The Bush administration has blocked release of a report that suggests climate change is contributing to the frequency and strength of hurricanes, the journal Nature has reported. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – part of the Commerce Department – in February set up a seven-member panel to prepare a consensus report on … Read More
Author: Andy Rowell
UK Government: “You Should be Scared” About Climate Change
People “should be scared” about climate change and be willing to take action to help tackle the problem. That is the message from Britain’s young Environment Secretary, David Miliband. He said he had thought he had been well-informed about climate change but had quickly been shocked by what he had learned since taking on the … Read More
Arnie Sets the Pace on Climate
California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has certainly got the bit between his teeth. He has just signed a new law that sets targets to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 – the first US state to set such an ambitious target. Although details on how the emission cuts will be achieved are … Read More
Why is the Oil Price Falling?
Something strange is happening. Have you noticed it? The gas price is falling. The news that the price of crude oil dipped below $60 dollars has sparked a furious response as to why it is happening. Some are arguing that the price of oil has dipped due to political pressure from the Bush Administration before … Read More
Earth’s Temperature is “Dangerously High”
The Earth’s temperature could be reaching its highest level in a million years, according to Nasa scientists. Comparison of current temperature with historical estimates showed the current temperature was now within 1C of the maximum temperature of the past million years. The scientists said that in the 30 years to the end of 2005, temperatures … Read More
Row Escalates Between US And Russia Over Gas
There are signs that there is a growing diplomatic row between the US and Russia over energy and trade. The Times has reported how “American oil companies Chevron and ConocoPhillips could be shut out of a massive Arctic gas project in a sharp chilling of trade relations between Moscow and Washington”.
South American Biofuel Boom Sparks Ecological Fears
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is aiming to turn his country into a biofuel superpower using ethanol and biodiesel. But environmentalists are warning that this could trigger a massive expansion of the agricultural frontier deeper into the Amazon, destroying habitat and biodiversity.
British Government Wades Into Sakhalin Row
The British government has now waded into the spat between Russia and Shell over its $20bn Sakhalin-2 energy project, suggesting a diplomatic row could be brewing. Downing Street, is said to be following events “very closely” and says: “The government is raising its concerns about the decision with the Russian government”. The US state department … Read More
Carlyle Group Eyes Libya
US companies are thinking of moving back into the Libyan oil and gas market. US private equity giant Carlyle is in talks to acquire Libya’s state-controlled oil refining and marketing operation, Tamoil. Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, has confirmed that Carlyle is one of four or five groups involved in an international … Read More
Democrats: Get Sudanese Blood Off Our Federal Contracts
Congressional Democrats have introduced legislation that would bar some international companies from receiving U.S. government contracts if they continued to do business with Sudan. The bill is an attempt to put pressure on Sudan to do more to end the genocide in Darfur. Rep. Barbara Lee told reporters: “This bill is designed to wash the … Read More