Pachauri: Hacked Emails Don’t Tarnish Climate Science (Reuters)
The head of the UN’s panel of climate experts rejected accusations of bias in IPCC final reports, citing the scientific process of peer review and saying the hacked emails and documents in no way undermined evidence of humans’ role in global warming.
3,000 Scientists Tell Canada ‘Act Now’ on Climate (CanWest)
In an open letter to parliamentarians, 3,000 Canadian scientists "urge the government to negotiate an outcome that will rapidly and adequately address climate change."
Investors Welcome US, China Climate Goals (Reuters)
Investors welcomed new China and U.S. climate targets 10 days before a UN summit, but an Australian carbon vote delay hinted at wider difficulties to cement a global deal.
China’s CO2 Goal Puts India in Hot Seat (Hindustan Times)
Chinese and Indian officials are meeting today to coordinate a strategy for Copenhagen. India’s environment minister said his country would "look for flexibility to avoid being isolated. The flexibility can be achieved without taking binding emission cuts.”
Kenyans Draw Weapons Over Shrinking Resources (Los Angeles Times)
Experts fear that the recent conflicts involving cattle, water and land may be just the beginning of climate-driven violence in Africa. At least 400 people have died in northern Kenya violence this year, the UN says.
UK Regulator: Designs for New Nuclear Reactors Unsafe (Guardian)
Britain’s safety regulator threw the government’s energy plans into chaos today by damning the nuclear industry’s leading designs for new plants, saying it found wide-ranging safety concerns and flaws in both French and U.S. models.
World Leaders Spur Climate Debate in Trinidad (AFP)
Leaders from more than 50 countries meet today in Trinidad in an effort to spur the global-warming debate ahead of the global summit in Copenhagen, 10 days away.
Cost of Indiana Coal Gasification Plant Nearly Doubles (Charlotte Observer)
Duke Energy says the cost of the coal gasification power plant it is building in Indiana has risen by another $150 million, boosting the project’s estimated price to $2.5 billion — nearly twice the original estimate. The latest increase won’t be the last.
Beijing Slams Europe’s Emissions Reduction Efforts (Wall Street Journal)
China’s top climate envoy lashed out at Europe for failing to meet previous greenhouse gas commitments and said reaching an agreement at the Copenhagen summit is essential.
Obama Faces Political Risks with Copenhagen (Politico)
President Barack Obama’s decision to drop in on the international climate conference in Copenhagen next month lends some star power to an event that’s lost much of its luster — but at considerable risk for Obama himself.
Harper Flip-Flops on Copenhagen, Will Attend After All (Toronto Star)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave way to strong domestic pressure and a shifting international tide with the announcement he will travel to a global climate summit next month in Copenhagen.
Bureaucracy Trips Up Renewable Energy Projects (San Francisco Chronicle)
Delays have hit more than half of the big solar, wind and geothermal energy projects under development in California, and as a result, the state probably won’t meet its goal of getting 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2010.
Solutions Exist to Close Global Water Gap (GreenBiz)
There’s good and bad news in McKinsey & Co.’s new report on water scarcity: While global demand for clean water already exceeds supply and the gap is widening, cost-effective, sustainable solutions are available.
Forest Area Bigger than Canada Can Be Restored (Reuters)
Only one fifth of the world’s forests remain but an area bigger than Canada could be restored without harming food production, a global alliance dedicated to restoring forests says.
Ensuring REDD Bears Fruit for Local Communities (Mongabay)
Despite the high powered nature of these important global decisions, the success of REDD will ultimately be decided by humble forest dependent communities, living in developing countries and perhaps currently oblivious to the negotiations taking place.
Environmental Activists Seek Green ‘Black Friday’ (Politico)
The day after Thanksgiving is known for shopping sprees, but “Black Friday” is getting blacklisted by environmentalists.
