Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has said that expanding nuclear power in his state is a “moral imperative” given concerns about unchecked greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but… Full story
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell (D) and former Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) secretary Kathleen McGinty are said to be jockeying for key cabinet positions should Barack… Full story
The U.S. railroad industry is warning California regulators to avoid pursuing certain greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-reduction rules on trains and rail yards in the state, arguing the tactic could backfire by increasing railroad activities… Full story
A commission created by Virgina Gov. Tim Kaine (D) to develop recommendations on how the state can reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) has released a draft copy of its report. While it reaches no conclusions on how the state can reduce its carbon footprint—Kaine has established a goal of reducing the state’s GHGs 30 percent below business-as-usual levels by 2025—it does detail the arguments for and against climate change legislation made to the commission from various stakeholders, including utilities such as American Electric Power and major environmental groups. A final report is scheduled to be released by Dec. 15.
A new report by the UN Environment Program says ending fuel subsidies could reduce world greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by six percent each year. Eliminating those subsidies could also boost the global GDP by a small, but significant number, about 0.1 percent, the report says. The report argues subsidies intended to ease energy costs often do not make their way to the poor, while supporting fuel choices that could exacerbate climate change problems. The report, “Reforming Energy Subsidies: Opportunities to Continue to the Climate Change Agenda,” was released on Tuesday at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Accra, Ghana, which is laying the groundwork for future international climate change talks on an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) National Clean Energy Summit has released more than 20 recommendations that will be presented to the Senate and both upcoming national political conventions. Recommendations include putting “a price on carbon pollution” through a cap-and-trade or other scheme, establishing a federal renewable portfolio standard, encouraging energy efficiency in buildings, funding research into carbon capture and storage technology and exporting “clean” technologies to countries such as China and India. The summit, which was held in Las Vegas and featured keynote speakers including former President Bill Clinton and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, ended Aug. 19.
more documents . . .“Urgent and drastic action” must be taken by the next president to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) or we could face “global catastrophe in several decades,” say two national security experts from the Clinton administration… more
A reworked version of the GOP platform dropped a sentence attributing global warming to human activity, a move that conservatives say, among other revisions, could help presidential candidate John McCain reconcile his longstanding support… more
China is set to overtake the United States in overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power generation, but per capita, U.S. emissions are still nearly four times those of China, according to new data… more
A new agreement between New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) and utility company Xcel Energy could set an industry-wide standard for assessing and publicly disclosing the financial risks that climate change poses for… more