Today's Climate: May 30-31, 2009

'Bali Road Map' seeks compass (AFP)

Grueling efforts to craft a pact on climate change enter a crucial phase on Monday when the 192-nation UN forum takes its first look at a draft text for negotiations. The 12-day huddle in Bonn will at last get down to the gritty stuff.

ADB calls for low-carbon transport systems (AFP)

The Asian Development Bank called on its Asian government borrowers to design mass transport systems in a way that would slow the rapid growth of their greenhouse gas emissions.

OSU President Resigns from Massey Board (Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee had been under pressure from environmentalists for months to step down from the coal company’s board of directors. Ten days after he was reappointed to the Massey board he resigned.

Concerns Over Linking EU, US Carbon Markets (Reuters)

Analysts say linking the EU's carbon trading system with the United States’ will be a crucial first step toward a global carbon market, but it will require major adjustments on both sides.

West Virginia’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy on Coal Slurry (Charleston Gazette)

A state study found that coal slurry is migrating into underground water. However, the DEP says it doesn’t have enough information on what water quality was like before companies started pumping coal waste underground to blame them.

Boeing: Jets Could Be flying on Algae Next Year (New York Times)

Jet fuels derived from algae, camelina and jatropha, plants that pack an energy punch and do not displace food crops, could be approved and replacing petroleum fuels in commercial flights as early as next year, a Boeing executive said.

Statoil: Risk Too High for Non-State Carbon Capture (Reuters)

Norway's StatoilHydro says industry won’t invest in carbon capture and storage projects without strong state support because of a lack of clarity on future emissions rules.

Despite Setbacks, Tidal Power Still Hot (Earth2Tech)

Ocean power has suffered some setbacks recently, such as Pelamis’ bellyflop in Portugal and the UK’s WaveHub losing a developer, but the industry isn’t slowing down — in fact, it’s been a busy month for tidal technology.

Obama Walks Fine Line Over Mining (Los Angeles Times)

Environmentalists hoped Obama would end the "Appalachian apocalypse," but the administration instead allowed at least two dozen more mountaintop removals. The issue is politically sensitive with president's standing tenuous among coal state Democrats.

How Obama Made His Energy Platform 'Pop' (Washington Post)

Making climate a key issue was not an obvious decision for candidate Obama. The political benefits were debatable. Here’s how it happened.