Another Week of GW News, May 10, 2009

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Another week of Climate Disruption News

May 10, 2009

• Chuckle, Top Stories:Aus-ETS, Sol, Melting Arctic, Geopolitics, Antarctica, Late Comments
• Food Crisis, Food vs. Biofuel, Food Production
• Hurricanes, GHGs, Carbon Cycle, Temperatures, Ozone, Paleoclimate, ENSO, Glaciers, Sea Levels, Satellites
• Impacts, Forests, Climate Refugees, Desertification, Wacky Weather, Tornadoes, Wildfires, Floods & Droughts
• Mitigation, Transportation, Buildings, Carbon Labels, Sequestration, Geoengineering, Adaptation
• Journals, Misc. Science, Romm & Hansen, Dyson
• Kyoto, Kyoto-2, UN, Carbon Trade, Carbon Tax, Optimal Carbon Reduction Strategy
• Politics:International, Security, America, Obama, Britain, Europe, Australia, New Zeakand, China, Canada
• Ecological Economics, IPAT, Apocalypso, Media, Books, Courts
• Energy, Wind, Solar, Coal, Biofuel, Nukes, Peak Oil, Grid, Efficiency, Cars, Business, Insurance, Joe's List
• Carbon Lobby, Miscellaneous Climate, Useful Links
• Shameless Self Promotion, .sig

Laugh. I dare ya:

• 2009/05/10: uComics: (cartoon - Toles) Carbon Pricing
• 2009/05/09: uComics: (cartoon - Wiley) Global Warming Realty
• 2009/05/08: TI:CF: (cartoon - Roberts) Infernal Combustion
• 2009/05/04: TI:CF: (cartoon - Roberts) Fuel Dump
• 2009/05/04: uComics: (cartoon - Toles) Climate Projections
• 2009/05/04: ClimateP: (cartoon - Toles) Climate Projections

  The Rudd government delayed the Aus-ETS [aka CPRS] to great uproar:

• 2009/05/07: TheAge: [Climate Change Minister Penny] Wong wants to pass ETS before December
• 2009/05/08: Reuters: Australia govt rejects coal compensation report
  Australia's government shook off on Friday coal industry warnings that 10,000 jobs would be lost and 16 coal mines forced to close unless a planned national carbon emissions trading scheme was dramatically overhauled. The centre-left government's exclusion of coal mining from compensation measures promised to the biggest polluting firms exposed to overseas competition was "seriously flawed", new research for the Australian Coal Association (ACA) said.
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): No climate for change
  The key mechanism the Government has selected to drive Australia's transition to a low carbon economy doesn't actually seem intended to drive a transition, write the University of New South Wales' Dr Regina Betz and Dr Iain MacGill. Even the most cursory glance at history tells us that overwhelming challenges can spark extraordinary innovation and societal transformation. Or merely greater denial. Which is why the Rudd Government's latest tinkering with its climate change strategy is so disappointing. Delving through the myriad details of the draft Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation, and now explicit in the proposed changes that have been announced, the underlying principle of the scheme seems clear - more investor certainty for mostly Business-As-Usual.
• 2009/05/07: PeakEnergy: Climate Policy Gamesmanship In Australia
  [...] We are on the verge of a national failure of will to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. It's doubtful if Kevin Rudd's revised proposal will get his carbon pollution reduction scheme passed by the Senate.
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): SAFF to continue emissions scheme fight
  The South Australian Farmers Federation (SAFF) says it will be use the 12-month delay on the emissions trading scheme to continue lobbying the Federal Government.
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): New Hope says emissions scheme cost still too high
  A southern Queensland coal producer says the Federal Government should use a delay in implementing the emissions trading scheme (ETS) to make it fairer for the mining sector.
• 2009/05/06: BNC: Has Kevin Rudd taken "a significant step forward on climate change"?
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Australia delays carbon trading scheme -- Kevin Rudd blames recession for one-year postponement and offers deeper cut in emissions
• 2009/05/05: NatureTGB: Aussie carbon trading slides back a year
• 2009/05/05: NatureCF: Hard times for climate plans in Australia and Canada
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Shell urges Turnbull to pass climate scheme -- says the business sector needs certainty
  The head of gas and petrol producer Shell Australia has called on the Opposition to support the Government's revised emissions trading scheme.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Carbon targets fatally flawed: Turnbull
  Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull is refusing to budge to allow the Government's emissions trading scheme through Parliament this year, describing it as "fatally flawed".
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): The Minerals Council of Australia says the Federal Government's changes to the emissions trading scheme do not go far enough
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Green groups urged to embrace carbon scheme changes
  A Victorian farmer says environmental groups must accept the big changes to the Federal Government's carbon trading scheme. The scheme will be delayed for 12 months and the emission reduction target may be increased from five to 25 per cent. Farmer Mark Wooton is the chairman of the research group, The Climate Institute.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Turnbull too weak to back emissions trading: Wong
  Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has lashed out at the Opposition for refusing to pass the Government's emissions trading legislation before international climate change talks later this year.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Mixed views on emissions scheme delay
  There has been a mixed response in the Hunter Valley to the Commonwealth's decision to delay the introduction of an emissions trading scheme by a year.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Engineering, not ETS, will reduce greenhouse gases: Barnett
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Carbon retreat raises tax concern
  A business energy auditor is hoping the Federal Government will not tax businesses in other areas because of a reduction in the price of carbon permits to $10 a tonne.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Green groups split over emissions scheme
  The Greens have accused the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and some other green groups of selling out to the Government over the emissions trading scheme. The ACF is supporting the Government's decision to delay the scheme until 2011 and peg Australia's emissions reduction target at 5 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020, with an option for a 25 per cent cut if global agreement is reached.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Emissions trade changes: Why did Rudd do it?
  The Government has managed to win some support for its revamped emissions trading scheme, but it is still facing an uphill battle getting the necessary Senate backing.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Big polluters cautious on carbon changes
  Woodside boss Don Voelte has described the Government's revamped emissions trading scheme (ETS) as a "pig with lipstick", but most other resource companies are being more cautious about what they say publicly.
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: Analysis - Australia's Tougher CO2 Target Good For Climate Talks
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Australian CO2 delay sends 'mixed message'
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: Politics mugs Australia's carbon-trading scheme
• 2009/05/04: Reuters: Australia delays carbon trade
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Revamped green scheme faces tough road
  The Federal Government's changes to its emissions trading scheme have failed to win the support of any other political party in parliament.
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Woodside CEO unimpressed by emissions changes
  The CEO of oil and gas producer Woodside is not happy with changes to the government's emissions trading scheme. The Government is delaying the scheme for a year until 2011, and will fix the price of carbon permits at $10 a tonne for the first year. But Don Voelte says the changes are inconsequential.
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): Environmental group Greenpeace says changes by the Federal Government to its emissions trading scheme reek of industry lobbying
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): 'Panicked tinkering': Turnbull won't be moved
  Changes to the proposed emissions trading scheme have not convinced the Coalition or crossbench senators to allow it through the Senate. Today Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced several major changes to the Federal Government's scheme including delaying its start untill 2011 and a carbon price of $10 for the first year. The Government has also raised its emissions reduction target to up to 25 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020, depending the strength of an international agreement.
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): Emissions scheme delays 'will cost jobs'
  Victorian Energy Minister Peter Batchelor says the Federal Opposition's stance on emissions trading will lead to more job uncertainty in the Latrobe Valley. The Coalition is refusing to support the emissions trading legislation in its current form, citing the global financial crisis as a reason to delay the scheme. Mr Batchelor says delaying the scheme will hurt investments in the energy sector and will ultimately affect jobs.
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the Government's emissions trading scheme is being delayed until 2011
• 2009/05/05: ABC(Au): Green targets to hit beef farmers hard: study
  A new study shows cattle property cash incomes could be cut by more than 60 per cent once agriculture is included in the Federal Government's emissions trading scheme (ETS). The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation report looks at the economic impact of the ETS on farm businesses.
• 2009/05/04: JQuiggin: 25 per cent by 2020
  Media coverage of Rudd's announced changes in the ETS scheme has focused on the one-year delay in the starting date. But the big news is that the government will now offer emissions reduction target to up to 25 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020, if an international agreement is made later this year in Denmark to keep global emissions under 450 parts per million
• 2009/05/04: BrisbaneTimes: Rudd delays emissions trading
  The introduction of the Federal Government's emissions trading scheme (ETS) has been delayed by one year to mid-2011. The government had planned to introduce the ETS in July 2010, despite opposition from business, green groups and the coalition. Legislation setting up the scheme was due to be introduced to parliament next month.
• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: Australia delays carbon-trading scheme
• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: Australia stalls on carbon-trading scheme
• 2009/05/04: BBerg: Australia Delays Carbon Trading Because of Economy
  Australia delayed plans to trade carbon-dioxide emissions by a year to 2011, blaming the economy, while remaining open to reducing greenhouse gases under an international agreement. The decision was made amid signs the proposal will detract from growth as the nation's economy heads into its first recession for 17 years. "These are very difficult circumstances for the global economy," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Canberra. "The government will introduce legislation through the Senate; our objective is to provide business certainty for the future as this effects the wider economy long term."
• 2009/05/04: WSJ:EnvCap: Backing Down, Down Under: Economic Crisis Whacks Australia's Climate Plans

  So, what's up with the sun?

• 2009/05/09: NewScientist: Solar cycle will be weakest since 1928, forecasters say
• 2009/05/09: PhysOrg: Warning: Sunspot cycle beginning to rise
• 2009/05/08: SciNow: Sun's Behavior Flummoxes Solar Scientists
• 2009/05/07: KSJT: Should we worry about the sun being unusually quiet or heading for major chaos? Depends who's on the story.
• 2008/09/: SkepticalScience: ACRIM vs PMOD - Is the sun getting hotter?
• 2009/03/03: GRL: ACRIM-gap and TSI trend issue resolved using a surface magnetic flux TSI proxy model by Nicola Scafetta & Richard C. Willson
• 2008/02/18: RSPA: Recent oppositely directed trends in solar climate forcings and the global mean surface air temperature. II. Different reconstructions of the total solar irradiance variation and dependence on response time scale by Mike Lockwood & Claus Fröhlich
• 2009/05/06: RealClimate: ACRIM vs PMOD
• 2009/05/04: NatGeo: Sun Oddly Quiet -- Hints at Next "Little Ice Age"?

  The Arctic melt continues to garner a lot of attention:

• 2009/05/08: PhysOrg: Former coal mine aids Arctic climate research
• 2009/05/06: CCP: NSIDC Arctic Sea Ice Conditions, May 4, 2009: A slow start to the spring melt season
• 2009/05/06: BBC: Ice team endures meagre rations
  Three UK explorers surveying the Arctic ice were down to rations of just 90g of food each per day until a resupply flight reached them on Tuesday
• 2009/05/04: SciDaily: Arctic Trek To 'Break The Ice' On New NASA Airborne Radars
• 2009/05/04: CBC: Researchers flag increasing levels of fresh water in Labrador Sea
• 2009/05/04: CBC: Toxic mercury levels in seal meat linked to melting Arctic ice

  As for the geopolitics of Arctic resources:

• 2009/05/07: UNDispatch: Time for Law of the Sea
• 2009/05/08: NatureN: Shell backs off Arctic drilling
• 2009/05/08: CanWest: New comprehensive atlas maps riches of the Arctic -- Mining companies eager for a look, project leader says
  Canada has published the first comprehensive atlas of Arctic geology -- everything from continental plates to rock types that signal where to hunt for gold, diamonds, gas and oil. The atlas contains $1 billion worth of data from polar countries, and carries enormous implications for contentious Arctic sovereignty claims -- based partly on formations under the ocean -- and for mining and earthquake forecasting. It also shows physical features such as kimberlite pipes (which can contain diamonds), underwater volcanoes and fault lines. The main overview map is available electronically and in a low-resolution poster from Natural Resources Canada, showing the world north of the Arctic Circle. A press run of high-resolution maps is set for next February.
• 2009/05/07: CBC: New map of Arctic could point to Canadian gas, minerals -- Data could also be used to claim more Arctic waters, seabed
• 2009/05/07: ChronicleHerald: Senators call for armed icebreakers
  A new Senate report on Arctic sovereignty says Canada should arm its coast guard icebreakers and turn the North's Rangers into better-trained units that could fight if necessary. That would help convince countries, including the United States, that Canada is serious about control over the North, said Sen. William Rompkey.
• 2009/05/07: CanWest: Save the Arctic by Madeleine Albright & Lloyd Axworthy
  World leaders must take bold, courageous action in Copenhagen and agree to halt the spiral of damage from climate change
• 2009/05/04: CBC: Canada to boost efforts to chart Arctic waters -- Increased marine traffic drives need for better ocean maps
• 2009/05/06: WSWS: Canada's ruling elite asserts its predatory Arctic ambitions
  Mounting tensions between Canada and Russia over control of the immense natural resources of the Arctic and a potential transcontinental Arctic seaway, the Northwest Passage, have found expression in recent weeks in a series of diplomatic spats.
• 2009/05/04: DM:80B: Russia Plans to Power Arctic Oil Drilling With Floating Nuclear Plants
• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: Germans estimate North-East Passage navigable in 10 years

  While in Antarctica:

• 2009/05/10: ENN: In the Antarctic, a Huge Iceberg is About to Break off Glacier
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): Scientists expecting massive iceberg from glacier crack
  A massive iceberg with enough freshwater in it to fill Sydney Harbour 135 times over is about to break off the Mertz glacier in Antarctica. The iceberg will be 75 kilometres long and contains 750,000 gigalitres of ice which is apparently quite a lot. Scientists are not sure if it is a natural event or if global warming is to blame. But a joint Australian and French team hope to find out. The Mertz Glacier is near Commonwealth Bay in East Antarctica.

Late comment on the Anchorage Indigenous summit:

• 2009/05/04: Rabble: Historic gathering shows the way on climate change

  The food crisis is ongoing:

• 2009/05/10: Guardian(UK): Electric fences to stop invasion of Kenya nature parks
  Armed guards doubled to protect wildlife reserves from farmers desperate for food and water as climate change accelerates
• 2009/05/07: AlterNet: Peak-Oil Prophet James Howard Kunstler on Food, Fuel and Why He Became a Vegan
• 2009/05/05: Stoat: Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization?

  The conflict between biofuel and food persists:

• 2009/05/07: PhysOrg: Advance toward producing biofuels without stressing global food supply

  And how are we going to feed 9 billion?

• 2009/05/07: EurActiv: Agri-food sector to assess its environmental footprint
  An EU sustainable food chain roundtable launched yesterday (6 May) is seeking to develop a methodology for assessing the environmental footprint of individual foods and drinks by 2011.
• 2009/05/07: UN: Boosting food production alone will not solve hunger crisis - UN expert -- "Increasing agricultural production must go hand in hand with increasing the incomes of the poorest..."
• 2009/05/05: SeedDaily: Synthetic Chemical Offers Solution For Crops Facing Drought
• 2009/05/05: SciDaily: Better Water Use Could Reduce Future Food Crises
• 2009/04/14: UCS-USA: Failure to Yield -- Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops by Doug Gurian-Sherman

  The Philippines got hit by Kujira and then Cha-hom:

• 2009/05/10: EarthTimes: 36 dead, 12 missing in Philippines due to typhoon Chan-Hom
• 2009/05/08: CBC: Typhoon [Cha-hom] slams into northern Philippines -- As many as 24 people were killed and four are missing...
• 2009/05/08: EarthTimes: 18 dead as typhoon Chan-Hom hits Philippines
• 2009/05/07: EarthTimes: Powerful typhoon [Chan-Hom] dumps heavy rains in northern Philippines
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: Landslides, Floods Kill 20 In Philippines, Three Missing [Kujira]
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: Philippines braces for new storm after Kujira kills 27
• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: 23 dead and missing in storm [Kujira] in Philippines

  While elsewhere in the hurricane wars:

• 2009/05/08: Wunderground: Storm surge reduction by wetlands
• 2009/05/07: NewScientist: Katrina victims use science to sue US government
• 2009/05/06: NatureTGB: Hurricane farewell
• 2009/05/05: TerraDaily: Tree-Killing Hurricanes Could Contribute To Global Warming

  As for GHGs:

• 2009/05/07: CanWest: The wrong direction
  For years, a succession of Canadian governments have dithered on the climate-change file. The results are in: Canada's greenhouse-gas emissions are growing faster than ever. In 2007, according to new data released from Environment Canada, Canada hit a record high: 747 megatonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent. That was up four per cent over 2006. The sudden increase can be explained, in part, by the fact that the winter was milder in 2006 than in 2007. But that doesn't explain the fact that since 1990, Canada's emissions have been climbing steadily. This country promised, in the Kyoto agreement, to cut its emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels. Instead, it raised them to 26 per cent above 1990 levels. If this is what it looks like when Canada makes an effort, it's scary to imagine what our emissions might be today if we hadn't tried at all.
• 2009/05/06: EurActiv: Further emissions fall predicted this year
  The ongoing economic recession is set to reduce EU carbon dioxide emissions more dramatically than expected in 2009, but carbon prices are expected to continue to rise, according to a Deutsche Bank report published yesterday (5 May).
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: US Says Wants To Cut Potent HFC Greenhouse Gases
  The United States intends to work toward reducing emissions of potent greenhouse gases found in refrigerators and air conditioning systems but has not yet decided which international venue to use to advance the issue, US officials said on Monday. In a letter to a UN agency, the US State Department said hydrofluorocarbons, known as HFCs, "pose a very significant further threat to the climate system because of their high global warming potentials."
• 2009/05/05: OneBlueMarble: Canada's Dramatic Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

  And in the carbon cycle:

• 2009/05/08: PhysOrg: Global monsoon drives long-term carbon cycles in the ocean
• 2009/05/07: Eureka: Global monsoon drives long-term carbon cycles in the ocean
• 2009/05/06: SciDaily: Carbon Balance Of Terrestrial Ecosystems In China
• 2009/05/03: OneBlueMarble: Counting Carbon: Reframing the Debate

  As for the temperature record:

• 2009/05/08: NOAANews: April Temperatures Slightly Cooler Than Average for U.S.
• 2009/05/05: SciDaily: Climate Experts Warn That Short-Term Snapshots Of Temperature Data Can Be Misleading: Focus Instead On The Bigger Picture

  The ozone layer is still under threat:

• 2009/05/07: NatureN: Ozone data conflict resolved -- Disturbing laboratory measurements put down to impurities

  While in the paleoclimate:

• 2009/05/09: NewScientist: Volcanic shutdown may have led to 'snowball Earth'
• 2009/05/05: UMd: Rise of Oxygen Caused Earth's Earliest Ice Age
  An international team of geologists may have uncovered the answer to an age-old question - an ice-age-old question, that is. It appears that Earth's earliest ice age may have been due to the rise of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, which consumed atmospheric greenhouse gases and chilled the earth.
• 2009/05/04: SciDaily: Earth Still Recovering From A Glacial Hangover

  While on the ENSO front:

• 2009/05/07: NOAA:NCEP: El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion
  Synopsis: ENSO-neutral conditions are expected to continue into the Northern Hemisphere Summer

Glaciers are melting:

• 2009/05/08: ClimateP: Another one bites the dust, literally: Bolivia's 18,000 year-old Chacaltaya glacier is gone
• 2009/05/05: TreeHugger: Some Himalayan Glaciers are Growing. Does this Mean Global Warming Isn't Real?
• 2009/05/04: MiamiHerald: Bolivia's Chacaltaya glacier is gone

  Sea levels are rising:

• 2009/05/05: ENN: New Antarctic seabed sonar images reveal clues to sea-level rise
• 2009/05/05: Eureka: New Antarctic seabed sonar images reveal clues to sea-level rise -- Most comprehensive seabed image of Amundsen Sea Embayment

  Meanwhile in near earth orbit:

• 2009/05/07: NOAANews: NOAA, NASA Select Contractor [L-M] to Build GOES-R Series Satellite -- New Geostationary Satellites Will Give Forecasters Better Information
• 2009/05/07: SciDaily: Sea Salt Holds Clues To Climate Change [Aquarius/SAC-D]
• 2009/05/07: TreeHugger: Scientists Launching [Aquarius/SAC-D] Satellite to Measure Saltiness of Seas

  More GW impacts are being seen:

• 2009/05/09: CBC:Q&Q: [mp3/ogg] Shrimp in Hot Water
• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: Shrimp Said At Risk From North Atlantic Warming
• 2009/05/07: BBC: Shrimp tuned to ocean temperature
  Stocks of northern shrimp, the essential ingredient in the ubiquitous prawn cocktail, could be badly affected if ocean temperatures rise.
• 2009/05/06: PhysOrg: Feds: Mountain-dwelling pika may need protection
• 2009/05/06: TerraDaily: Tibet threatened by global warming: state media
• 2009/05/07: RealClimate: The tragedy of climate commons
• 2009/05/06: INC: Global warming threatens Tibet railway -Xinhua
• 2009/05/05: Reuters: Eritrea: Reaping the wind
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Why global warming could make or break south-east Asia
• 2009/05/04: Yahoo: Climate change 'cultural genocide' for Aborigines

  And then there are the world's forests:

• 2009/05/09: NewScientist: Brazil's other big forest in dire straits
• 2009/05/08: Reuters: Indonesia forest CO2 rules need finance clarity: experts
• 2009/05/06: RegisterGuard: Something fishy about forest biomass claims

  Climate refugees are becoming an issue:

• 2009/05/09: BBC: Malta struggles with desperate refugees
  [...] What began as a trickle - six years ago, 500 were rescued by the Maltese - now feels to islanders like a flood. In the 12 months to March, some 3,400 arrived.
• 2009/05/09: NYTM: Wanted: A New Home for My Country [Maldives]
• 2009/05/07: Guardian(UK): Climate change displacement has begun -- but hardly anyone has noticed
  The first evacuation of an entire community due to manmade global warming is happening on the Carteret Islands
• 2009/05/08: TreeHugger: First Official Climate Change Refugees Evacuate Their Island Homes for Good [Carteret Islanders of Papua New Guinea]

  Desertification looms as a threat:

• 2009/05/04: Soils: Wind, Salt, and Water Are Leading Indicators of Land Degradation in Abu Dhabi
  Researcher identifies land degradation indicators in an effort to combat desertification through better resource management.

Yes we have no wacky weather, except:

• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: 11 killed as tropical storm hits eastern India [West Bengal]
• 2009/05/03: EarthTimes: 15 killed as storm sweeps across Nepal

  The US Midwest got zapped by a string of tornadoes:

• 2009/05/09: CNN: Storm-tossed Missouri, Kentucky likely to get more
  Missouri man clings to door handle as tornado blows through - Severe storms leave four dead in Missouri, Kentucky on Friday - More than 150,000 left without power in Missouri - National Weather Service trying to determine if tornadoes touched down in Kentucky
• 2009/05/05: PhysOrg: World's Largest Tornado Experiment Heads for Great Plains (w/Videos)
• 2009/05/04: TerraDaily: Radar Engineers Aid Largest National Tornado Study

  As for heatwaves and wild fires:

• 2009/05/10: CNN: Weather helps fight against California fire
  Santa Barbara blaze 40 percent contained, fire officials say - Fire burned 9,000 acres, destroyed or damaged 80 structures - Fire chief says he expects more containment on Sunday
• 2009/05/10: SciDaily: Climate Adds Fuel To Asian Wildfire Emissions
• 2009/05/09: BBC: California lifts fire evacuations
  Californian fire officials say nearly a third of the wildfire that has burnt 80 homes and forced 30,000 people to flee from Santa Barbara is under control
• 2009/05/09: ABC(US): Cleanup Begins After Midwest Storms Killed 5 -- Damage assessment, cleanup begin after powerful Midwest storms splinter homes, kill 5
• 2009/05/09: ABC(US): Firefighters Make Headway in Santa Barbara Fire, Residents to Return Home -- Fierce Blaze Has Destroyed 80 Homes, Burned More than 8,700 Acres
• 2009/05/09: CNN: Weather slows wildfire's march
  Fog, lower temperatures help firefighters, deputy chief says - More than 8,500 acres destroyed in Southern California wildfire - At least 80 homes have been damaged or destroyed, officials say - More than 30,500 people ordered to evacuate in Santa Barbara County
• 2009/05/09: EarthTimes: Firefighters gain on California fire
• 2009/05/09: EarthTimes: 'All hell' breaks loose in California wildfire
• 2009/05/09: CBC: Winds ease, but danger not over in California fire zone -- 23,000 may be ordered to flee flames
• 2009/05/08: WSWS: Australia: Victorian bushfire royal commission -- another whitewash in the making
• 2009/05/09: Guardian(UK): 30,000 evacuate as wildfire threatens California town -- Schwarzenegger declares state of emergency - 75 homes damaged or destroyed
• 2009/05/08: CNN: California wildfire expected to gain strength
  Blaze in hills is as unpredictable as the weather, fire chief says - Fire burns more than 3,500 acres, is 10 percent contained, officials say - Estimated 30,000 people ordered to evacuate in Santa Barbara County
• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: California Fire Burns Unchecked, Homes Destroyed
• 2009/05/08: EarthTimes: California wildfires spread, 30,000 forced to flee
• 2009/05/07: EarthTimes: Thousands flee raging California fires
• 2009/05/08: BBC: Deadly fire spreads in California
  Firefighters in California say they are struggling to contain a raging wildfire that is now threatening the city of Santa Barbara
• 2009/05/08: CBC: Fire strengthens grip in Southern California -- 30,000 ordered to evacuate homes
• 2009/05/07: Guardian(UK): Schwarzenegger declares state of emergency in California over fires
• 2009/05/07: Guardian(UK): California residents flee mansions after wildfires -- Santa Barbara evacuates more than 13,000 people
• 2009/05/07: CNN: 13,500 flee growing California fire
  13,500 people evacuate hills near Santa Barbara as flames spread - "Uncontrolled wildfire" engulfs 1,300 acres, 5,400 homes - Strong winds, high temperatures, low humidity drive wildfire - One hurt as Arizona fire burns 4,000 acres, destroys handful of houses, officials say
• 2009/05/07: TerraDaily: Fire Is An Important And Under-Appreciated Part Of Global Climate Change
• 2009/05/07: Wunderground: Sundowner winds fan California fires
• 2009/05/07: EarthTimes: First wildfire of season burns houses in California
• 2009/05/07: BBC: Fire advances on California town -- Thousands of people in California have left their homes as a wildfire threatens the town of Santa Barbara
• 2009/05/07: CBC: Southern California wildfire rages on, thousands of homes evacuated
• 2009/05/06: CBC: States of emergency in 3 Alberta counties as wildfires burn
• 2009/05/06: NBCLA: Wildfire Destroys Santa Barbara Homes -- Schwarzenegger declares state of emergency
• 2009/05/06: CNN: Wildfires scorch parts of California, Arizona
  Fire near Santa Barbara, California, prompts evacuation order for 1,000 homes - No injuries or property damaged by nearly 200-acre blaze, official says - One hurt as Arizona fire burns 1,500 acres, destroys handful of houses, officials say
• 2009/05/04: IdahoStatesman: Wildfire plays larger role in heating Earth
• 2009/05/03: CBC: Firefighters gain upper hand on B.C. forest fire

  As for hydrological cycle disruptions [floods & droughts]:

• 2009/05/07: TerraDaily: Brazil drought staunches famed Iguazu falls
• 2009/05/08: TreeHugger: Floods First, Then Drought: Tibet Warming Four Times Faster Than China
• 2009/05/08: ENN: Ice Flood in Alaska
• 2009/05/08: ThinkP: Global warming flood in Wasilla forces Palin to cancel correspondents dinner appearance
• 2009/05/08: AlterNet: Are Policy Makers Exacerbating Drought Scares? That's What It Looks Like in California
• 2009/05/06: CBC: At least 32 people dead, 200,000 homeless in Brazilian floods
• 2009/05/05: CBC: Tom Jackson spearheading flood relief concert in Winnipeg
• 2009/05/06: BBC: Thousands flee Brazilian floods
  Severe floods have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes in the north and north-east of Brazil and at least 15 have been killed. [...] About 180,000 people across eight states are reported to have had to leave their homes. More than 190 towns or cities have been badly affected by the floods. For weeks now heavy rain has been causing extensive problems across the north-east of Brazil, a region more often associated with the difficulties caused by drought.
• 2009/05/04: AngryBear: Changing fresh water patterns

  Elsewhere on the mitigation front:

• 2009/05/07: PhysOrg: A big lesson from the reef
  The lesson from Australia's Great Barrier Reef is that we have to protect its biodiversity - because biodiversity in turn protects us.
• 2009/05/07: Eureka: Researchers find way to cut cattle methane, threat to environment, by 25 percent [by developing equations that balance starch, sugar, cellulose, ash, fat and other elements of feed]
• 2009/05/06: Inhabitat: Generating Giant Sandstone Walls to Fight Desertification
• 2009/05/01: SciNow: Coal Plant Ban May Not Curb Climate Change

  Consider transportation & GHG production:

• 2009/05/08: Guardian(UK): Cash for clunkers goes off the rails -- Paying Americans to trade in their gas-guzzling SUVs won't do much for the environment or promote public transit
• 2009/04/30: TimesUnion: More riders, fewer buses -- CDTA plans to roll back hours of service even as ridership increases
• 2009/05/04: Atlantic: Mega-Regions and High-Speed Rail
• 2009/05/04: TreeHugger: High-Speed Rail: Richard Florida Weighs In

  While in the endless quest for zero energy, sustainable buildings and practical codes:

• 2009/05/08: Eureka: New study: Home energy savings are made in the shade

  The question of carbon labeling is asked:

• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: What's The Carbon Footprint Of Your Toilet Paper?
  Tesco is charging ahead with its plans to slap a carbon label on all of its private label products to denote the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it takes to produce each item.

As for carbon sequestration:

• 2009/05/04: GEB: Funding of Carbon Air Capture
• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: Pumping CO2 Underground Best Hope For Climate: Shell

  Large scale geo-engineering keeps popping up:

• 2009/05/09: FuturePundit: Simplest Ocean Iron Fertilization Disappoints On Carbon Sequestration
• 2009/05/08: SciDaily: Ocean Carbon: Dent In Iron Fertilization Hypothesis Previously Proposed To Address Climate Change
• 2009/05/08: AutoBG: Dumping iron filings into ocean won't reduce CO2
• 2009/05/06: PhysOrg: Ocean carbon: A dent in the iron hypothesis
• 2009/05/06: LBL: Ocean Carbon: A Dent in the Iron Hypothesis -- Plankton blooms do not send atmospheric carbon to the deep ocean

  Meanwhile in the journals:

• 2009/05/08: ACPD: Land use change suppresses precipitation by W. Junkermann et al.
• 2009/05/07: ACPD: Generation of free convection due to changes of the local circulation system by R. Eigenmann et al.
• 2009/05/04: CP: Two millennia of climate variability in the Central Mediterranean by C. Taricco et al.
• 2009/05/05: CPD: Warm Paleocene/Eocene climate as simulated in ECHAM5/MPI-OM by M. Heinemann et al.
• 2009/05/04: CPD: Glacial -- interglacial atmospheric CO2 change: a possible "standing volume" effect on deep-ocean carbon sequestration by L. C. Skinner
• 2009/05/04: TC: A new 1 km digital elevation model of Antarctica derived from combined radar and laser data -- Part 2: Validation and error estimates by J. A. Griggs & J. L. Bamber
• 2009/05/04: TC: A new 1 km digital elevation model of the Antarctic derived from combined satellite radar and laser data -- Part 1: Data and methods by J. L. Bamber et al.
• 2009/05/05: ACPD: Atmospheric aerosols in the earth system: a review of interactions and feedbacks by K. S. Carslaw et al.
• 2009/05/04: ACPD: A new paradigm for intensity modification of tropical cyclones: thermodynamic impact of vertical wind shear on the inflow layer by M. Riemer et al.
• 2009/05/05: PNAS: Mangroves protected villages and reduced death toll during Indian super cyclone by Saudamini Das & Jeffrey R. Vincent
• 2009/05/05: PNAS: Sustainable water deliveries from the Colorado River in a changing climate by Tim P. Barnett & David W. Pierce
• 2009/05/05: PNAS: Spatial and seasonal patterns in climate change, temperatures, and precipitation across the United States by Robert W. Portmann et al.
• 2009/03/03: GRL: ACRIM-gap and TSI trend issue resolved using a surface magnetic flux TSI proxy model by Nicola Scafetta & Richard C. Willson
• 2008/02/18: RSPA: Recent oppositely directed trends in solar climate forcings and the global mean surface air temperature. II. Different reconstructions of the total solar irradiance variation and dependence on response time scale by Mike Lockwood & Claus Fröhlich
• 2009/05/05: JQuiggin: [link to 7.5 meg pdf] Big report on electricity generation options

  Before we get into politics, there was some science done:

• 2009/05/04: NOAANews: Network of Research Buoys in Indian Ocean to Improve Monsoon Prediction
• 2009/05/03: Stoat: Meinshausen et al.

  Romm & Hansen:

• 2009/05/06: ClimateP: Memo to Hansen 2: Why is the country's top anti-science blog reprinting your stuff?
• 2009/05/06: TreeHugger: James Hansen Hopes Waxman-Markey Cap and Trade Bill Fails: Has He Lost the Plot?
• 2009/05/05: CCP: James Hansen: Worshipping at the Temple of Doom -- Cap and Trade
• 2009/05/05: ClimateP: Memo to James Hansen: Your opposition to Waxman-Markey is ill-conceived and unhelpful. There isn't going to be a carbon tax nor should there be. Get over it and move on.

  Dyson again:

• 2009/05/08: SameFacts: Freeman Dyson

  Meanwhile on the Kyoto front:

• 2009/05/05: NatureCF: CDM crunch continues

  And on the Kyoto-2 front:

• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: New U.N. Climate Deal: Not Much Bolder Than Kyoto?
• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: U.N. CO2 Scheme Needs Energy Efficiency Focus: Developer
• 2009/05/08: IndiaTimes: Search for a new global aviation & climate deal
• 2009/05/08: Xinhuanet: Indonesian climate change agency to bring ocean issue to [Copenhagen] UN
• 2009/05/04: TerraDaily: Major powers must spearhead climate protection: Japan
  Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday that industrialised nations must lead the way in hammering out a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto agreement when it expires in 2012. "We need a new framework, as of 2013, to fight climate change and the main polluting countries must assume their responsibilities" in dealing with the issue, he told reporters after talks here with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
• 2009/05/06: EarthTimes: UN summit must send strong signal to climate change negotiators Danish official
• 2009/05/06: Guardian(UK): China ready for post-Kyoto deal on climate change
  Dramatic reversal in US position under Obama has brought Beijing to the table on emission cuts, says UK climate secretary [Ed Miliband]
• 2009/05/06: EurActiv: India envoy: 'Not enough progress towards a climate deal'
  Despite the need to come up with a global climate deal by the end of the year in Copenhagen, diplomats involved in the negotiations are not making enough progress, India's special envoy on climate change, Shyam Saran, told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: US to donate to UN climate conference
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): The Federal Government has formally submitted its new greenhouse gas reduction targets to the United Nations
• 2009/05/06: EarthTimes: Climate change negotiations are complicated work, Denmark says
• 2009/05/06: ENN: U.S. submits first plan [with no specifics] for new U.N. climate treaty
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: Analysis - Australia's Tougher CO2 Target Good For Climate Talks
• 2009/05/04: Google:AFP: EU, Japan team up to fight climate change
• 2009/05/05: Reuters: Factbox: Milestones on the road to Copenhagen climate talks
• 2009/05/05: IJ: Possible Outcomes of Copenhagen Climate Change Talks
• 2009/05/03: Reuters: U.S. climate law may not be needed for global deal

  While at the UN:

• 05/07: BBC: UN [UNEP head, Achim Steiner] 'stunned' by scale of bail-out
  The UN's head of environment has been left "stunned" by the billions of dollars pumped into ailing companies following the global financial crisis. Achim Steiner told the BBC One Planet programme that he had fought for years to secure much smaller sums to tackle poverty and climate change. "We waited perhaps a decade to get $5bn ($3.3bn) to accelerate development of renewable energy," he said. We now see $20bn (£13.3bn) paid [to] a car company simply to keep it alive." He said he was surprised that such huge amounts had "suddenly been found" to tackle the crisis. Over $11trillion (£7tn) has been spent on bank bailouts in the UK and the US alone.
• 2009/05/05: UN: Maldives joins UN emissions scheme in drive to be first carbon neutral country
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: Maldives joins UN emissions scheme in drive to be first carbon neutral country

  And on the carbon trading front:

• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: Deutsche Bank Cuts CO2 Forecast, Sees Price Rise
• 2009/05/04: EurActiv: Carbon trading boosts natural gas prospects

  The idea of a carbon tax is still bouncing around:

• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: China Explores Putting A Tax On Carbon

  The debate over the optimal strategy [carbon trading, carbon offsets, auction vs. allocation, and/or a carbon tax] to use in dealing with GHGs continues:

• 2009/05/06: SameFacts: Cap and Trade vs. Carbon Tax
• 2009/05/07: SameFacts: Afterthoughts on Carbon Charge vs. Cap-and-Trade
• 2009/05/07: Yale360: Putting a Price on Carbon: An Emissions Cap or A Tax?
• 2009/05/07: MTobis: Cap & Trade vs Emissions Tax
• 2009/05/06: EnvEcon: Why I am essentially indifferent between a carbon tax and cap-and-trade
• 2009/05/03: ClimateP: Offsets gone wild: Domino's Certified Carbonfree Sugar!

  Meanwhile on the international political front:

• 2009/05/05: TStar: Harper to fight with EU over climate change
  Prime Minister Stephen Harper appears set to clash with European Union leaders over Canada's climate change efforts at an annual summit, the Toronto Star has learned. A draft version of the communiqué to be signed in Prague tomorrow indicates Canada is resisting a push to bring its greenhouse gas fighting efforts into line with those of the vast majority of nations
• 2009/05/04: EarthTimes: Japan, EU to cooperate on ambitious global warming deal

  And on the American political front:

• 2009/05/09: ClimateP: Do you have any questions for McKinsey about their updated GHG cost curve, which (still) finds stabilizing at 450 ppm has a net cost near zero?
• 2009/05/09: ClimateP: The Alliance for Climate Education begins ambitious campaign to educate America's youth about Climate Change
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: Sen. Snowe: GOP is "the party of Big Business and Big Oil and the rich."
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: One Hard Thing You Must Do to Save the Planet
• 2009/05/07: BBerg: Chevron's O'Reilly Says Lawmakers Trade 'False Hopes' on Carbon
  Chevron Corp. Chief Executive Officer David O'Reilly said U.S. lawmakers "vastly overstate" how quickly reductions in carbon emissions can be made and would risk an economic collapse by imposing unrealistic cuts.
• 2009/05/06: NetworkWorld: Do we really need a National Climate Service?
• 2009/05/06: Kentucky: Raising coal industry tax a tough sell
  Gov. Steve Beshear and the legislature could find themselves wrestling this summer with a $1 billion state budget shortfall. But there's one option the politicians say they will not consider: higher coal taxes.

As soon as Sibelius was gone, the new Kansas governor approved a coal plant:

• 2009/05/06: ClimateP: Kansas 10th grader writes about the new governor's "sad" decision to okay new coal plant
• 2009/05/05: WSJ:EnvCap: Coal in Kansas: Sunflower Will Get a Coal Plant, State Gets More Renewables
• 2009/05/04: KansasCity: New governor approves one coal-fired power plant for Kansas
• 2009/05/05: SolveClimate: New Kansas Gov. [Mark Parkinson] Greets Dirty Coal With Open Arms
• 2009/05/05: WarmingLaw: That Didn't Take Long: New Kansas Governor Strikes a Deal over Controversial Expansion of Coal-Fired Power Plant

  Late coverage of CARB's LCFS:

• 2009/05/07: PlanetArk: California Says Corn Ethanol Needs to Go On Carbon Diet

  The Obama chatter is nonstop:

• 2009/05/08: NewScientist: Earth science gets boost in NASA budget
• 2009/05/08: PlanetArk: Obama Budget Seeks End To Yucca Nuclear Waste Dump
• 2009/05/07: ENN: US EPA Budget Proposal Issued Today
• 2009/05/07: WSJ:EnvCap: Running on Empty: Obama Budget Cuts Funding for Hydrogen Car
• 2009/05/07: WSJ:EnvCap: Obama's Budget: Same Energy Blueprint, but What About Cap-and-Trade Revenues?
• 2009/05/06: NatureCF: White House sidesteps shift on HFC regulation
• 2009/05/05: ClimateP: Obama and Biden press House Dems for fast action on climate bill, Waxman MAY take bill straight to full committee
• 2009/05/06: TreeHugger: Obama Pep Talk Puts Major Climate Bill on the Fast Track
• 2009/05/06: SF Gate: Obama urges Dems to compromise on warming
• 2009/05/04: Guardian(UK): Obama's green promise -- The US president's most important climate change initiative deals with gases far more powerful than carbon dioxide - HFCs
• 2009/05/04: UNDispatch: Why Barack Obama should be watching Australia's carbon
• 2009/05/04: KSJT: Obama pledges what he said will be the biggest commitment in history to funding scientific research
• 2009/05/04: CSW: When will Pres. Obama choose a new head for NASA, and will they make Earth Science a priority?
• 2009/05/04: DotEarth: Obama Not Seeking Quick Climate Action Under Ozone Treaty
  After a brief but lively internal debate, the Obama administration has decided not to seek an immediate phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's), a potent group of climate-warming gases, under a treaty aimed at protecting the ozone layer. A number of lawmakers, foreign governments and environmental advocates had urged the administration to offer an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the international treaty on ozone-depleting substances, calling for the rapid elimination of HFC's. Some officials at the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency had pushed for such a course, but the White House decided on a more moderate approach to give it negotiating room in upcoming rounds of climate and environmental talks.

The actions of the Obama administration are being watched closely:

• 2009/05/08: DM:80B: Hydrogen Car Goes Down Like the Hindenburg: DoE Kills the Program
• 2009/05/09: TreeHugger: Letter Asks NASA Workers to Not Lie
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: Hydrogen car R.I.P. Secretary Chu agrees with Climate Progress and slashes hydrogen budget
• 2009/05/08: CSW: Like a bridge under troubled waters -- DOT Sec. LaHood, will you ease our minds? An open letter
• 2009/05/07: Yahoo: US won't drop cap-and-trade auctions: White House
  The White House is committed to auctioning off polluter permits under a "cap-and-trade" system to fight climate change, a top official said Thursday in remarks likely to anger US industry. "You should anticipate no changes in our climate proposals," Office of Management and Budget chief Peter Orszag told reporters, despite reported hints that President Barack Obama might now compromise about the auctions.
• 2009/04/30: Cryptome: [EPA] Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: The 2009 Critical Use Exemption From the Phaseout of Methyl Bromide

  The Obama administration took several biofuel measures to mixed reactions:

• 2009/05/07: DesMoinesRegister: EPA view on biofuel worries industry
  The government and the biodiesel industry are at odds over the impact of the soy-based fuel's failure to meet standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• 2009/05/06: CDreams: House Ag Chair's Embarassing Biofuels Hissy Fit
  In stunning move, Rep. Collin Peterson attacks EPA for following rules he voted to put in place, then threatens to sabotage any attempt to solve climate crisis The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee reportedly declared at a hearing today that he "will not support any kind of climate change bill" because he is "upset" that proposed EPA biofuels rules require all global warming pollution resulting from biofuels production to be taken into account. In particular, Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) is angry that when calculating the amount of global warming pollution caused by biofuels production, the EPA will take pollution caused by land use changes into account. Demand for land on which to grow crops for biofuels can lead to deforestation and destruction of grasslands and wetlands, resulting in substantial pollution. Because of this, the 2007 energy bill, which Peterson voted for and was enacted into law, requires the EPA to account for all land use impacts of biofuels.
• 2009/05/06: G&M: U.S. raises the bar for ethanol producers
  EPA says some production methods for the agricultural fuel are producing higher greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline
• 2009/05/06: PhysOrg: Administration addressing ethanol, climate change
  The Obama administration renewed its commitment Tuesday to speed up investments in ethanol and other biofuels while seeking to deflect some environmentalists' claims that huge increases in corn ethanol use will hinder the fight against global warming. President Barack Obama directed more loan guarantees and economic stimulus money for biofuels research and told the Agriculture Department to find ways to preserve biofuel industry jobs. The recession, as well as lower gasoline prices, has caused some ethanol producers to suffer, including some who have filed for bankruptcy. Obama said an interagency group also would explore ways to get automakers to produce more cars that run on ethanol and to find ways to make available more ethanol fueling stations. "We must invest in a clean energy economy," Obama said in a statement.
• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: U.S. Drafts Rule To Lower CO2 Output From Biofuels
• 2009/05/05: McClatchyDC: Obama promotes biofuels in bid to boost economy, climate
• 2009/05/06: Guardian(UK): Barack Obama's $1.8bn vision of greener biofuel
  President takes on the powerful farming lobby -- Switch from food crops to fight climate change
• 2009/05/05: PhysOrg: EPA: ethanol crops displaces climate-friendly ones
  The Environmental Protection Agency says that corn ethanol - as made today - wouldn't meet a congressional requirement that ethanol produce 20 percent less greenhouse gas than gasoline. But the agency said it is still more climate friendly than gasoline. The EPA in its analysis said that even if worldwide land-use changes are taken into account, ethanol would still produce 16 percent less greenhouse gases than the gasoline it is replacing.
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: Obama To Form Interagency Biofuels Group
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: Obama Faces Climate Test With EPA Rule On Ethanol
• 2009/05/05: CommonTragedies: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back -- the corn ethanol industry both lost and won on the same day...
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: Obama administration touts more advanced bio-fuels
• 2009/05/05: ENN: EPA/DOE/Agriculture Discuss Energy Independence and Renewable Fuels Plan
• 2009/05/04: Guardian(UK): Obama to form interagency biofuels group
  President Barack Obama will direct the heads of three U.S. agencies to make the biofuels industry cleaner and encourage output of ethanol made from non-food crops, according to a draft memo obtained by Reuters on Monday. The Biofuels Interagency Working Group, to be headed by the secretaries of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture, will be asked to identify policies that would make biofuels more environmentally sound and encourage production of "flex-fuel" cars that can run on either gasoline or fuel that is mostly ethanol, according to the memo.
• 2009/05/05: AutoBG: DOE announces $786 million for third-generation biofuels
• 2009/05/03: PhysOrg: Ethanol test for Obama on climate change, science
  President Barack Obama's commitment to take on climate change and put science over politics is about to be tested as his administration faces a politically sensitive question about the widespread use of ethanol: Does it help or hurt the fight against global warming?

Some were surprised the Obama administration decided not to use the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming:

• 2009/05/09: PhysOrg: Obama won't fight global warming with bear rules
• 2009/05/09: ENN: Endangered Species Act Cannot be Used in Global Warming Response
• 2009/05/09: NYT: U.S. Curbs Use of Species Act in Protecting Polar Bear
  The Obama administration said Friday that it would retain a wildlife rule issued in the last days of the Bush administration that says the government cannot invoke the Endangered Species Act to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases threatening the polar bear and its habitat. In essence, the decision means that two consecutive presidents have judged that the act is not an appropriate means of curbing the emissions that scientists have linked to global warming.
• 2009/05/08: Guardian(UK): US denies polar bears protection from climate change
• 2009/05/08: NatureTGB: Obama backs Bush on polar bear
• 2009/05/08: BBC: Obama keeps Bush polar bear rules
  The US government has opted to retain a Bush-era rule that limits protection for polar bears from the effects of global warming.
• 2009/05/07: DotEarth: Polar Bear Listing Defended
• 2009/05/06: TreeHugger: Polar Bears Could Shut Down Coal Plants and Halt New Home Development

  As for what is going on in Congress:

• 2009/05/08: WashingtonIndependent: Nuclear Power Gets Boost From Top Campaign Cash Recipients -- Bloc of Democrats Pressing for Nuclear Expansion in Climate Bill
• 2009/05/09: MTobis: Waxman-Markey Bill
• 2009/05/07: C411: Climate and the $3,100 Lie Detector
• 2009/05/06: CFO: Wrangling threatens Waxman's cap-and-trade timetable
  Closed-door negotiations are continuing on a US federal cap-and-trade proposal after President Barack Obama urged Congressional Democrats to resolve key differences in the hopes of passing comprehensive climate change legislation this year. Formal consideration of the proposal, known as a markup, has been delayed until next week as committee members continue to bargain over two main issues: allowance distribution and the proposed federal renewable portfolio standard.
• 2009/05/08: ClimateP: Waxman-Markey deal-making update: 14% cut by 2020, about half the allowances given away at first, phased out to full auction in 10 to 15 years
• 2009/05/08: Guardian(UK): Cash for clunkers goes off the rails -- Paying Americans to trade in their gas-guzzling SUVs won't do much for the environment or promote public transit
• 2009/05/08: GreenGrok: Cash-for-Clunkers Agreement: Still Not Ready for Prime Time
• 2009/05/07: WSJ:EnvCap: Once Bitten, Twice Shy: Republicans Raise Worries About Emissions-Trading Fraud
• 2009/05/07: WSJ:EnvCap: Biofuels Bill: Federal Subsidies Will Top $400 Billion, Enviros Say
• 2009/05/08: NYT: The Climate Debate Heats Up
• 2009/05/08: TP:WonkRoom: [Rep. Eric] Cantor (R-VA): Extremist [Rep. John] Shimkus (R-IL) 'Providing A Real Knowledge Base' On Energy
• 2009/05/08: NEN: Cap&trade, industry and Congress
• 2009/05/08: WSJ:EnvCap: Chevron's O'Reilly: Cap-and-Trade Means 'Pre-Industrial Economy'
  If one thing's clear when it comes to the big debate over how to tackle climate change, it's that Big Oil really, really isn't keen on the administration's cap-and-trade approach.
• 2009/05/06: Reuters: Most emission permits to be free: U.S. Rep. Doyle
• 2009/05/07: TreeHugger: Republicans' Climate Change Talking Points Document Revealed
• 2009/05/07: TreeHugger: Are Democrats Giving Up on Climate Legislation?
• 2009/05/07: TreeHugger: Carbon Intensive US Factories Will Not Move Overseas If Cap & Trade Legislation Passes
• 2009/05/07: DeSmogBlog: GOP Rep. Pence Says "Science is Very Mixed" on Global Warming, Lies Again Twice About MIT Study on MSNBC
• 2009/05/07: BBerg: Waxman Said to Offer Free Permits in Climate Talks
• 2009/05/06: TheHill: Dem centrists press Pelosi to shelve climate bill
  Democratic centrists are pressing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to set aside a flagging climate change bill to focus on what they think is a more achievable goal: overhauling the nation's healthcare system. But those close to Pelosi (D-Calif.) say she is charging forward on cap-and-trade legislation, despite the potential defections of Democrats who represent states with industries that would be adversely affected by the bill. Pelosi views the bill's troubles as predictable and solvable aspects of the legislative process.
• 2009/05/07: TP:WonkRoom: Rep. [Mike] Doyle (D-PA) Says Climate Plan Will Subsidize Polluters For 'Ten To Fifteen Years'
• 2009/05/07: ThinkP: [Senator Olympia] Snowe (R-Me): GOP is 'the party of Big Business and Big Oil and the rich.'
• 2009/05/06: CommonTragedies: Cash for Clunkers, Turning Beaters into Value
• 2009/05/06: BSD: Mike Pence: skeptical of warming, but 'reducing CO2 would be a good thing'
• 2009/05/06: DM:CCM: The Latest Anti-Science Republican: Mike Pence
• 2009/05/05: SusBiz: The Saga of Climate Change Legislation Begins
• 2009/05/06: WSJ:EnvCap: Climate Fight: Get With the Cap-and-Trade Program
• 2009/05/05: ThinkP: [Rep. Mike] Pence (R-In): I'm Not 'Anti-Science' -- But I Don't Believe In Global Warming, Stem Cell Research, Or Evolution
• 2009/05/06: TP:WonkRoom: [Rep.] Mike Pence (R-In) Says USCAP Businesses Should 'Keep Their Powder Dry'
• 2009/05/05: TP:WonkRoom: Pence Repeats $3000 Lie About Green Economy, Accuses MIT Economist Of Playing Politics
• 2009/05/04: ClimateP: White House bombshell: Cap-and-trade for drilling offshore ... California!
• 2009/05/05: PlanetArk: US House Climate Control Negotiations Intensify
• 2009/05/04: UPI: Dems divided on climate-change bill
• 2009/05/05: TreeHugger: "Cash for Clunkers" Gets Green Light In House Committee
• 2009/05/05: Yahoo: Waxman sticks to deadline on U.S. climate bill
• 2009/05/04: ClimateP: Sen. Reid: "Health care is easier than this global warming stuff." Las Vegas odds on bill in 2009 now longer shot than Mine That Bird. Obama, the horse whisperer of U.S. politics, finally weighs in.
• 2009/05/04: PlanetArk: U.S. Bill To Create Clean Energy Investment Agency
• 2009/05/04: RollCall: Boucher Pours On the Coal in Climate Debate
  Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) lost a key subcommittee chairmanship on the House Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this year, but he's quickly emerged as a leading opponent of a climate change bill pushed by those who ousted him. With the committee expected to begin marking up an energy and climate change proposal this week, Boucher is the key advocate for moderate Democrats, while juggling the competing interests of industry and environmental groups. Boucher, a 14-term lawmaker from coal-producing southwest Virginia, has criticized the plan put forth by Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.), which would place the first-ever limits on greenhouse gases and likely create a cap-and-trade program.
• 2009/05/04: RollCall: Democrats Clash on Climate Change
  Tensions over the direction of a sweeping climate change bill boiled over in a House Democratic leadership meeting Thursday, as Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (Calif.) lashed out at Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) for appearing to publicly downgrade the measure's chances this year. "This is not helpful," Waxman told Van Hollen, citing reports that presented the party's campaign chief as opposing aggressive action on the bill, sources familiar with the meeting said. Van Hollen responded that while he strongly supports a comprehensive energy bill, he believes House Democrats should move first on health care reform -- an easier legislative lift -- and see whether a climate change bill makes progress in the Senate before subjecting vulnerable House Democrats to a tough vote on it. The exchange appeared to clear the air between the lawmakers, leadership sources said, but it did not resolve their conflicting views about how to proceed.

There is dissension in the ranks of business:

• 2009/05/06: C411: U.S. Chamber of Commerce vs. Some of Its Own Members
• 2009/05/08: BBerg: Duke Energy to Leave Trade Group Over Climate Policy
  Duke Energy Corp., the owner of utilities in the U.S. Southeast and Midwest, won't renew its membership in the National Association of Manufacturers partly because of differences over climate policy. "We are not renewing our membership in the NAM because in tough times, we want to invest in associations that are pulling in the same direction we are," Duke Chief Executive Officer Jim Rogers said last month in an interview. The association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Republicans "ought to roll up their sleeves and get to work on a climate bill, but quite frankly, I don't see them changing."
• 2009/05/08: ThinkP: Duke Energy Quits The Right-Wing National Association Of Manufacturers Over Differences On Climate Policy
• 2009/05/06: Reuters: U.S. Chamber's Climate Stance At Odds With Some Members: Report
• 2009/05/05: Grist: GOP to Jim Rogers: STFU -- House Republicans blow off biz leaders who want climate action
• 2009/05/05: DeSmogBlog: U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Takes Heat From Own Membership On Climate Legislation Stance

  And the Gore-apalooza is still bopping along:

• 2009/05/06: TreeHugger: Let's Put This Meme to Rest: Global Warming != Al Gore
• 2009/05/04: DeSmogBlog: Ingraham vs. Gore; Half the Truth Is the Same as a Lie

  While in the UK:

• 2009/05/10: PeakEnergy: Severn tidal power scheme creating controversy still
• 2009/05/08: Guardian(UK): [Communities Secretary, Hazel] Blears told by teenagers to get climate change in [UK TV show] EastEnders
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Car ads 'should carry climate health warnings' -- MP Colin Challen accuses motor manufacturers of not telling whole truth in green claims
• 2009/05/04: Guardian(UK): On the wrong side of the third runway -- Today's rejection from business figures deals yet another blow to Labour's arguments for Heathrow expansion
• 2009/05/04: PlanetArk: Critics Say UK Carbon Scheme Snubs Renewable Energy
• 2009/05/03: Guardian(UK): Lawyers to fight bail conditions that 'stifle' climate protests

  And in Europe:

• 2009/05/07: EurActiv: Agri-food sector to assess its environmental footprint
  An EU sustainable food chain roundtable launched yesterday (6 May) is seeking to develop a methodology for assessing the environmental footprint of individual foods and drinks by 2011.
• 2009/05/07: EurActiv: Parliament approves 4 billion euro energy projects
  The European Parliament yesterday (6 May) formally endorsed a compromise reached with the Council to spend 3.98 billion euros to strengthen the bloc's energy security by upgrading its grids and building clean coal and offshore wind capacity.
• 2009/05/07: EUO: Commission warns carbon targets 'risk falling short'
  The European Commission has warned that the offers of carbon emission reduction targets made so far by developed countries may not be enough to reach a global deal that will set the planet on a path away from dangerous climate change. Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas told a Brussels audience on Thursday (7 May) that apart from the EU, rich country targets were insufficiently ambitious.
• 2009/05/06: EurActiv: Further emissions fall predicted this year
  The ongoing economic recession is set to reduce EU carbon dioxide emissions more dramatically than expected in 2009, but carbon prices are expected to continue to rise, according to a Deutsche Bank report published yesterday (5 May).
• 2009/05/05: EurActiv: EU preparing to 'throw billions' at big oil firms
  Billions of EU taxpayers' money have been pumped into the fossil fuel industry over the last five years, environmentalists have warned in a report published ahead of a European Parliament vote on the Union's proposed â¬5 billion economic recovery plan. The Green group in the EU assembly has called on MEPs to abide by a Parliament resolution adopted in November 2007, which calls for public funding for fossil fuel projects to be halted

Meanwhile in Australia:

• 2009/05/10: ABC(Au): The Federal Opposition says it will have an alternative proposal to the Government's emissions trading scheme by the time it is debated in the Parliament next month
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): Call for emissions scheme Latrobe impact study
  The Member for Morwell, Russell Northe, says the Victorian Government must carry out a full assessment of the impact of emissions trading on the Latrobe Valley.
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): Bega council backs climate change efforts
  A New South Wales far south coast council has endorsed a move to address climate change across local government boundaries. The Bega Valley Shire Council this week agreed to back the Southern Councils Group's draft proposal to jointly mitigate the impact of climate change. Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven and far south coast councils plan to adapt their planning regulations and infrastructure.
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): New carbon store cash cow for farmers -- Tasmanian landowners will soon have the chance to cash in on their carbon stores
• 2009/05/08: ABC(Au): Govt cuts 'green loan' spending
  The Federal Government is reducing the number of people who will be able to access so-called 'green loans' to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
• 2009/05/07: ABC(Au): The Member for Collie, Mick Murray, has criticised comments made by Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett about reducing coal power, in discussions about the Emissions Trading Scheme
• 2009/05/07: ABC(Au): The New South Wales Government is confident the Hunter Valley's economy will not suffer under an emissions trading scheme (ETS)
• 2009/05/07: ABC(Au): Senate committee urges green targets redesign
  A Senate committee has called on the Federal Government not to proceed with its planned emissions trading scheme. The Opposition-dominated committee has also called on the Government to consider nuclear power as a way of reducing Australia's greenhouse emissions.
• 2009/05/07: ABC(Au): Power station proponent told to 'come clean' on emissions
  Concerns have been raised about the type and amount of emissions generated by a proposed wood-fired power station on the New South Wales far south coast. Bega Valley Shire Greens' councillor Keith Hughes is calling for South East Fibre Exports (SEFE) at Eden to reveal what chemicals it plans to emit.
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): Boswell rejects climate change claims
  A National party Senator has dismissed the federal Agriculture Minister's claim that doing nothing to combat climate change would cost primary producers more than the Government's emissions trading scheme.
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): Council reveals climate change plan
  A Gold Coast city councillor says a draft climate change strategy may be Australia's most comprehensive local plan to deal with the issue.
• 2009/05/06: ABC(Au): Santos expects emissions trading boost
  Oil and gas producer Santos says an emissions trading scheme will help its future profitability because it will make gas more financially attractive.
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner says climate change might harm Indigenous communities
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): Energy efficient homes 'to cost $10k more'
  Builders have warned aspiring new home buyers to expect a $10,000 hike in the cost of building a new house after new energy requirements agreed last week.
• 2009/05/04: ABC(Au): Lismore solar power push grows
  The Lismore region continues to embrace the concept of alternative energy. A program that started with a target of 50 houses in the area has now rolled out solar technology to 230.

And in New Zealand:

• 2009/05/06: Stuff(NZ): New blow to emissions law
  New Zealand's climate change response could be further delayed, after Australia backtracked on its plans and announced measures that could force a rethink this side of the Tasman. Prime Minister John Key signalled yesterday that it remained the Government's priority to align New Zealand's climate change response with Australia's, meaning the start date could be put back further. Australia has announced a one-year delay until July 2011 and more generous compensation for the biggest polluters. In New Zealand, an emissions trading scheme was passed by the Labour government but implementation has been delayed while the new government seeks changes.
• 2009/05/04: RadioNZ: Scrap or change emissions scheme, urge farmers
  Federated Farmers says the emissions trading scheme should either be scrapped or substantially amended to avoid potential "economic hell" brought on by an ill-conceived scheme.

While in China:

• 2009/05/07: AmericaBlog: China moving on climate change
• 2009/05/06: NakedCapitalism: China Power Generation Falls, Suggesting Talk of Recovery is Premature
• 2009/05/06: ClimateP: Is China ready to act on climate? Part 2: The green dragon is considering a carbon tax and a major carbon intensity target
• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: China Explores Putting A Tax On Carbon
• 2009/05/06: PlanetArk: China Solar Set To Be 5 Times 2020 Target
• 2009/05/04: PhysOrg: China triples wind power capacity goal: report
• 2009/05/04: Yahoo: China triples wind power capacity goal: report
  China has more than tripled its target for wind power capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2020, likely making it the world's fastest growing market for wind energy technology, state press said. China is aiming for an annual wind power growth rate of 20 percent for the foreseeable future, Feng Junshi, an official with the National Energy Administration, told a Beijing conference, according to the China Daily. The new target for 2020 is up from a goal of 30 gigawatts announced by the government 18 months ago, the report said.

In Canada, minority neocon PM Harper, continues his do-nothing policy:

• 2009/05/07: CanWest: The wrong direction
  For years, a succession of Canadian governments have dithered on the climate-change file. The results are in: Canada's greenhouse-gas emissions are growing faster than ever. In 2007, according to new data released from Environment Canada, Canada hit a record high: 747 megatonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent. That was up four per cent over 2006. The sudden increase can be explained, in part, by the fact that the winter was milder in 2006 than in 2007. But that doesn't explain the fact that since 1990, Canada's emissions have been climbing steadily. This country promised, in the Kyoto agreement, to cut its emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels. Instead, it raised them to 26 per cent above 1990 levels. If this is what it looks like when Canada makes an effort, it's scary to imagine what our emissions might be today if we hadn't tried at all.
• 2009/05/05: CanWest: Ease regulations to make Canada 'energy superpower': Industry
  If Canada wants to fulfil Prime Minister Stephen Harper's oft-stated goal of becoming an energy superpower, his government and some provinces must do a better job reducing regulatory and financial uncertainty for global oil and gas investors, a trio of industry representatives said Tuesday.
• 2009/05/05: TStar: Harper to fight with EU over climate change
  Prime Minister Stephen Harper appears set to clash with European Union leaders over Canada's climate change efforts at an annual summit, the Toronto Star has learned. A draft version of the communiqué to be signed in Prague tomorrow indicates Canada is resisting a push to bring its greenhouse gas fighting efforts into line with those of the vast majority of nations
• 2009/05/05: ScottsDiaTribes: Harper about to show again to the world we're dinosaurs on climate change
• 2009/05/05: OneBlueMarble: Canada's Dramatic Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• 2009/05/05: OneBlueMarble: A Letter to the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister for the Environment

  On CBC radio, I heard the Prentice story about Canada planning to curtail coal plants (no link) again, but then articles like this pop up. Every time I see a government using "creative ambiguity", I get suspicious:

• 2009/05/09: NatPo:FPC: 2050: An energy odyssey
  Ottawa's low-carbon energy projections leave Canada producing more energy from coal, oil sands, nuclear and forests. This is green?
• 2009/05/04: DeSmogBlog: Canada to the Rescue (of the Coal Industry)

  In BC, election wrangling is keeping everyone entertained:

• 2009/05/09: G&M: Harcourt throws support behind provincial carbon tax
  Former NDP premier joins forces with Suzuki and other environmentalists, despite fact party's current platform promises to scrap it
• 2009/05/07: BCLocalNews: U.S. greens worry for B.C.'s carbon tax
• 2009/05/07: ElectionPrediction: British Columbia - 2009 Provincial Election
• 2009/05/06: CBC: Run-of-river power projects breach environmental standards: documents
  Inspection reports and emails obtained by CBC News show B.C. government officials have raised concerns about environmental infractions during the construction of the rapidly growing number of run-of-river private power projects in the province. In one email obtained by CBC News, a forestry official involved wrote, "I am becoming increasingly nervous about the lack of attention to the projects." Last fall, inspectors from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forests and Range -- who dubbed themselves "strike teams" -- dropped in on the construction sites of several private run-of-river hydro projects.
• 2009/05/06: BCLSB: NDP Perfidy Fails To Pay!
• 2009/05/05: NatureN: North America's first carbon tax faces judgement -- British Columbia's provincial election showcases climate change politics

  Ontario is still wrestling with its energy policy:

• 2009/05/06: Rabble: Why Ontario needs a 21st Century vision for energy

  Meanwhile in that Mechanical Mordor known as the tar sands:

• 2009/05/05: Tyee: Huge Fort Nelson Gas Plant Would Spike BC's Carbon Emissions -- As planned for 2011, EnCana project is 'irresponsible': Pembina.
• 2009/05/08: RigZone: Chevron: Athabasca Oil Sands Expansion to Start Up in 2011
• 2009/05/07: PEF: What are we going to do with the oil and gas industry?

  As for miscellaneous Canadiana:

• 2009/05/05: BCLSB: Libs Talk Black Liquor

  The movement toward a long term ecologically viable economics is glacial:

• 2009/05/08: OilDrum: It's the Ecology, Stupid
• 2009/05/03: MTobis: Steady State Economy

  IPAT [Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology] raised its head once again:

• 2009/05/08: Foresight:Nanodot: Acolytes of neo-Malthusian Apocalypticism
• 2009/05/08: AlterNet: Why Bristol Palin Really Is the Perfect Ambassador for Abstinence Education -- Clearly she's proof that it doesn't work
• 2009/05/05: Yahoo: Population and Climate Change Solutions

  Apocalypso anyone?

• 2009/05/06: Rabble: Earth's tipping point is drawing near

  As for how the media handles the science of climatology:

• 2009/05/05: CJR: Magazine Mayhem -- SciAm and ACS cut staff, reposition for the long haul
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: Must-read (again) study: How the press bungles its coverage of climate economics -- "The media's decision to play the stenographer role helped opponents of climate action stifle progress."
• 2009/05/07: DM:CCM: My Rankly Pessimistic AAAS Talk on Science and the Media
• 2009/05/06: KSJT: Yale Forum: Press coverage of John Holdren's comments on geoengineering to fight warming seem reasonable

  Here is something for your library:

• 2009/05/09: G&M: Canada's reckless carbon habit [Book Review] _Carbon Shift: How the Twin Crises of Oil Depletion and Climate Change Will Define the Future_ edited by Thomas Homer-Dixon with Nick Garrison
• 2009/05/09: Guardian(UK): No credit where it's due -- Three smart, combative books on climate change are already slightly out of date, laments Fred Pearce
• 2009/05/05: EnergyBulletin: [Book Review] _Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent_ by Andrew Nikiforuk
• 2009/05/04: OfficialWire: Population Growth And Its Dire Consequences For The USA [Book Review] _America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans_ by Frosty Wooldridge

  Meanwhile among the 'Sue the Bastards!' contingent:

• 2009/05/04: Guardian(UK): Wild side of the law -- It may sound far-fetched, but a powerful tool to combat climate change is giving nature legal rights

  Developing a new energy infrastructure is a fundamental challenge of the current generation:

• 2009/05/06: FuturePundit: Method Lowers Algae Oil Extraction Costs
• 2009/05/08: FuturePundit: Corn Better For Electricity Than For Ethanol
• 2009/05/07: AfterGutenberg: Who needs Wind and Solar Industry When We Just can keep importing Oil?
• 2009/05/08: OilChange: Poll: US Energy Independence not possible until 2030
• 2009/05/06: Guardian(UK): How much fossil fuel can we burn?
• 2009/05/07: NewScientist: Sea 'snake' generates electricity with every wave
• 2009/05/06: RegisterGuard: Something fishy about forest biomass claims
• 2009/05/06: PhysOrg: Low-cost process produces natural gas from algae
• 2009/05/06: NepalNews: Consequence of Rolling Blackouts
• 2009/05/06: SeekingAlpha: Why Are There So Many More Energy Experts than Energy Billionaires?
• 2009/05/04: BizInsider: When The Economy Starts Whirring, We'll Get Another Big Oil Spike
• 2009/05/05: BBC: 'Anaconda' harnesses wave power -- A new wave energy device known as "Anaconda" is the latest idea to harness the power of the seas
• 2009/05/05: JQuiggin: [link to 7.5 meg pdf] Big report on electricity generation options
• 2009/05/05: SciDaily: New Energy Source? Structure Of Highly Efficient Light-harvesting Molecules In Green Bacteria Determined
• 2009/05/05: Spectator: People of Plenty

  The answer my friend...:

• 2009/05/07: Yahoo: Auto industry suppliers cross over to wind power
• 2009/05/08: Reuters: Global wind power capacity up 29 percent in 2008
• 2009/05/08: PeakEnergy: Donut-Shaped Plastic Improves Wind Turbine Output By Up To 30%
• 2009/05/06: Reuters: Some Americans clamor to try wind power at home
• 2009/05/05: KansasCity: Wind energy plant and 400 jobs coming to Kansas
• 2009/05/04: PlanetArk: Chinese Company To Finance $300 million In U.S. Wind Farms
• 2009/05/04: NEN: Great Lakes wind is a great opportunity
• 2009/05/03: NEN: British wind ready to shoulder load

  Meanwhile among the solar aficionados:

• 2009/05/07: PeakEnergy: A Potential Breakthrough In Harnessing the Sun's Energy [solar thermal]
• 2009/05/05: PeakEnergy: World's Largest Solar Power Tower Commissioned
• 2009/05/03: NEN: Around the world at solar power plants
• 2009/05/04: PeakEnergy: Why CSP Should Not Try to be Coal
• 2009/05/03: NYT: Here Comes the Sun. Right?

  The arithmetic of coal carbon is striking home:

• 2009/05/07: Economist: Coal-fired power plants -- The writing on the wall -- Only green compromises will allow them to survive
• 2009/05/04: NEN: New reports show coal is a bad bet for investors
  Summary: The authors of a series of recent reports on the economics of several proposed coal plants gathered to summarize their findings. There is a striking unanimity to the studies' findings. The 2 unavoidable facts about new coal plants are (1) new coal plants are serious financial risks for utilities and their ratepayers, and (2) the risks will only grow greater in the coming carbon-constrained world.

And in the clean coal saga:

• 2009/05/07: PhysOrg: Coal ash is contaminating water, damaging health in 34 states, groups say
  People in 34 states who live near 210 coal ash lagoons or landfills with inadequate lining have a higher risk of cancer and other diseases from contaminants in their drinking water, two environmental groups reported Thursday.
• 2009/05/07: TP:WonkRoom: ACCCE Introduces Pro-Coal 'Factuality Tour'
• 2009/04/28: Reality: Coal's two cents
• 2009/05/06: Kentucky: Experts call for plans for coal ash spills

  Biofuel bickering abounds:

• 2009/05/08: SciNow: Keep Biofuels Out of the Gas Tank
• 2009/05/08: TreeHugger: Cellulosic Biofuels May Be No Better Than First Generation Fuels, Here's Why
• 2009/05/07: CBC: Bioelectricity gives better mileage than ethanol: study
• 2009/05/07: MongaBay: Bioelectricity bests ethanol on two fronts: land use and global warming
• 2009/05/07: PhysOrg: Ethanol vs. Electricity: Biomass converted into electricity could be more efficient than ethanol
• 2009/05/07: TreeHugger: Major Cellulosic Ethanol Production Technique Breakthrough Announced by Mascoma
• 2009/05/07: Eureka: Bioelectricity promises more 'miles per acre' than ethanol
• 2009/05/05: WWN: Study: Corn-based Biofuel Costs 50 Gallons of Water per Mile
• 2009/05/05: MWatch: Archer Daniels Midland third-quarter profit falls 98%
  Archer Daniels Midland Co. said Tuesday its fiscal third-quarter profit plunged 98% on falling demand for its oilseeds and corn processing products, particularly for the biofuel ethanol.
• 2009/05/04: Reuters: U.S. biodiesel output falls sharply in March: group

  The nuclear energy controversy continues:

• 2009/05/07: BNC: Should Gen III nuclear power precede Gen IV in Australia?
• 2009/05/05: NEN: Nuclear Dangers Revealed
  Summary: The Savannah River Site (SRS), one of the most important U.S. nuclear energy facilities, was built with imadequate, unsafe materials while the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) looked the other way, according to a U.S. Department of Energy investigation.
• 2009/05/05: ClimateP: What do you get when you buy a nuke? You get a lot of delays and rate increases...
• 2009/05/05: EarthTimes: Mishap at Hungarian nuclear reactor
• 2009/05/05: BBC: Work begins on Niger uranium mine
  Work on what will become the world's second largest uranium mine has begun in the west African state of Niger. After it opens in three years' time the $1.5bn (£1bn) mine is expected to yield 5,000 tonnes of uranium per year. French nuclear energy company Areva is building the mine and will take a majority share in it.

Yes we have a peak oil sighting:

• 2009/05/07: EnergyBulletin: The Peak Oil Crisis: Bankruptcy
• 2009/05/04: ZDNet:GTP: Peak oil and the end of economic growth?
• 2009/05/05: OilDrum: Report: The Interplay between Climate Change and Peak Oil
• 2009/05/04: WSJ:EnvCap: Peak Oil: Global Oil Production's Peaked, Analyst [Raymond James] Says

  More people are talking about the electrical grid:

• 2009/05/08: SciDaily: Will America's Power Grid Be Able To Keep Pace With Future Demand?

  And then there is the matter of efficiency & conservation:

• 2009/05/05: PhysOrg: Fuel efficiency of vehicles on the road: Little progress since the 1920s

  Automakers & lawyers, engineers & activists argue over the future of the car:

• 2009/05/10: AutoBG: Hydrogen advocate responds to DOE funding cut
• 2009/05/06: FuturePundit: Fleet Pluggable Hybrids Disappoint On Fuel Efficiency
• 2009/05/08: DM:80B: Hydrogen Car Goes Down Like the Hindenburg: DoE Kills the Program
• 2009/05/09: AutoBG: Shell CEO: electric cars are old news, biofuels are the future
• 2009/05/08: NEN: A car to Detroit's rescue -- Can electric cars save Detroit?
• 2009/05/08: AutoBG: Song remains the same: GM loses billions, Volt still on track
• 2009/05/08: AutoBG: World demand for battery materials will hit $22.8 billion by 2012
• 2009/05/08: CBC: Toyota reports worst-ever annual loss
  Toyota is reporting a $4.41 billion US net loss for the fiscal year through March, a larger loss than it had forecast and its worst result in company history. The outlook in the future is even grimmer -- the world's biggest automaker projects that net losses will deepen to $5.53 billion for the fiscal year through March 2010.
• 2009/05/07: NatureN: Bioelectricity better than biofuels for transport -- Crops give more kilometres per hectare if used to power electric vehicles.
• 2009/05/06: USAToday: Nissan plans electric car to challenge Chevrolet Volt
• 2009/05/06: AutoBG: Chrysler bankruptcy: what happens with the electric car plans? to A123 Systems?
• 2009/05/07: BBC: Sales slump doubles losses at GM
• 2009/05/07: BBC: UK car sales fell by 24% in April compared with the same month last year, the latest industry figures have shown
• 2009/05/06: BBC: Carmakers Porsche and VW to merge
• 2009/05/06: Esquire: The End of Car Culture
• 2009/05/06: AutoBG: Renault unveils Kangoo be bop Z.E, pure all-electric cuteness
• 2009/05/05: CSM: A yellow light for electric cars -- Advocates of next-gen cars need to remember that there's no free lunch
• 2009/05/05: DerSpiegel: The World from Berlin -- Fiat's Planned Takeover of Opel Is 'Too Complex to Succeed'
  Fiat wants to create a new global car company through a link-up with Chrysler and Opel. German commentators think that merging three ailing carmakers is a terrible idea.
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Car ads 'should carry climate health warnings' -- MP Colin Challen accuses motor manufacturers of not telling whole truth in green claims
• 2009/05/04: G&M: A road map for a low-carbon future

  The reaction of business to climate change will be critical:

• 2009/05/07: PlanetArk: Clean Energy Firms Still Offer Good Returns: Investors
• 2009/05/06: ClimateP: Cool Companies, Part 1: How the best businesses boost profits and productivity by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• 2009/05/04: ENN: Report Finds that Electric Utilities Are Unprepared for Carbon Regulation

  Insurance and re-insurance companies are feeling the heat:

• 2009/05/07: MMOM: Expect Insurance Rates to Get Hot, Hot, Hot
  Climate change is likely to raise more than just the world's temperature -- changing conditions in the Western U.S. leading to more and more severe wildfires will raise insurance rates, too.
• 2009/05/06: WBCSD:Reuters: Insuring climate change still possible -Munich Re

  Joe Romm posts a daily list of top energy and climate stories:

• 2009/05/08: ClimateP: Energy and Global Warming News for May 8th: Global warming -- it's a health hazard
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: Energy and Global Warming News for May 7th: Ford to spend $550 million to retool SUV/truck factory to make small cars, electric vehicles
• 2009/05/06: ClimateP: Energy and Global Warming News for May 6th: China to triple wind goal to 100,000 MW by 2020
• 2009/05/05: ClimateP: Energy and Global Warming News for May 5: Can clean energy revive U.S. manufacturing?
• 2009/05/04: ClimateP: Energy and Global Warming News for May 4: U.S. PV jobs, smart car-charger, floating Russian nukes

  The carbon lobby are up to the usual:

• 2009/05/10: Deltoid: Reaction to Ashley's review of Plimer
• 2009/05/09: JQuiggin: Wow! In the Oz of all places, a demolition of Ian Plimer...
• 2009/05/08: Deltoid: An astronomer reviews Ian Plimer's book
• 2009/05/09: BCLSB: Ian Plimer And The Iron Sun
• 2009/05/08: WSJ:EnvCap: Chevron's O'Reilly: Cap-and-Trade Means 'Pre-Industrial Economy'
  If one thing's clear when it comes to the big debate over how to tackle climate change, it's that Big Oil really, really isn't keen on the administration's cap-and-trade approach.
• 2009/05/07: ClimateP: Rep. Barton and other science deniers say the only way to stop a global pandemic is if everyone does nothing
• 2009/05/07: Deltoid: Blue moon at the Australian
• 2009/05/07: DeSmogBlog: GOP Rep. Pence Says "Science is Very Mixed" on Global Warming, Lies Again Twice About MIT Study on MSNBC
• 2009/05/06: GreenGrok: Sympathy for the Oil Industry?
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Viscount Monckton and Michael Weiner [aka Savage]: A meeting of sceptical minds
  One of our top 10 climate change deniers meets the US radio talk show host to discuss that big liberal conspiracy, climate change. The 'real' scientists know it's all rubbish
• 2009/05/03: ERabett: Krammed -- To our misfortune Gerhard Kramm, defender of Gerlich and Tscheuschner descended...
• 2009/05/05: Deltoid: Monckton caught making things up. Yet again
• 2009/05/05: AutoBG: George Will recycles "Prius loses money" untruth
• 2009/05/04: ClimateP: Heritage Foundation pushes 'completely untrue' attack on clean-energy jobs with a panel bought and paid for by dirty energy
• 2009/05/03: BSD: Roger Samuelson retreads, repeats past mistakes on climate
• 2009/05/04: Deltoid: The Australian's War on Science 38: more denial from Ian Plimer
• 2009/05/03: Deltoid: The Australian's War on Science 37

  Coby updated his How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic series:

• AFTIC: [H2T2aCS] How to Talk to a Climate Sceptic
• 2009/05/08: AFTIC: How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic in the Scottish Parlimentry Record

  Then there was the miscellaneous news and commentary:

• 2009/05/07: CCP: Gavin Schmidt & Joshua Wolfe: "Climate Change: Picturing the Science"
• 2009/05/08: ERabett: Efficient, elegant and economical - pick one
• 2009/05/07: DotEarth: Visualizing Climate Change and Its Science
• 2009/05/07: ABC(Au): Hot new theory on cooling the planet
  Tasmanian scientists are devising a way to recycle greenhouse gases and help save the planet from global warming.
• 2009/05/06: NewScientist: Farmers' crops keeping US cool
• 2009/05/04: CCP: Kim Cranston: Humanity's Greatest Challenge and Its Solution
• 2009/05/05: Guardian(UK): Bursting the carbon bubble
  The world economy may be recovering, but inaction on climate change could cost far more than the current financial crisis
• 2009/05/05: GreenGrok: Climate Science Flurry: Cooling vs. Warming et al. Hot Items
• 2009/05/05: ClimateP: Messaging 101c: Energy efficiency and sex
• 2009/05/05: JQuiggin: Conditional and unconditional targets
• 2009/05/04: Guardian(UK): Responding to the triple crunch -- Financial meltdown, climate change and dwindling energy supplies demand a newer world order [by Michael Meacher]
• 2009/05/03: ClimateP: Messaging 101b: EcoAmerica's phrase 'our deteriorating atmosphere' isn't going to replace 'global warming' -- and that's a good thing.
• 2009/05/04: TreeHugger: Messaging Battle May Influence the Climate Fight
• 2009/05/03: CCP: David Spratt: A new reality check on the global carbon emissions budget

  And here are a couple of sites you may find interesting and/or useful:

• Science: Science Now
• Science: Science Insider
• Science News,
• The Global Cooling Project
• OCCC: Swiss Advisory Body on Climate Change
• GWTimes: Global Warming Times
• ClimateWire
• P&P: People & Planet
• Scientist On Ice
• Science at Stake
• Mark Lynas (blog)
• Stop Global Warming
• NASA: CloudSat
• CICERO: Center for International Climate and Environmental Research - Oslo
• EU Carbon Trading - Kyoto Protocol - Community Transaction Log
• Dr. James E. Hansen homepage
• LDEO: Global Standardized Precipitation Index Analyses

My first novel Water was published in Canada May, 2007. The American release was in October. An Introductionto the novel is available, along with the Unpublished Forewordand the Launch Talk. An overview of my writing is available here.

P.S. Recent postings can be found in the week archive and the ancient postings can be accessed here, which should open to this.

"There is no box." -Amory Lovins, when asked about thinking outside the box

• Global Warming Links
• Global Warming News Archive
• Energy
• Energy News
• Environmental Issues
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