Energy News  
ENERGY NEWS
US poised to regulate C02 in Copenhagen boost

Such a ruling could let the EPA order better insulation or greener technology to reduce emissions across the United States, the world's largest economy and second biggest source of carbon blamed for global warming.

Carbon tax revenues could help create 14 million jobs: ILO
Geneva (AFP) Dec 7, 2009 - Revenues from a carbon tax on emissions could be used to help create 14 million jobs by 2014, a report by the UN labour agency said Monday. "If a price on CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions was imposed -- at a level close to what is internationally suggested -- and if the resulting revenues were used to cut labour taxes, then employment would rise by 0.5 percent by 2014," the report on the global jobs crisis said. The International Labour Organisation added that the amount was "equivalent to over 14.3 million net new jobs for the world economy as a whole." Lead author Raymond Torres said the estimates were based on a 30-dollar per tonne price for CO2 emissions. The issue of carbon pricing and taxation is among those up for discussion at the UN climate change conference that began Monday in Copenhagen.

US government says can regulate carbon
Washington (AFP) Dec 7, 2009 - The US Environmental Protection Agency on Monday declared carbon blamed for global warming a public health threat, paving the way to regulate the emissions for the first time. Administrator Lisa Jackson said that the agency was "now authorized and obligated to make reasonable efforts" to cut greenhouse gas emissions. "These long-overdue findings cement 2009's place in history as the year when the United States government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution," she told a news conference. The announcement came on the first day of a major climate conference in Copenhagen that aims to forge a new global deal on fighting global warming. Jackson hit back at conservative critics who question the science behind climate change, saying there was "overwhelming evidence" pointing to global warming.

The agency said it was classifying six greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide along with methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride -- as public health threats under the US Clean Air Act. Jackson said that the agency was not immediately imposing new regulations but that the finding would allow it to finalize emissions standards for light-duty vehicles. President Barack Obama's administration took the step as the US Congress debates the first-ever system to restrict carbon emissions, with most lawmakers of the rival Republican Party fighting the legislation. Jackson said that the Obama administration still believed it was important that the legislation go ahead, as such laws would affect the entire economy. "I don't want anyone coming out of here believing it's an either/or," she said.
by Staff Writers
 Washington (AFP) Dec 7, 2009
 The US government was set Monday to pave the way to regulate carbon dioxide as a dangerous pollutant, sidestepping a divided Congress to boost global climate talks in Copenhagen.

A US official said on condition of anonymity that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would declare that it can impose rules to reduce carbon emissions, even if Congress does not approve legislation to do so.

The EPA said that its chief, Lisa Jackson, would make a "significant climate announcement" at 1:15 pm (1815 GMT) without giving further details.

The National Wildlife Federation, a conservation group that supports action to curb global warming, hailed the expected move as providing impetus to closely watched talks in Copenhagen as they kicked off Monday.

"We are enthusiastic and fully supportive of this," said Tony Iallonardo, a spokesman for the group. "It's the right move at the right time."

President Barack Obama has been hoping to show that the United States, which shuns the current Kyoto Protocol, is committed to action under a new deal on global warming being hammered out in Copenhagen.

Such a ruling could let the EPA order better insulation or greener technology to reduce emissions across the United States, the world's largest economy and second biggest source of carbon blamed for global warming.

But the move has already faced fierce resistance by business leaders and Republicans in the US Congress, which has yet to finalize unrelated legislation that would use a trading system to force emission cuts.

The US Chamber of Commerce, the nation's top business lobby, feared that businesses would be subject to a host of new regulations at a time of economic uncertainty.

Thomas Donohue, the chamber's president, said in a statement that an EPA ruling could "choke off growth by adding new mandates to virtually every major construction and renovation project."

Republican lawmakers have seized on leaked emails from climate scientists that they say calls into question the basis behind action on global warming.

In a letter to Jackson, four Republicans critical of global warming legislation said that the scandal should lead the EPA to reassess its position.

"The EPA's climate change regulations are based on compromised scientific reports and heavily flawed data," said Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming.

"The EPA must now withdraw all proposed climate change rules and regulations and conduct their own research," he said.

Climate scientists say that the hacked emails were taken out of context and that overwhelming evidence convinces them that human activity is causing a dangerous rising of temperatures.

An EPA ruling would be separate from legislation in Congress to create the first US nationwide "cap-and-trade" system -- which would restrict business' emissions but offer an economic incentive by allowing trading in credits.

The Senate is looking at a proposal to force emission cuts of 20 percent by 2020 off 2005 levels, slightly more ambitious than a 17 percent reduction in legislation that squeaked through the House of Representatives in June.

Obama's allies hope to finalize the legislation early next year despite opposition by many Republicans.

Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links



Memory Foam Mattress Review
SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
 Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


ENERGY NEWS
British firm gets taste for 'poo power'
 London (AFP) Dec 7, 2009
 Britain's biggest water company lifted the lid Monday on how it slashed costs by burning customers' faeces to make electricity. Thames Water said "poo power" saved them 15 million pounds (24.6 million dollars, 16.6 million euros) last year by generating renewable energy from the foulest of sources. The company, which handles the waste of 13.6 million people in London and the River Thames ... read more






The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement