Today's Climate: November 7-8, 2009

G20 Fails Again to Reach Finance Deal on Climate Change (Xinhua)

The G20 policymakers urged to push forward climate change financing but failed to reach an agreement on how to fund policies to tackle climate change at their two-day meeting in Scotland.

Lawsuit Targets AES Coal Ash for Birth Defects in Caribbean (Miami Herald)

A civil lawsuit filed in Delaware charges that toxic levels of coal ash dumped at a rural port in the Dominican Republic caused miscarriages and babies born with organs outside their bodies or missing limbs.

Deutsche Bank: China Lower Risk than UK for Green Investors (Guardian)

A report from Deutsche Bank says that the UK does not have the right climate change strategy to attract international investment and is lagging behind other countries, such as Germany, France and China.

North America Sets Continent-Wide Wilderness Protection Plan (CP)

Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced a memorandum of understanding with the United States and Mexico that binds the three countries to an unprecedented commitment to wilderness conservation in North America.

DOE's CCS Test Reaches 1 Million Ton Milestone (Greenwire)

An Energy Department-sponsored carbon dioxide sequestration project in Mississippi has become the first in the nation to inject more than 1 million tons of the greenhouse gas into an underground rock formation.

GM's Money Trees (Mother Jones)

In Brazil, people with some of the world's smallest carbon footprints are being displaced so their forests can become offsets for SUVs.

More Pollution Controls Sought for Nearly Finished Coal Plant (Denver Post)

As the finishing touches are put on Xcel's new Comanche 3 power plant, it is the subject of a lawsuit over its air permit and its cost is being challenged at Colorado Public Utilities Commission hearings.

Alaska Capital Sets Goal to Cut Emissions 21% by 2012 (Juneau Empire)

The capital city of Juneau has adopted a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent from 2007 levels by 2012. Much of that goal has already been met.

UK Environment Agency Urges Bigger Fines for Polluters (Guardian)

The UK government's environment watchdog urged the courts to issue tougher fines for environmental pollution, saying heftier fines would send a strong message to polluters that their behavior would not be tolerated.

Kenya Plans Nuclear Plant in 5 Years (AFP)

Kenya hopes to build its first nuclear power plant in the next five years with help from France, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said. It’s one option for Kenya to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, he said.

Japan Eyes Solar Station in Space (AFP)

It may sound like sci-fi, but Japan's space agency is serious: By 2030, it wants to collect solar power in space and zap it down to Earth, using laser beams or microwaves.