Green Groups Urge Upholding U.S. Tar Sands Fuel Ban (Globe and Mail)

Twenty-six US and Canadian green groups have urged the US Senate to keep in place a rule banning the feds from buying fuel from Alberta's dirty tar sands, as momentum to rescind the ban builds in Congress.

U.S. Consumers the Least 'Green,' Survey Says (Green Tech Blog, CNET)

U.S. consumers have the least "green" habits in the world in terms of energy use, transportation, travel and goods, while consumers in Brazil, India and China are the most green, according to a new survey by National Geographic and GlobeScan.

Another Sunny Year for Solar Power (Worldwatch Institute)

Global production of photovoltaic solar cells increased 51 percent in 2007 to 3,733 megawatts. Germany passed Japan as the world's top PV manufacturer, and remains the #1 installer, accounting for almost half of the global market.

Energy Secretary on Killing FutureGen: 'I Did it in Order to Save it from Itself' (AP)

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said that he scrapped plans for FutureGen -- the ill-fated "clean coal" plant that was planned for Illinois -- because it wasn't economically or politically sustainable, during testimony before Congress.

Voluntary Carbon Trade Grows 240% (Carbon Positive)

The value of trade in the voluntary carbon market grew by 240 per cent in 2007 to $331 million, with 65 million tons of emissions traded, according to a new report by Carbon Finance and Ecosystem Marketplace.

Senate Democrats Seeking a Special Tax on Oil Profits (NYT)

Senate Democrats have called for a temporary special tax on oil companies’ profits and a rollback of $17 billion in oil industry tax breaks as part of an energy package.

Legislature Sends Another Coal Bill to Sebelius (Salina Journal)

The Kansas Legislature has sent Gov. Sebelius a third bill seeking to build two new coal plants, but the measure continues to lose support, and another veto is expected.

U.S. Wind Industry on Pace for Record 2008 (MarketWatch)

The US wind power industry is on track to continue its record run in '08 after the sector installed 1,400 megawatts in just three months, according to new data released by the American Wind Energy Association.

Be Like Nike: Big Biz Ranked on Greenness (Gristmill)

Nike, Stonyfield Farms and IBM were the top scorers on Climate Counts' second annual scorecard of 56 companies. Google topped the list of most improved, while Apple and eBay earned black marks.

Canada Facing Kyoto Probe over Greenhouse Gases (Reuters)

Canada will be investigated on suspicion of violating rules for registering greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol. It could be suspended from trading CO2 if found to be in breach of the treaty.

U.S. Doles Out Cash for Two Carbon Storage Projects (Cleantech Group)

The US Department of Energy has put up $126 million for two large-scale carbon sequestration projects in California and Ohio.

Kansas Senate Supports Coal Plant Bill (Kansas City Star)

The Kansas State Senate has passed the newest attempt to overturn the rejection of two new coal plants in Kansas, but it did so with the slimmest margin so far. Next up is the House, and then another likely veto by Gov. Sebelius.

Sierra Club Threatens Suits Over Coal Power Plants (Reuters)

The Sierra Club has sent letters threatening to file a lawsuit to stop the construction of eight new coal plants in six states.

Chrysler's Timely, but Misguided, Incentive Plan (MarketWatch)

To kick-start sales, a struggling Chrysler has announced a plan that will cap gas prices at $2.99 for buyers for three years -- playing the gas card instead of improving fuel economy.

Connecticut State Senate Approves Greenhouse Gas Bill (Hartford Courant)

The State Senate has given its final -- and unanimous -- approval for a bill that will force Connecticut to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. It's the 5th state to enact such a measure.

Arizona's Solar Aspirations in Peril (Christian Science Monitor)

Plans to turn Arizona into the solar capital of the world could become much more difficult -- even impossible -- if a federal tax credit for clean energy projects expires at the end of the year as scheduled.

Big Boost for Quebec Wind Industry (Cleantech Group)

Hydro-Quebec has announced plans to spend $5.5 billion on 2,004 megawatts of wind power projects that will come on stream between 2011 and 2015.

Economists Criticize Clinton, McCain Gas-Tax Plans (Bloomberg)

More than 200 economists, including four Nobel prize winners, signed a letter rejecting proposals by presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and John McCain to temporarily lift the tax on gas.

Groups Sue to Stop Seismic Oil Exploration in Arctic Seas (AP)

Alaska Native and green groups have filed a lawsuit to stop Shell and BP from conducting seismic oil exploration tests in Arctic waters frequented by whales, seals and other marine species.

At Least 5 Killed in Somalia Food Riots (Los Angeles Times)

Tens of thousands of Somalis rioted yesterday over skyrocketing food prices and the collapse of the nation's currency, ending in clashes that killed at least five protesters, officials have said.

Airline Emissions 'Far Higher than Previous Estimates' (The Independent)

Airlines are pumping 20% more CO2 into the atmosphere than estimates suggest, with total emissions set to reach between 1.2 and 1.5 billion tons annually by 2025, according to a report by four government-funded research bodies.

Heartland Institute Backs off Fraudulent List, Refuses to Apologize (DeSmog Blog)

The Heartland Institute -- the leading climate denial think tank -- has withdrawn its claim of having identified 500 scientists that deny global warming. But it's refusing the demands of many of the scientists to be removed from the list.

Dry Red: Wine's Withering Future (The Australian)

Climate change could wipe out up to 80% of Australia's wine production as large parts of inland irrigation zones become too hot and dry to support grapevines, a US scientist has warned.

Americans Grow Up, Reject Gas Tax Holiday (Gristmill)

A new poll reveals that 49% percent of Americans think lifting the gas tax is a bad idea, while 45% approve of it. It may be a tiny margin, but it's the first time the public has expressed a willingness to be taxed more for energy, rather than less, in at least a generation.

Editorial: Big Oil's Friends in the Senate (New York Times)

Congress is on the verge of allowing vital tax credits to expire that are crucial to the future of renewable energy sources. And the Senate Republicans bear the heaviest burden.

Wisconsin Squabbles over Wind Power (WaPo in Houston Chronicle)

New proposals to construct wind farms in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior off Wisconsin's shores face an uphill battle as NIMBY opponents gear up for a big fight.

McCain Calls for 700+ New Nuclear Plants Costing $4 Trillion (Climate Progress)

McCain has called on America to follow in France's footsteps and generate 80% of US electricity from nuclear. That would require 700 new nuclear plants by 2050 -- about one a month.

Northern California Surging Ahead on Solar Power (The Union Tribune)

A new progress report reveals that fogbound homeowners in San Francisco and N. California are rushing to go solar at a much higher rate than residents in sunny San Diego and the rest of Southern California.

Greenpeace Report Labels Carbon Capture 'False Hope' (The Charleston Gazette)

Carbon capture and sequestration, or so-called "clean coal," is expensive and risky, wastes energy and cannot deliver greenhouse pollution reductions in time, according to a new report being issued today by Greenpeace.

Corn Ethanol Loses More Support (Wall Street Journal)

As food prices soar, two dozen GOP senators have asked the EPA to ease the requirements mandated by Congress to turn more corn into motor fuel.

Legislature May Sue Sebelius over Coal (Topeka Capital-Journal)

The Kansas House Republican leadership has introduced a resolution urging a lawsuit against Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' administration for stopping the development of two new coal plants.

Green Group Backs Obama over Gas Tax Stance (The Hill)

Friends of the Earth Action have endorsed Obama for president, citing his stance against a summertime break from the federal gas tax and his contenders' support of the "sham" proposal.

Fighting Global Warming Block by Block (Washington Post)

Across the US, communities are factoring in global warming in development plans. And that's dragged to light a little-noticed reality: Most of the measures to reduce America's CO2 emissions will be enacted outside the nation's capital.

High Gas Prices See Americans Ditch SUVs (The Independent)

American consumers are trading in their SUVs so fast that for the first time, one in five cars sold in the US is now a compact or subcompact.

Kleiner Perkins Raises Big Money to Fuel Clean Tech (The Mercury News)

Venture capital powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has announced a new Green Growth Fund that will pour $500 million into clean-tech start-ups over the next two to four years.

Can Rockefeller Heirs Turn Exxon Greener? (New York Times)

The heirs of John D. Rockefeller, the man who formed the Standard Oil Trust, are publicly challenging the company’s current boss to split the roles of chairman and chief executive and invest more in clean energy.

House Fails to Override Coal Veto (Lawrence Journal-World)

In a dramatic showdown, the Kansas House has voted 80-45, falling four votes short of the required two-thirds majority needed to override Gov. Sebelius' veto of two new coal plants.

EU Lawmakers to Mull Mandatory CO2 Capture by 2025 (Reuters)

European lawmakers are weighing proposals to force EU power stations to capture and store all CO2 emissions by 2025.

Democrats Prep Relief Package to Counter Gas Costs (WSJ)

Top congressional Democrats are moving to propose a temporary "windfall-profits tax" on major oil companies as early as next week, possibly of 25%.

Shell Ditches Renewable Stake amid Fears of a Retreat to Carbons (Guardian)

Shell has dropped its stake in the world's largest offshore wind farm and has been selling off much of its solar business, indicating it would prefer to invest in Canada's more lucrative oil sands.

U.S. to Support Some Solar Power Research (Physorg.com)

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will fund up to $60 million to support the development of concentrating solar power plants.

Growing Ocean Dead Zones Leave Fish Gasping "Dead Zones" (New Scientist)

As global temps rise, "dead zones" containing too little oxygen for fish to breathe are growing at intermediate ocean depths -- between 1,000 to 2,300 feet -- new research has revealed.