Texas files again to block EPA carbon rules in state

Reuters reports, “Texas on Thursday filed a fresh motion in federal appeals court to block the Obama Administration’s attempts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in the state, one day after another federal court rejected the state’s petitions. At issue is the state’s lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prevent the agency from forcing [...]

U.S. says financing core part of Cancun climate deal

Reuters reports, “Despite tough economic times, rich countries must make good on short-term pledges of billions of dollars in financing to help developing countries tackle global warming, the U.S. climate envoy said. The climate deal forged among more than 190 countries at the annual U.N. talks in Mexico’s Cancun beach resort on Saturday included agreements [...]

China says U.S. clean energy probe sends wrong signal

Reuters is reporting, “China on Saturday hit back at U.S. government action to investigate a labor union’s charges that it subsidizes its green technology producers, saying the move sends a wrong signal on trade protectionism. The U.S. probe will look into whether Chinese support for its clean energy sector was a violation of World Trade [...]

Autos would get up to 62 mpg under U.S. plan

According to Reuters, “Automakers would be required to nearly double fleet efficiency to 62 miles per gallon by 2025 under the most ambitious scenario of a U.S. government outlook on fuel economy and emissions released on Friday. Gasoline and electric hybrid vehicles and electric cars would play a crucial role in meeting the top range [...]

Japan to subsidize energy-efficient plants: report

According to Reuters, “Japan’s government plans to subsidize domestic plants producing clean-energy and energy-efficient goods under steps to support the slowing economy, the Nikkei newspaper said, as the murky outlook keeps firms from boosting spending at home. A strong yen is putting additional pressure on Japan’s fragile economy, which is already seeing slowing growth and [...]

Spurned Chinese developers blast U.N. CO2 rulings

According to Reuters, “Developers behind the 19 Chinese wind and hydropower projects rejected by a U.N.-backed clean energy investment panel have accused the board in charge of making arbitrary and non-transparent rule changes. Most said they had no choice but to reapply to try to earn internationally tradeable carbon offsets they said were needed to [...]

Secretary Chu Announces Initiatives to Promote Clean Energy at First Clean Energy Ministerial

According to the press release, “At the world’s first Clean Energy Ministerial, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that the United States is helping launch more than 10 international clean energy initiatives.  These initiatives will cut energy waste; help deploy smart grid, electric vehicle, and carbon capture technologies; support renewable energy markets; expand access [...]

Italy to keep buying excess green certificates

According to Reuters, “The Italian government has agreed to keep the obligation of state-owned GSE to buy outstanding green certificates to support the country’s renewable energy market, bowing to pressure from the green energy industry. A reworked amendment to government measures aimed at cutting the budget deficit says that state energy management agency GSE will [...]

BP market losses hit $100 billion on spill cost fears

According to Reuters, “BP Plc stock hit a 14-year low on Friday and its credit weakened sharply on talk it needs extra cash to fund the clean-up and compensation bill for the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Total share losses for the embattled oil major since the ecological disaster began on April 20 stand [...]

Spain renewables industry fears subsidy cuts

According to Reuters, “Spain’s renewable energy industry joined forces on Thursday to ask the government to clarify whether it plans to retroactively cut subsidies, as market-moving media reports have suggested. Shares in renewable energy generators Iberdrola Renovables and Acciona moved sharply lower on Wednesday after website elconfidencial, citing sources close to the government, said the [...]

France seeks tighter regulation of CO2 market

According to Reuters, “A French government report on Monday urged tighter regulation of the fast-growing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions trading market, which has suffered from exploitation of legal loopholes and illegal sales practices. France’s finance ministry commissioned Michel Prada, former head of the country’s AMF stock market watchdog, to publish a report on the CO2 [...]

U.S. Chamber Files Petition to Challenge EPA’s Triggering of Clean Air Act Regulation

According to the US Chamber of Commerce, “Steven J. Law, chief legal officer and general counsel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, today issued the following statement on the Chamber’s intention to challenge EPA’s decision to trigger Clean Air Act regulation: “The U.S. Chamber strongly supports efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, [...]

President’s Energy Budget Invests in Innovation, Clean Energy, and National Security Priorities

According to the US Department of Energy, “U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today detailed President Barack Obama’s $28.4 billion Fiscal Year 2011 budget request for the Department of Energy, highlighting the Administration’s commitment to create jobs with the development of a clean energy economy, invest in advanced science, research and innovation, maintain a strong nuclear [...]

German tariff cuts to spark solar sector downturn

According to Reuters, “A potential deep cut in feed-in tariffs in Germany will hit solar companies around the world and increases pressure on large players to reduce exposure to the world’s largest photovoltaic market. Analysts say that lower prices could result in a shakeout in the industry that drives higher cost players out of business [...]

U.S. carbon market growth seen without climate bill

According to Reuters, “Voluntary carbon markets in the United States will grow especially at the regional level even if a stalled federal climate bill fails to impose “cap and trade” on American industry, the chairman of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) said on Tuesday. “I think we will continue to see interest in voluntary carbon [...]

France to propose new carbon tax: minister

According to Reuters, “The French Constitutional Council annulled the tax, hailed by President Nicolas Sarkozy as a ground-breaking tool to fight climate change, on Tuesday on the grounds that it offered too many exemptions. After the Constitutional Council complained that some 93 percent of industrial emissions were exempt from the tax, Lagarde told French radio [...]

China amends law to boost renewable energy law

According to Xinhua, “China’s top legislature adopted Saturday an amendment to the renewable energy law to require electricity grid companies to buy all the power produced by renewable energy generators. The amendment says the State Council energy department and the state power regulatory agency should supervise the purchases. The amendment, approved by lawmakers after it [...]

Finance is key to Copenhagen talks: Norway PM

According to Reuters, “The key to successful climate talks in Copenhagen next month will be making sure rich countries fund greener technologies in the developing world, Norway’s prime minister said Friday. Politicians have talked down expectations for the talks which are supposed to find a successor to the Kyoto treaty that expires in 2012, and [...]

How to boost fuel efficiency? Raise taxes, executives say

According to Reuters, “There’s a simple way to get Americans to drive fuel-efficient cars, according to auto executives, but they are not going to like it — sharply hike the gas tax. While politically unpalatable, gasoline that costs at least $4 a gallon would have a far greater effect on American fuel usage than Washington’s [...]

France proposes climate plan for poorest countries

According to Thomson Reuters, “France is proposing a plan to help the world’s poorest countries finance renewable energy projects that it hopes will form part of upcoming climate talks, Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said in an interview on Sunday. The “justice-climate” plan could be financed by revenue from financial transactions, he told the Journal du [...]

Green News: U.N. scheme aims to bring clean energy to millions

According to Reuters, “A U.N. scheme designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and transform the livelihoods of millions of people in developing countries is picking up speed, with dozens of projects being developed or evaluated. The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism provides for offsets from clean energy projects in developing countries to be sold to [...]

Coal producer Massey: mine permitting hurts growth

According to Reuters, “The demand for coal to generate power and make steel is growing, but environmental bureaucracy is making it more difficult to mine the fuel, the head of Massey Energy said on Wednesday. “Our government is at least temporarily impeding the attainment of coal’s full value … and frustrating domestic opportunities for production [...]

Japan may cut emissions by less than 25 percent

According to Reuters, “Japan cautioned on Friday that it could water down planned 2020 cuts in greenhouse gas emissions if other rich nations fail to make deep reductions as part of a U.N. deal due in Copenhagen in December. In Brussels, a draft report showed that European Union states were preparing to endorse an estimate [...]

Japan mulls early emission limits: report

According to the AFP, “Japan’s new government led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama plans to introduce a mandatory cap-and-trade greenhouse gas emissions system as early as 2011, a report said Sunday. A cabinet committee is likely to discuss the issue Sunday in an effort to reach Hatoyama’s stated goal of reducing emissions by 25 percent [...]