US Government Charging Oil Companies Low Rates

June 4, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

A statement released June 1 by the US Government Accountability Office (the “investigative” arm of Congress), finds that “the US federal government receives one of the lowest government takes [from oil and gas development] in the world.” The testimony, delivered to Congress on May 1 but only publicly released last Friday, indicates that while there … Read More

16,000 police and a 12 kilometer fence surround G8 Summit

June 4, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

The upcoming G8 Summit, which formally begins on June 6, is one of the biggest security operations in Germany’s post-war era. The German government has brought roughly 16,000 police officers and 1,100 soldiers from across the country to Heiligendamm, Germany, a small resort town on the Baltic coast where the Summit will take place. Germany … Read More

Brazil Rejects Bush Move on Climate

June 4, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

Another person attending the G8 summit is Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In an interesting political move, he has flatly rejected President Bush’s proposals for parallel global negotiations to combat climate change, insisting that countries come to agreement at the United Nations, and not under US leadership. “The Brazilian position is clear cut,” … Read More

China Puts Economy First

June 4, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

In China’s first national plan on climate change, it says its first and overriding priority in tackling climate change is to maintain economic development. The report says that China will cut greenhouse gas emissions by using more wind, nuclear and hydro power, and by making coal-fired plants more efficient.