Archive for News
Obama orders review of US greenhouse gas regulations
President Barack Obama issued an executive order Tuesday(1/18/2011) to launch a government-wide review of rules that may stifle economic growth, including those issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The president’s announcement, made in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, came as some conservative lawmakers and major business leaders have vowed in the new Congress to push back against what they call “excessive” federal regulations.
US, China reaffirm climate cooperation; businesses ink deals
Chinese President Hu Jintao ended a four-day state visit to Washington Thursday, pledging to continue China’s close cooperation on climate change and clean energy development with the US.
EPA can proceed with GHG regulations: court
A federal court upheld the EPA’s authority to regulate GHGs starting next year. A US court of appeals denied a request by the state of Texas and some business groups that would have put a halt to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to regulate GHGs from new stationary sources in January (2011).
US small businesses voice support for EPA
Over 60,000 US firms urged Congress to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continue with its GHG regulations this week. In a call with reporters on Wednesday, the businesses said that delaying or weakening the EPA’s authority to police greenhouse gas emissions under the federal Clean Air Act would hurt the US economy.
Cancun pact a boost to US carbon markets
Agreements reached at UN negotiations in Cancun will benefit efforts to price carbon in the US, at least in
the long term, sources said this week. The agreements achieved several key US objectives, Todd Stern, the US envoy, told reporters this week, which strengthens the hand of policymakers working at the state and regional level, he said.
California approves cap-and-trade plan
California approved rules for its carbon trading scheme this week, laying the groundwork for what will be the world’s second largest carbon market.
US CO2 emissions to rise 3.6%
US CO2 emissions will jump 3.6 per cent this year, the Energy Information Administration said Wednesday.
The EIA, a unit of the Department of Energy, revised upward its forecast for CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels for 2010.
U.S. on track to double renewable energy capacity -Biden
U.S. government stimulus spending has put the country on track to double renewable energy production capacity by 2012 and halve solar power costs by 2015, Vice President Joseph Biden said on Tuesday.
VER market participants shrink
Some major participants in the voluntary carbon market are shrinking after the United States failed to implement federal cap-and-trade legislation and the market stopped growing last year.
Deutsche Bank spurns U.S. for climate investment
Alternative energy investment prospects have shriveled in the United States after the U.S. Senate was unable to break a deadlock over tackling global warming, a Deutsche Bank official said.