Energy and Environment News Roundup – 1.25.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
CLIMATE
Billionaires secretly fund attacks on climate science (via The Independent)
Kerry says global climate change is threat to US (via Washington Post)
Obama’s inaugural speech rallies campus climate divestment campaign (via Buzzfeed)
How climate change could wipe out the Western Forests (via The Atlantic)
Explained in 90 seconds: it’s cold – that doesn’t mean global warming is fake (via Mother Jones)
EMISSIONS
Japan to announce lower greenhouse gas reduction targets by November (via Bloomberg)
Norwegian Sea can hold 100 years of Norway’s CO2 emissions (via Reuters)
EU carbon price crashes to record low (via The Guardian)
Tokyo’s cap-and-trade cuts CO2 23% in second year (via Environmental Leader)
Federal court won’t review decision that struck down EPA pollution rule (via The Hill)
RENEWABLES
China “finalizing renewables quote” (via Recharge)
What the president’s focus on climate change means for cleantech (via GreenBiz)
Crowd-funded solar projects top $1 million in US (via Treehugger)
Wind tax credit has appeal for red states, too (via Politico)
Arizona regulators slash home solar incentive, kill commercial plan (via Arizona Daily Star)
KEYSTONE XL/TAR SANDS
How much will tar sands oil add to global warming? (via Scientific American)
After Nebraska setback, greens regroup on Keystone XL (via Mother Jones)
From John Kerry, cautious words on Keystone XL (via The Hill)
John Kerry says he’ll control Keystone XL review as Secretary of State (via InsideClimate News)
Enbridge says Eastern US Gulf Coast next big market for Canadian oil (via InsideClimate News/Reuters)
GRID
Global smart grid spending rose to $13.9 billion driven by China (via Bloomberg)
Nearly 70 percent of electric meters in Europe will be smart by 2020 (via Pike Research)
Oak Park, Illinois test drives a blackout-proof, solar-powered smart grid (via Grist)
NATURAL GAS/FRACKING
Ukraine signs landmark $10 billion shale gas deal with Shell (via Reuters)
110 lawmakers urge exports of US natural gas (via Houston Chronicle)
Do we have enough water to frack our way to energy independence? (via Huffington Post)
California sued for allegedly failing to regulate fracking (via Bloomberg)
TRANSPORTATION
Number of ChAdeMO EV charging stations in US jumped tenfold in 2012 (via Autoblog Green)
UK could roll out 122,000 EV chargers under EU plan (via BusinessGreen)
Are vehicle miles travelled (VMT) fees the key to federal transportation woes? (via Sustainable Cities Collective)
Will Texas be next to tax electric vehicles? (via Autoblog Green)
With new battery hub, Chicago seeks to lead nation on electric vehicles (via Midwest Energy News)
GREEN BUSINESS
McDonald’s, Unilever, Pepsi, Adidas make sustainability news at Davos (via GreenBiz)
Should oil firms make a list of the world’s most sustainable companies? (via GreenBiz)
Unilever reveals half of its factories send ‘zero waste’ to landfills (via BusinessGreen)
Oregon tops US in new clean jobs index (via Sustainable Business Oregon)
COAL
Governors at odds over Northwest export terminal proposals (via Greenwire)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Does increased energy efficiency just spark us to use more? (via Scientific American)
Washington DC once again leads America in LEED certifications (via CleanTechnica)
Energy efficiency in the Northeast US: Massachusetts leads, New Jersey lags (via Energy Manager Today)
ENERGY INDUSTRY
Energy industry fueled by strong M&A activity (via Houston Chronicle)
Texas regulatory commission that oversees drilling is being overhauled, even in name (via New York Times/Texas Tribune)
OPINION
How the “Kochtopus” stifled green debate (via The Independent)
Obama’s second chance on Keystone XL (via Washington Post)
From words to deeds: how to push Obama toward climate action (via Grist)
Memo to DC: think long-term on clean energy (via Earth Techling)
The Keystone XL objections wither away (via Wall Street Journal)
US Northeast faces stark choice on climate pollution (via New York Times)
An economic tale of two shale booms: Pennsylvania is not North Dakota (via Facts of the Day)
POLITICS
Would a White House green team help on climate? (via Politico)
Democrats form Congressional task force to fight climate change (via Bloomberg)
White House official details Obama plans for climate change, clean energy (via SNL Energy)
White House official: corporate tax reform should boost green energy (via The Hill)
Obama climate push to tie environment, jobs (via Reuters)