Polar Bear Fate Undecided
The head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took responsibility Monday for missing a deadline requiring a final decision on whether to give polar bears federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. “Rather than speed up protections for this iconic animal, the Bush administration is speeding up its giveaway of polar bear habitat to big oil,” said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., in a statement. Markey chairs the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

In Greenland, Ice and Instability
A scientific scramble is under way to clarify whether the erosion of the world’s most vulnerable ice sheets can continue to accelerate.

China ice festival feels heat from climate change
Chinese scientists have warned that climate change is hurting the most famous draw in the northern city of Harbin — its annual ice sculpture contest. Average annual temperatures in the city perched on the edge of Siberia hit 6.6 degrees Celsius (44 Fahrenheit) last year, the highest average since records began, and the ice sculptures are feeling the heat.

Canada needs carbon tax quickly - gov’t panel
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Conservative government needs to quickly impose a price on carbon to stand any chance of meeting its own targets for cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, an official panel said on Monday.

GE Energy Joins SunPower for Calif. Solar Projects
SAN JOSE, Jan. 8, 2008 — As part of its ecomagination initiative, GE Energy Financial Services will finance five commercial and public solar power installations in California, including the largest single-roof system in the U.S.

Germans to build giant wind farm in Australia
Sydney - German renewable-energy company Conergy AG on Tuesday announced plans to build Australia’s largest wind farm in a 50-50 joint venture with local financial powerhouse Macquarie Bank.

Corn… fuel… fire! U.S. corn subsidies promote Amazon deforestation
Amazon deforestation and fires are being aggravated by US farm subsidies, claims STRI’s staff scientist William Laurance. According to Laurance, whose findings are reported this week in Science (December 14), a recent spike in Amazonian fires is being promoted by massive US subsidies that promote American corn production for ethanol. The ethanol is being blended with gasoline as an automobile fuel.

Archer Daniels Midland to Bury Carbon From Ethanol Plant
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 8, 2008 — One million tons of carbon will be buried and monitored from 2009-2012 to test effectiveness of carbon sequestration.

GM to Unveil Hydrogen-Electric Cadillac
DETROIT (AP) - General Motors Corp. will unveil a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Cadillac crossover concept vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday. GM envisions the five-passenger Provoq going 300 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen, getting 280 miles from hydrogen power

Green woes greets India’s new “People’s Car”
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s “People’s Car” has yet to be unveiled and the advertising campaign has not even begun, but some Indians are already raving about Tata Motor’s new $2,500 car — despite the fears of environmentalists.

China launches surprise crackdown on plastic bags
BEIJING (Reuters) - China launched a surprise crackdown on plastic bags on Tuesday, banning production of ultra-thin bags and forbidding its supermarkets and shops from handing out free carriers from June 1. China uses too many of the bags and fails to dispose of them properly, wasting valuable oil and littering the country, China’s cabinet, the State Council, said in a notice posted on the central government Web site (www.gov.cn).

Baltic Sea pipeline consortium confident of Swedish approval
Stockholm - A consortium that plans to build an underwater Baltic Sea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany was confident it would get approval from Sweden, the group said Monday.

Sierra Club sues Shell over refinery pollution
HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Sierra Club, the largest and oldest U.S. environmental organization, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against Shell Oil Co and subsidiaries over pollution at a refining and chemical plant complex along the Houston Ship Channel.