Today’s Climate: March 30, 2009

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Obama Gets Tough with GM, Chrysler (AFP)

The White House today ousted GM’s CEO and ordered Chrysler to seal a deal with Fiat after a grim review of the long-term prospects for the companies demanding an extra $21.6 billion in loans.

U.S. to Push for U.N. Climate Deal, but No ‘Magic Wand’ (Reuters)

The Obama administration made its U.N. climate debut by promising to cut U.S. emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020. China welcomed the news today and said it would also do its share while ensuring its people were not "left in the dark."

Consensus Could Be a Conundrum for Climate-Change Bill (CQ)

To get a climate bill to the floor, Rep. Henry Waxman will need most of his party behind him — including former committee Chairman John Dingell of Michigan and his allies. That may force concessions to regional differences that could result in a bill friendlier to industry.

Union Chief Not Giving Up on LA’s Solar Measure B (Los Angeles Times)

A powerful union leader at the L.A. Department of Public Works who devised the Measure B solar power initiative that was defeated in a March election is pushing for the work to go on without voter approval.

London Targets 15,000 Green Collar Jobs (Business Green)

A study by Ernst & Young says London’s plans to cut energy and tackle climate change could bring 15,000 jobs and contribute £600m a year to the economy by 2025, but only if City Hall continues to create the right incentives for green businesses.

Warming Makes High-Tech a Hot College Subject (Los Angeles Times)

In an encouraging sign for America’s shortage of high-tech workers, the hottest subject on college campuses has become renewable energy, but will that enthusiasm transfer to graduate schools?

Ottawa: $4M to Boost Renewable Energy in Atlantic Canada (Canadian Press)

Canada sees a growing market in the U.S. Northeast for hydro, wind, tidal or nuclear generated electricity, a demand expected to increase by over 20 percent by 2020.

Detroit Electric Resurrected as $25,000 Electric Car (CNet)

Detroit Electric, an auto brand favored by Thomas Edison, is mounting a 21st century comeback with electric cars aimed at U.S. soccer moms and Chinese city dwellers.

Global Boiling Roulette: The Margin For Error Is Gone (Wonk Room)

The MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change released its newest climate change roulette wheels, reflecting how much worse the gamble has gotten.

Fish Oils Reduce Methane from ‘Flatulent Cows’ (Telegraph)

Irish researchers find that adding fish oil to cattle feed can reduce methane production by about one-fifth.

Appalachian Forest Owners Consider Carbon Credits (Lexington Herald-Leader)

“We’re real hopeful that landowners will have a new economic reason to do the right thing in their woods," says a carbon trading aggregator working in eastern Kentucky.

Winds of Change Evident in U.S. Environmental Policy (Washington Post)

After chafing under political appointees who viewed stricter environmental regulation with skepticism, long-serving EPA officials are finally seeing work that had been gathering dust for years translate into action.

Interview: Tony Blair on Stimulus, Cap & Trade (Financial Times)

Tony Blair argues that the stimulus packages being rolled out around the world must focus on green measures if we are to avoid an unsustainable high-carbon future.

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