Today's Climate: December 18, 2009

World Leaders Try to Rescue Climate Deal (Reuters)

President Barack Obama met other world leaders in a last push for a new global climate deal on Friday, after negotiators failed to reach a deal on carbon cuts in all-night talks.

Chinese Premier: We Will Honor Climate Commitments (AP)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao defended his country's climate commitments at the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen this morning, saying, ''we will honor our word with real action.''

Carbon Capture to Win EU Funding Before Renewables (EurActiv)

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects will likely be first to benefit from funding out of the EU emissions trading scheme, with support for renewables to follow later, a draft European Commission proposal suggests.

Malaysia to Let Logging in Indigenous 'Peace Park' to Proceed (Mongabay)

Malaysia, the country with the fastest rate of greenhouse gas emissions growth since 1990 among middle and upper income countries, will allow logging to proceed in a contested rainforest area on the island of Borneo.

China's Low Tariff Opens Door for Ethanol Imports (Reuters)

China has agreed to lower the tariff on imports of ethanol to 5 percent from the previous 30 percent, which traders said could open the door for imports of fuel ethanol from countries like Brazil.

Senate Tax Credit Delay Could Hurt US Biofuels, Energy Sector (Greenwire)

A Senate delay to extend tax credits that expire at the end of the year may put more jobs in the biofuels and energy sector in jeopardy.

EPA Delays Coal Ash Announcement (AP)

The agency said it was extending a Dec. 31 deadline because it is "still actively clarifying and refining parts of the proposal" to regulate disposal of coal ash. It did not set a new deadline.

Sen. Byrd's Coal Commentary Rocks West Virginia (Politico)

An extraordinary recent statement by Sen. Robert Byrd has stunned his coal-dependent home state and left West Virginia politicians and business leaders scrambling to understand the timing and motivation behind his unexpected discourse on the future of the coal industry.

Rail Stimulus Funds to Bypass Northeast (Boston Globe)

The busiest rail artery in the nation and home to its only high-speed trains has been virtually shut out of $8 billion worth of federal stimulus money set aside for high-speed rail projects because of the time involved in a strict environmental review process.

Climate Talks Get Into Aviation, Shipping (Los Angeles Times)

The EU and African nations are among the proponents of an international cap-and-trade system that could raise as much as $25 billion a year. But the U.S. and others have objections.

Prentice Delivers Canada's Unpopular Position (Globe & Mail)