http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/All the latest Climate Change news headlines!240http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1237169.html?2007-seen-as-second-warmest-year-as-climate-shiftshttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1237169.html?2007-seen-as-second-warmest-year-as-climate-shifts<p>OSLO (Reuters) - This year is on track to be the second warmest since records began in the 1860s and floods in Pakistan or a heatwave in Greece may herald worse disruptions in store from global warming, experts said on Friday. </p><p>"2007 is looking as though it will be the second warmest behind 1998," said Phil Jones, head of the Climatic Research Unit at Britain's University of East Anglia, which provides data to the U.N.'s International Meteorological Organization. </p><p>"It isn't far behind ... it could change, but at the moment this looks unlikely," he told Reuters, based on temperature records up to the end of April. </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:16:58 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1237170.html?green-jobs-bill-rooted-in-oaklandhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1237170.html?green-jobs-bill-rooted-in-oakland<p>H.R. 2847, the Green Jobs Act of 2007, is modeled on the Green Jobs Corps created under the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights' Reclaim the Future initiative. The House Education and Labor Committee passed the bill &#151; authored by Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, and Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass. &#151; on a 26-18 vote Wednesday. </p><p> "Oakland's Green Jobs Corps program shows how it's possible to create jobs and strengthen the economy while addressing urgent environmental challenges, especially global warming," committee chairman George Miller, D-Martinez, said Thursday. "I'm proud of the fact that some of the best ideas for tackling global warming are originating in the Bay Area. "The Green Jobs Act would essentially take Oakland's program national, helping to prepare workers from coast to coast for green-collar jobs," he...</p><p> The bill would authorize up to $125 million to create national and state job training programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, to train workers in energy-efficient buildings and construction, renewable electric power, energy-efficient vehicles, biofuels development and other green industries. </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:16:58 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229907.html?a-new-response-in-chinahttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229907.html?a-new-response-in-china<p>BEIJING - Three seemingly unrelated events may not constitute a trend. But they certainly deserve attention when they shed light on the relationship between the United States and China, which is fast becoming the most important bilateral connection in the world.The first is the much-heralded breakthrough in Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill's negotiations with North Korea. After more than a year in which the six-party talks were suspended, North Korea returned to the table and agree...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229908.html?business-topics-by-industryhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229908.html?business-topics-by-industry<p>DiVosta Building Corp. has announced 38 more layoffs in the past week.</p><p>The Palm Beach Gardens-based builder, owned by Pulte Homes, has laid off roughly 350 of its 550 employees this year during the housing slowdown.</p><p>Florida Building Products LLC, a Palm Beach Gardens company affiliated with DiVosta, recently announced 16 layoffs.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229909.html?chrysler-goes-green-incoming-owner-fights-raised-mileage-ruleshttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229909.html?chrysler-goes-green-incoming-owner-fights-raised-mileage-rules<p>SAN FRANCISCO - Chrysler Group said Wednesday it has joined a group of companies and environmental organizations pushing the federal government to enact laws aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions.</p><p>At the same time, Cerberus Capital Management, which is in the midst of purchasing 80 percent of Chrysler from parent DaimlerChrysler AG, is aggressively lobbying against tougher fuel standards that they warn could cripple the auto maker, according to the Detroit News.</p><p>Chrysler spokeswoman Shawn Morgan declined to comment on what the report called a Cerberus blitz on Capitol Hill, saying that "we know there will be an increase and we support it _ we just need to make sure it's technically feasible."</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229910.html?commentary-us-can-no-longer-claim-top-status-in-dubious-co2-categoryhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229910.html?commentary-us-can-no-longer-claim-top-status-in-dubious-co2-category<p>The United States is off the hook: last year China overtook the U.S. to become the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. "The tall tree attracts the wind," and from now on China will be the main target of the criticism that used to be directed at the United States for refusing to accept binding limits on its greenhouse-gas emissions.</p><p>What's particularly striking is the speed with which China has passed the United States. In 2005, its CO2 emissions were 2 percent lower than those of the U.S.; in 2006 they were 8 percent higher. Yet China only has four times the population of the United States, and the average Chinese is nothing like a quarter as rich as the average American. In fact, the vast majority of Chinese don't even own cars. So why does China produce so much CO2?</p><p>One reason is cement. The pace of building in China is so intense that the country produces 44 percent of the world's cement (the U.S. produces 4 percent), and cement production is a major source of greenhouse gases. The main culprit, however, is coal, which accounts for 70 percent of China's energy consumption.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229911.html?connect-dots-and-you-see-progress-on-china-fronthttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229911.html?connect-dots-and-you-see-progress-on-china-front<p>BEIJING Three seemingly unrelated events may not constitute a trend. But they certainly deserve attention when they shed light on the relationship between the United States and China,which is fast becoming the most important bilateral connection in the world.</p><p>The first is the much-heralded breakthrough in Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill's negotiations with North Korea. After more than a year in which the six-party talks were suspended, North Korea returned to the table and agreed to disable its main nuclear reactor under the eyes of international inspectors.</p><p>This would not have happened without a change in Chinese policy toward North Korea. Two years ago, Beijing publicly criticized Washington's "lack of cooperation." But after North Korea detonated a nuclear device Oct. 9, Beijing started applying invisible but substantial pressure on North Korea, realizing belatedly that another nuclear neighbor was not in its interest. Once China's strategic interest was aligned with America's, it still took skillful bilateral diplomacy to make progress. There is...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229912.html?duke-ceo-advocates-cap-and-trade-systemhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229912.html?duke-ceo-advocates-cap-and-trade-system<p>The head of Duke Energy Corp. repeated his call for a cap and trade system to reduce emissions at a Senate committee hearing Thursday. </p><p> Jim Rogers, president and CEO of Duke, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that the system would &quot;protect consumers as we develop technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,&quot; according to a news release. </p><p> Under a cap and trade system, regulators would cap emissions for generating plants, then issue permits for allowable emissions. Companies would then be able to buy and sell the permits. </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229913.html?house-democrats-want-to-push-higher-gas-mileage-standards-this-summerhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229913.html?house-democrats-want-to-push-higher-gas-mileage-standards-this-summer<p> WASHINGTON (AP) &#8212; A group of House Democrats said Wednesday they would push a boost in gas mileage standards for automobiles later this summer.Both Democrats and Republicans complained that a stripped-down energy plan now under consideration by a House committee was devised to prevent them from including more ambitious proposals to raise the fuel economy standards, reduce the carbon content in fuels and promote liquefied coal as a motor fuel. </p><p> </p><p> </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229914.html?house-may-consider-cafe-earlierhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229914.html?house-may-consider-cafe-earlier<p>WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed sweeping fuel economy regulations passed by the Senate and has not ruled out considering similar legislation before Congress adjourns next month.</p><p>This fall, the committee will have a "grand, good, bare-knuckled debate," he said.</p><p>In response to a question from The Detroit News, Pelosi said she supports a proposal adopted by the Senate last Thursday to raise corporate average fuel economy by 40 percent by 2020 to a combined 35 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229915.html?lordstown-seeks-flexibility-for-fuel-efficiencyhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229915.html?lordstown-seeks-flexibility-for-fuel-efficiency<p>LORDSTOWN Rebuffed by the U.S. Senate, leaders at the General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex on Thursday aimed their call for more-flexible fuel efficiency standards at the nations representatives.</p><p>Were supportive of improved fuel efficiency, and we want to be part of the solution. We dont have the technology to meet the Senate bill standards, complex Manager John Donahoe said during an interview that included United Auto Workers local presidents Jim Graham and David Green. </p><p>The Senate bill passed last week boosts combined car and light truck average standard by 2020 to 35 miles per gallon a 40 percent rise.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229916.html?newspaper-group-wins-prestigous-awardhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229916.html?newspaper-group-wins-prestigous-award<p>Narragansett, R.I. - The climate change series published in The Capital Press in 2006 has been honored in the nation's top environmental reporting competition.</p><p>East Oregonian Publishing Company, parent company for The Capital Press, won an Award of Special Merit from the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting at the University of Rhode Island.</p><p>The university's Graduate School of Oceanography presents the annual Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment. The top award went to the 1-million circulation Los Angeles Times for a five-part series about a profound disturbances in the ecology of the world's oceans.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229917.html?poison-ivy---thicker-this-year-what-to-watch-out-forhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229917.html?poison-ivy---thicker-this-year-what-to-watch-out-for<p> It&#39;s itchy and annoying and this year, poison ivy is thriving. A new study suggests- global warming may be to blame for an increase in the plant&#39;s size and the severity of the rash it causes. </p><p>The study is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Researchers examined how the increase of carbon dioxide in the past 50 years, brought on by climate change, has affected the growth of poison ivy. </p><p>At Frederick Meijer Gardens, Horticulturist Rob McCartney doesn&#39;t necessarily agree with the finding of the study, but says poison ivy is something we all need to learn how to spot. As he points to a large patch of it in the far corners of the property he says, ?It really likes the forest edge environment." </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229918.html?the-goal-43000-residentshttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229918.html?the-goal-43000-residents<p>We studied 302 cities and found Canton, Cincinnati,</p><p>Cleveland, Dayton, Mansfield, Springfield, Warren and</p><p>Youngstown among 65 cities that are underperforming compared</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229919.html?there-is-lots-of-green-to-be-made-in-current-greening-of-americahttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1229919.html?there-is-lots-of-green-to-be-made-in-current-greening-of-america<p>(FIRST OF TWO) When I hear of an emerging market, I'm at least mildly interested.</p><p>But an emerging $3 trillion market catapults me way past mildly interested into the fully engaged category. Any number with a full dozen zeros neatly lined up behind is a real attention grabber.</p><p>This emerging green market is defined as "goods, services, and technologies which address the challenges created by increased awareness of global climate change." In other words, almost anything that is, or can be positioned as, beneficial to the environment in a world filled with anxiety over potential environmental disaster can enter the new market place.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:54 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225386.html?starbucks-to-promote-climate-change-filmhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225386.html?starbucks-to-promote-climate-change-film<p>SEATTLE (AP) -- Starbucks Corp. is planning a summer publicity blitz for "Arctic Tale," a movie about a walrus and a polar bear narrated by Queen Latifah, using posters and cup-holders that the company hopes will educate coffee drinkers about climate crisis. Starbucks also hopes that this time around, customers will actually go see the movie. Last year, the coffeehouse chain linked up with Hollywood to promote "Akeelah and the Bee," but the feel-good movie about an inner city girl who makes ...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225387.html?un-report-desertification-a-threathttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225387.html?un-report-desertification-a-threat<p>BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Desertification represents one of the "greatest environmental challenge of our times" and could set off mass migrations of people fleeing degraded homelands, a United Nations report warned Thursday. The report called on governments in arid regions to revise rules on land use to halt overgrazing and unsustainable irrigation practices. It also urged better coordinated policies to address the problem of desertification. "It is imperative that effective policies and sus...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225388.html?going-green-on-the-lakefronthttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225388.html?going-green-on-the-lakefront<p>When Evanston residents Bill and Eleanor Revelle were offered an unremarkable house on a remarkable lakefront lot, they didn't hesitate to buy it -- and tear it down.</p><p>According to Bill, the best thing about the house was that "there was nothing about it to like. It was built in the 50s, not architecturally interesting at all." The lot, however, was amazing. So the Revelles started on a journey in 2001 that would lead them to create an environmental showplace. Their lakefront home and garden is one of 10 gardens that will be featured on the Evanston Garden Walk July 1, sponsored by Keep Evanston Beautiful. </p><p>Green genes</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225389.html?house-raises-parks-environment-fundinghttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225389.html?house-raises-parks-environment-funding<p>WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House on Wednesday approved a bill to hike spending for the environment, national parks and global warming research. The measure, approved 272-155, would allocate $27.6 billion for the Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service and other agencies, a 4.3 percent increase over current spending. The president's budget office and some GOP lawmakers criticized the bill as overly generous, but Democrats said spending for national parks and other env...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225390.html?us-house-boosts-funding-for-parks-environmenthttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225390.html?us-house-boosts-funding-for-parks-environment<p>The House on Wednesday approved a bill to hike spending for the environment, national parks and global warming research.</p><p>The measure, approved 272-155, would allocate $27.6 billion for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service and other agencies, a 4.3 percent increase over current spending.</p><p>The president's budget office and some GOP lawmakers criticized the bill as overly generous, but Democrats said spending for national parks and other environmental priorities has been shortchanged for years.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225391.html?a-thoroughly-modern-foreign-secretaryhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225391.html?a-thoroughly-modern-foreign-secretary<p>Click photo to enlargeBritain's new Foreign Sectary, David Miliband, right, arrives at 10 Downing Street, with Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith for the first cabinet meeting under new Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Thursday, June 28, 2007. &laquo;1&raquo;LONDON&mdash;David Miliband, Britain's new foreign secretary, became the first British Cabinet minister to post a blog last year&mdash;though his entries are often thick with technical jargon. </p><p>A technology buff, he also has an avatar in Second Life&mdash;an online world rarely inhabited by global statesmen&mdash;and his profile on the social networking site Facebook was choked with messages of congratulations Thursday. </p><p>Nicknamed "Brains" by Tony Blair's staff, the thoroughly modern Miliband is being groomed to be a candidate for prime minister. </p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225392.html?starbucks-to-promote-arctic-tale-a-climate-change-film-narrated-by-queen-latifahhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225392.html?starbucks-to-promote-arctic-tale-a-climate-change-film-narrated-by-queen-latifah<p>SEATTLE (AP) -- Starbucks Corp. is planning a summer publicity blitz for "Arctic Tale," a movie about a walrus and a polar bear narrated by Queen Latifah, using posters and cup-holders that the company hopes will educate coffee drinkers about climate crisis. Starbucks also hopes that this time around, customers will actually go see the movie. Last year, the coffeehouse chain linked up with Hollywood to promote "Akeelah and the Bee," but the feel-good movie about an inner city girl who makes ...</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225393.html?starbucks-signs-up-to-promote-"green"-moviehttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225393.html?starbucks-signs-up-to-promote-"green"-movie<p>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Coffee shop chain Starbucks Corp. on Thursday unveiled plans to promote a new summer movie, "Arctic Tale," as part of its long-standing commitment to supporting environmental causes.</p><p> The documentary produced by National Geographic Ventures and Paramount Classics film studio tells of the early years in the life of a polar bear and a walrus, whose habitat in the icy arctic environment is threatened by global warming.</p><p> "Starbucks has a commitment to environmental issues, and promoting this film allows us to keep to that commitment and provide our customers with information about issues of climate change," said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225394.html?study-sees-climate-change-impact-on-alaskahttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225394.html?study-sees-climate-change-impact-on-alaska<p>Many of Alaska&#x2019;s roads, runways, railroads and water and sewer systems will wear out more quickly and cost more to repair or replace because of climate change, according to a study released yesterday.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000http://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225395.html?oak-ridges-jaguar-worlds-second-fastest-supercomputerhttp://www.newzblogz.com/blogs/climatechange/1225395.html?oak-ridges-jaguar-worlds-second-fastest-supercomputer<p>OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) -- Oak Ridge National Laboratory's "Jaguar" supercomputer is now the second fastest in the world, according to rankings released Wednesday.</p><p>Only the IBM BlueGene/L at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California is more powerful with a performance mark of 280.6 teraflops. Each teraflop is a trillion calculations per second.</p><p>Oak Ridge's "Jaguar" is a $60 million Cray XT3/XT4 computer with a clocked performance of 101.7 teraflops, representing more than 85 percent of its 119-teraflop "theoretical peak" capacity reported in April.</p>News Blogger <admin@newzblogz.com>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:09:48 +0000