August 21, 2008

States Granted Control of Emissions (The Washington Times)
A federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out a Bush administration policy that allowed only the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor polluting industries, giving states broader authority over emissions control.

Carbon Funds Grow in '08 But Slowed by Uncertainty (Reuters)
The global carbon fund market, which invests in emissions offset credits from clean energy projects in developing countries, has risen by 63 percent to nearly $13 billion so far in 2008, environmental market analysts said on Thursday.

NYC Mayor Calls for Wind Turbines Atop Skyscrapers (Reuters)
Wind turbines would top New York City skyscrapers and bridges and dot the city's shorelines, while the mighty tides that drive the Hudson and East Rivers would also generate power under a new plan Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented on Tuesday.

New Sea Change Forecasts Present a Slimy Picture (Christian Science Monitor)
Earth’s oceans are on the brink of massive change. A new overview warns that such relentless human impacts as overfishing or agricultural pollution – as well as global warming – threaten mass extinctions of marine life.

Containing Climate Change: An Opportunity for U.S. Leadership (Foreign Affairs)
The United States can curb its own emissions and encourage energy effeciency and the development of clean-energy technology worldwide by rethinking carbon regimes. (Subscription Required)

Stock by Stock, Is Solar Coming Back? (Earth2Tech)
Suntech Power’s saw its stock rally more than 12 percent to $41.75 Wednesday after earnings showed revenue in the second quarter were up 51 percent from the same quarter a year earlier to $480 million. Analysts had been expecting $439 million.

Scientists Urge U.S. to Protect Economy from Climate (Reuters)
Eight scientific organizations urged the next U.S. president to help protect the country from climate change by pushing for increased funding for research and forecasting, saying about $2 trillion of U.S. economic output could be hurt by storms, floods and droughts.

Solazyme Targets Algae Fuel in Three Years (CNET)
In the race to make sustainably grown biofuels, algae is the great green hope. Growing algae is not hard. But making enough to be competitive with fossil fuel prices has eluded the many companies and researchers betting on algae as a biofuel feedstock. Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson on Wednesday said that his company will be able to produce millions of gallons of algae-derived biodiesel in three years.