Climate Change

By Kitty Stapp NEW YORK (IPS) – With battle lines sharpening over the stalled Keystone XL pipeline, a new analysis details the intense industry lobbying of both houses of the U.S. Congress since 2013 – to the tune of 58.8 million dollars by five refinery companies alone. According to MapLight, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organisation […]

Climate Change

Abandoning Diesel: Battery-powered train brings low-carbon commuting to UK

contributors

Reuters | — “The first battery-powered passenger train to run on Britain’s tracks in over 50 years completes a five-week trial in a bid to prove the viability of more eco-friendly alternatives to diesel-powered locomotives. Mia Reakes went aboard.” Reuters: Battery-powered train brings low-carbon commuting to UK

Climate Change

Big Oil wants N. Dakota to ease radioactive waste laws on Fracking

contributors

RT | – “Amid falling oil prices nationwide, energy industry players in North Dakota want officials to alter radioactive waste disposal laws so that more toxic fracking fluid can be stored in-state, saving companies tens of thousands of dollars per truckload.” RT: “Big Oil wants N. Dakota to ease radioactive waste laws – to save […]

Climate Change

Yes, Virginia, Global Warming can mean Heavier Snowstorms (for a while)

contributors

By Kevin Trenberth | National Center for Atmospheric Research | (The Conversation) As first glance, asking whether global warming results in more snow may seem like a silly question because obviously, if it gets warm enough, there is no snow. Consequently, deniers of climate change have used recent snow dumps to cast doubt on a […]

Climate Change

Network Climate Coverage: The Good, the Bad and the (Mostly) Ugly

contributors

MediaMatters4America | – Climate Coverage In 2014: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Barack Obama

Obama, Modi and India’s Solar Future

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) In his visit to India, Barack Obama pressed unsuccessfully for India to set specific carbon limits. Nevertheless, he did get agreement from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the USA and India would pursue vigorously non-carbon energy sources, including nuclear and renewables such as solar. That was a better […]

Climate Change

Why Fracking & Tar Sands are Doomed: Low-Cost Oil and Pollution

contributors

Tom Giesen| (Informed Comment) — Here is a brief primer on the real implications of the decline of oil prices and environmental degradation on the unconventional petroleum industry (fracking, tar sands and deep-water drilling). Oil has been relatively inexpensive, energy intensive, portable, relatively safe, convertible to myriad uses – an incredibly useful substance, especially in […]

Climate Change

Climate-Denial Buffoon Inhofe takes Big $$ from Big Oil, Says Scientists Corrupt

contributors

ThinkProgress Video | — ThinkProgress: “Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Tells The Senate Why He Thinks Global Warming Is A Hoax” [Added by Juan Cole]: The Center for Responsive Politics’ website Opensecrets.org details that Big Oil and fossil fuel companies play a major role in funding Inhofe’s political campaigns: Senator James M. Inhofe has reported a total […]

Climate Change

Floods and fires across Southern Africa raise alarm bells on climate change

Juan Cole

SABC News | — “Floods and fires across the southern african region are raising alarm bells on climate change once again. These effects are being felt across the globe as sea levels rise, tropical storms smash into coastlines, once-fertile lands battle with floods or drought and permafrost in the polar regions melts. Although Africa contributes […]