Today's Climate: June 3, 2009

Two House Committees Prep for Climate Bill Markup (New York Times)

Ways and Means Committee action is expected to center around provisions dealing with international trade and the auctioning of 15 percent of the allowances where the funding is dedicated toward low-income consumers.

Nancy Sutley: Obama to Stake Political Prestige on Climate Bill (Guardian)

The chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality tells the Guardian that President Obama is ready to use his considerable personal popularity to rally Congress behind the climate bill.

EU Solar Industry Feeling the Heat (Financial Times)

Europe was once the manufacturing hub of renewable energy components, with governments poured billions into subsidies. That is changing. The U.S. and China have begun to outstrip Europe in renewable energy, both generation and manufacturing.

Japan Trade Minister Cautious on Big Emission Cuts (Reuters)

Japan's trade minister expressed caution about setting an aggressive target for cutting the nation's greenhouse gas emissions as he is worried about the ability of households and businesses to bear the cost.

Attorney: Electric Co-ops Must Disclose Investment Risks of Coal (Colo. Independent)

Rural electric co-ops that gamble on low-cost coal while largely keeping their member-owners in the dark about future financial risks may be playing with federal regulatory fire in the form of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Schroders Climate Fund Bets on Wind, Forestry (Reuters)

Schroders is adding wind power and forestry stocks to its climate change portfolio, saying heightened investor interest in the green theme should support share performances in the second half.

General Motors Pins Hopes for Recharge on Volt (Politico)

Auto industry analysts warn that the Volt, often touted as the savior of GM, could get trapped between the administration’s environmental policy goals and the dire business realities of the bankruptcy court trying to salvage the fallen auto giant.

Study: Heat Capture Technology Could Cut 10M Tons CO2 in UK (Guardian)

The UK could save 10 million tons of carbon dioxide every year if the waste heat from some of the country's biggest power stations was diverted to warm homes and offices, according to a study by engineers.

EU Makes Business Case for Renewable Energy (EurActiv)

The EU could create more than 400,000 additional jobs by boosting its policies in support of renewable energies and delivering on the bloc's 2020 target, a new study published by the European Commission argues.

US Small Turbine Market Enjoys Fair Wind (Business Green)

The market for small renewable wind power installations grew by 78 percent in 2008, according to new figures from the American Wind Energy Association, which also suggest that the market could grow 30-fold in the next five years.