Today's Climate: June 8, 2009

Amid Conservative Wins in EU, Greens Gain Strength (Reuters)

Center-right parties made major gains in the EU elections, however a strong showing by Green parties, particularly in France, means legislation to fight climate change and promote clean energy will remain high on the EU agenda.

New EU Parliament Braced for Next Round of Climate Laws (EurActiv)

The newly-elected European Parliament faces a busy climate policy agenda, as Europe attempts to claw its way out of the recession by developing greener policies and convincing the world to agree on an ambitious climate deal.

China, U.S. Seek Truce on Greenhouse Gases (New York Times)

For months the United States and China, by far the world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, have been warily circling each other in hopes of breaking a long impasse on global warming policy. Negotiators are meeting again this week.

U.S. Foresees a Thinner Cushion of Coal (Wall Street Journal)

The U.S. government is reconsidering how it calculates the nation's coal supply after a USGS report determined that only a small fraction of coal is actually recoverable before the costs of recovery rise.

Peruvian Police Fire on Unarmed Tribes' Oil, Gas Protest (Guardian)

Peru declared a curfew in the Amazon jungle after dozens of protesters died and hundreds were injured in bloody clashes between security forces and indigenous tribes protesting oil and mining projects.

Airlines Reject Carbon Tax, Commit to CO2-Neutral Growth by 2020 (Guardian)

The head of the International Air Transport Association says biofuels had the potential to reduce aviation's carbon footprint by up to 80 percent, but he said governments needed to invest more in biofuels research and not further tax the industry.

Council: Emissions Limits a Catalyst for Midwest Growth (Chicago Tribune)

Nationwide limits on greenhouse-gas emissions are a key to the struggling region's hope for economic rebirth, a Chicago Council on Global Affairs task force that includes several utility executives declares in a report to be released today.

UN Proposal Would Insure Farms Against Climate Crop Failure (Guardian)

UN negotiators at Bonn are considering micro-insurance schemes among several adaptation measures for Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Clean Tech Upstarts Team with Big Oil (San Jose Business Journal)

Cleantech’s initial attempts to take on incumbent industry giants such as oil companies are starting to give way to symbiotic partnerships.

Maldives Appeals to UN Space Agency for Climate Change Help (Business Mirror)

The Maldives, one of the nations most threatened by global warming, is appealing to the United Nations space agency for satellite imagery assistance that could help the island country plan its defenses against rising sea levels.