to scrap climate rule for new power plants.

House Republicans yesterday asked the Obama administration to withdraw a pending rule that would implement the first-ever standards on greenhouse-gas emissions from new power plants, saying it would “impose additional energy costs on a struggling American economy.” Houston Chronicle 03 Feb

Ed Davey confirmed as new Energy Secretary.

The former Liberal Democrat Business Minister steps into the role of Energy and Climate Change Secretary following the resignation of Chris Huhne earlier today. The Telegraph 03 Feb

Global warming and the power of prayer.

Some religious leaders are hoping that the Earth does have a prayer when it comes to climate change. Louisville Courier-Journal 03 Feb

India's stand to be crucial for future climate deal.

France today said India's stand on climate change will be a significant factor to arrive at an agreement in the future and stressed the need to understand specific conditions of countries involved in the issue. Bombay Economic Times 03 Feb

EU climate chief seeks doubling of global clean energy at Rio.

European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said countries meeting at a conference in June should pledge to double the share of renewable energy they use by 2030 and give all citizens access to sustainable power. Bloomberg News 03 Feb

Carbon caught up in politics.

Fewer than four years ago, former Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich sat on a couch with then Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "We don't always see eye to eye, do we Newt?" said Pelosi. "No, but we do agree our country must take action to address climate change," responded Gingrich. Sydney Australian 03 Feb

India has a vital stake in evolving climate change response: Manmohan.

In its 12th edition, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit will focus on the theme "Protecting the Global Commons: 20 Years Post-Rio," and will be the first important meeting of global leaders preceding the June 2012, Rio+20 Summit. Hindu 03 Feb

Indian PM says lack of collective will on climate change.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday that "a lack of collective will" was hampering efforts to forge a common global front against the threat of climate change. Agence France-Presse 03 Feb

House Republicans ask White House to kill climate rule.

House Republicans who have spent a year pushing bills to thwart or delay Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gas rules are trying a new tactic: simply asking the White House to scuttle them. The Hill 03 Feb

Sierra Club took $26M from natural gas.

The Sierra Club took $26 million from one of the nation's largest natural gas companies for three years while at the same time hawking natural gas as a clean, green energy source, the group admitted Thursday. Politico 03 Feb

Authors of Wall Street Journal climate piece downplay industry ties.

DailyClimate.org

Half of the 16 scientists who penned a controversial Wall Street Journal opinion piece proclaiming there is "no need to panic" about global warming have ties to either the oil and gas industry or groups dedicated to debunking climate science, a DailyClimate.org investigation has found. Daily Climate 02 Feb

For Republicans, Keystone pipeline is central to agenda.

Just six months ago, Keystone for many Americans was the state nickname for Pennsylvania. But now Keystone, the Canadian pipeline, has become a centerpiece of the Republican economic and political agenda, and the party’s preferred truncheon against President Obama. New York Times 02 Feb

Texas Tech scientist sees intimidation effort in hate mail.

At Texas Climate News’ request, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe provided a sample of recent emails to illustrate the exponential escalation of the "virulence, hatred and nastiness." Caution: Some of the language is offensive. Texas Climate News 02 Feb

House GOP transportation bill at odds with Boxer's.

House Republicans rolled out a $270 billion transportation bill Tuesday that would open the California coast to oil drilling and eliminate most bicycle and pedestrian programs. And that's just for starters. San Francisco Chronicle 02 Feb

Air rules offer lesson for carbon.

Rainforest Action Network

New US limits on mercury and other toxic pollution from coal power plants may prove a back door to carbon emissions cuts and show that environmental controls with more visible, easily understood benefits win more support. Reuters 02 Feb

Wall Street Journal rapped over climate change stance.

The Wall Street Journal has received a dressing down from a large group of leading scientists for promoting retrograde and out-of-date views on climate change. The Guardian 02 Feb

Romney takes Fla. with variety of weapons, including a climate attack .

Mitt Romney's crushing victory in Florida spoiled Newt Gingrich's southern momentum with a barrage of personal attacks, including one about the former speaker's views on climate change that the son of Ronald Reagan said gives conservatives "cardiac arrest." ClimateWire 02 Feb