Obama Aims to Win Climate Bill with Nuclear (Reuters)
Pres. Obama, trying to save the stalled U.S. climate bill, appeared to back away from creating a cap-and-trade scheme in his first state-of-the-union address, while reaching out for Republican votes by promoting nuclear and offshore drilling.
Adviser: White House Committed to Climate Bill (Politico)
The top White House climate adviser, Carol Browner, pushed back against reports that a climate bill would be scaled back — but shied away from giving an exact time frame for when the Senate should take up the legislation.
U.S. Climate Bill Possible This Year: Sen. Graham (Reuters)
Two key U.S. senators, Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Kerry (D-MA), renewed their commitment to passing a climate law, saying they would continue to seek a compromise cap-and-trade bill this year.
EU Maintains Pledge for Deeper Emissions Cuts, If Others Follow (AFP)
EU nations have decided to maintain their global pledge to make 30% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions if other industrialised nations do the same.
University in Hacked Climate Emails Scandal Broke FOI Rules (Guardian)
The University of East Anglia flouted Freedom of Information regulations in its handling of requests for data from climate sceptics, according to the government body that administers the act.
UN Chief Asks to Implement Key Elements of Copenhagen Accord (Press Trust of India)
Underlining the need to move beyond the procedural controversies of the Copenhagen Accord, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon has asked the world to implement the key elements of the document.
Davos Business Leaders Urge Global Support for Binding Climate Treaty (Business Green)
A group of six international business groups — which together represent over 200 multinational firms — issued an open letter to world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos demanding they deliver a binding climate treaty in 2010.
Virginia Senators Slam Delay in Offshore Drilling (Reuters)
Virginia’s two U.S. senators have urged the Obama administration to carry out a previous plan to lease almost 3 million acres in federal waters off the state’s coastline to oil and natural gas companies.
Americans Cooling on Climate Change, Survey Says (CNN)
Fifty-seven percent of Americans polled at the end of 2009 and early 2010 believe climate change is happening compared with a figure of 71% in October 2008, according to a new report published by Yale University and the George Mason University.
Australia: Two Liberals Could Cross Senate Floor on ETS Vote (Sydney Morning Herald)
Two Liberal senators are reserving their right to cross the floor and vote for the government’s carbon trading law next month, leaving the fate of the scheme at the mercy of the five Greens who voted to defeat it last year.
Climate Change to Triple Australia Fire Danger: Report (AFP)
Climate change could more than triple the risk of catastrophic wildfires in parts of Australia by 2050, Greenpeace warned today in a new report.
American VCs Unfazed by China Cleantech: Reuters Survey (Reuters)
Fears the U.S. will lose a battle with China to create clean technology for a climate-changing world don’t fly with Silicon Valley venture capitalists, a new survey has revealed.
Spanish Company Plans New Mexico Solar Plant (AP)
Spanish company GA-Solar plans to invest $1 billion to build a large 300-MW photovoltaic solar plant across 2,500 acres in eastern New Mexico.
Honda Tests Solar Hydrogen Fuel Pump (The Detroit News)
Honda, the first company approved to sell hydrogen cars in America, began testing a solar-powered hydrogen-fueling device for home use to address a lack of public hydrogen-fuel stations in the country.
China Sets Up Energy Agency Headed by PM (AP)
China has set up a government agency headed by Premier Wen Jiabao to better coordinate energy policy, as the world’s second-largest power consumer faces growing domestic demand and struggles with shortages.
U.S. Chamber Ended 2009 With Spending Spree (Greenwire)
As it worked to influence climate and energy legislation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce poured $71.1 million in the last three months of the year, compared with $24 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
