EU ministers urge caution on cost of climate plan
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s move to a low-carbon economy to fight climate change must not harm its competitiveness, the bloc’s finance ministers said on Tuesday. The executive European Commission last month proposed an ambitious package of measures to help the 27-nation bloc cut greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, partly by using more green energy sources.

Scientists: Lake Mead May Be Dry by 2012
PHOENIX (AP) – Changes in climate and strong demand for Colorado River water could drain Lake Mead by 2021, triggering severe shortages across the region, scientists warn.

Winter storms great news for thirsty Arizona
Water officials are feeling upbeat about the abundant water supply the Phoenix area will have this spring thanks to a spate of winter storms.

Arctic sea ice will vanish, expert fears
Arctic sea ice next summer may shrink below the record low last year, according to a University of Washington climatologist.

Australia sees La Nina weather staying for months
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A mature La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific continued to influence the climate of eastern Australia and was forecast to remain until at least the end of the southern autumn, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said on Wednesday. La Nina weather patterns, the opposite of El Ninos, are associated with wet weather in eastern Australia and Southeast Asia.

BMW to demonstrate hydrogen power in Singapore
Singapore – BMW is ready to introduce its hydrogen-fuelled 7 Series limousine in Singapore but it won’t be for sale, the carmaker said on Wednesday. The car, called the Hydrogen 7, will be part of a BMW Clean Energy Exhibition

CSR Practices Can Lead to Increased Profits, Two New Reports Find
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 13, 2008 — More companies are taking CSR practices to heart, Not only are more companies taking CSR practices seriously and implementing them across operations, those companies are more likely to see their value grow, according to two new reports from IBM and and the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Going Out to Eat, but Staying Green
Many restaurateurs are considering the environment along with their cuisine, and finding that they are tapping into a popular trend and also saving money.

BofA Forming Environmental Group
NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2008 — Bank of America Corp. will form an environmental banking group to explore financing opportunities for renewable energy and resource conservation. Bank CEO also advocates for federal cap-and-trade system.

Exelon Plans to Cut, Offset all CO2 Emissions by 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 13, 2008 – The country’s largest nuclear energy generator plans to further reduce emissions from its buildings and supply chain as well as create new, low-carbon-emitting energy plants.

Shipping emissions three times as much as estimated: report
LONDON (AFP) – Carbon emissions from merchant shipping are nearly three times as much as previously estimated, according to a draft United Nations study leaked to The Guardian on Wednesday.

India to Create 8 New Tiger Sanctuaries
NEW DELHI (AP) – Conservationists welcomed an Indian government plan to create eight new reserves to protect the country’s dwindling tiger population, and called Wednesday for more action to prevent illegal trading in tiger parts.

Study: Sea’s Thermostat Protects Reefs
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) – Some coral reefs may be protected from global warming by a natural thermostat that regulates sea-surface temperatures in the open ocean, researchers said Wednesday.

French GM ban infuriates farmers, delights environmentalists
PARIS (AFP) – France officially banned Saturday a strain of genetically modified corn from US agribusiness giant Monsanto, delighting environmentalists but sparking outrage from the company and French farmers.