In a great case of irony, US Senate Budget Committee has passed a bill that includes a provision to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling, just days after the region suffered its worst oil spill.

The US was accused of blocking key talks at the United Nations yesterday that were intended to protect key ecosystems and habitats from the increasing threat of climate change.

For those who want more information on BP's North Slope spill, the Alaska Forum for Environmental Responsibility has just issued a preliminary report by oil expert Richard A. Fineberg.

BP's huge spill on the North Slope is now said to be an estimated 267,000 gallons of oil, that has polluted over two acres of tundra.

It has now been revealed that the spill went undetected for five days, until a worker smelt the fumes by accident. The mayor for the North Slope, Edward Itta has also criticed the companies for not having state-of-the-art leak detection equipement.

You would think, given the huge profits that BP and others have been making, that they could spend some on up-to-date pollution prevention equipement. Maybe that is too much to ask.

We are now used to the issue of climate change being covered in the mainstream press. But what about the issue being discussed by the press in developing countries?

Embarrassing news from Canada over it's emissions of greenhouse gases. It has admitted that it is unlikely to meet its targets under the Kyoto Protocol.

Two more stories on the climate in trouble.

The BBC has reported that US climate scientists have "recorded a significant rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, pushing it to a new record level.

Britain is in danger of running out of gas. Yesterday, the National Grid that is responsible for Britain's gas and electricity network, issued an unprecedented warning – called a “gas balancing alert” – warning that there was not enough gas to meet demand. Gas supplies to some businesses might have to be reduced. Not surprisingly, the move sent wholesale prices spiralling up fourfold.

Michael Klare, author of Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing Petroleum Dependency has picked up on comments made by British Defence Secretary John Reid, that we reported in a blog last month (see blog here).

BP – the oil company that is running an unprecedented public relations campaign trying to portray the company as green and caring - was last week responsible for the largest ever oil spill on Alaska’s North Slope.