Climate & Energy

News and views on global warming, the impact of coal and other fossil fuels, and alternative energy options

Where do
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Climate
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REC-ing the Planet

Why buying cheap energy certificates worsens climate change 13
Posted 7 hours, 21 minutes ago by Auden Schendler
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are a powerful mechanism for financing renewable energy projects. But they don't come cheap. Or, rather, anyone offering to sell you a REC on the cheap is selling you a lot of hot air. Read More
Maverick harms

For McCain, it’s really all about the fake snow 1
Posted 5 days, 8 hours ago by Tom Philpott
Once a fighter on behalf of climate legislation, McCain has recently been mumbling Palinesque denialist platitudes. What gets his famous temper boiling these days? Two words: fake snow. As in, not enough of it. Read More
Cloudy with a chance of apocalypse

‘Copenhagen Diagnosis’ offers a grim update to the IPCC’s climate science 36
Posted 6 days, 9 hours ago by Jonathan Hiskes
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- the world’s foremost body for weighing and assessing climate science -- received a kick in the pants today from members who say the climate situation is much worse than the IPCC has so far reported. Read More

More Climate & Energy

Wen the climate is willing, but the action is weak

EU pushes China further after pledge to slow carbon intensity 2
Posted 54 minutes ago by Agence France-Presse
The European Union said Monday that cataclysmic climate change cannot be averted without Chinese leadership, but China's lead climate delegate, Wen Jiabao, stood firm in pushing for the rich world to take the lead. Beijing said last week that by 2020 it would curb emissions per unit of GDP by between 40 and 45 percent compared to 2005 levels. Read More
Shocking developments on the farm

Do diesel-based farmers dream of electric tractors? 3
Posted 2 hours, 11 minutes ago by Tom Laskawy
Tom Laskawy muses on the potential for electric tractors in the coming age of Peak Oil. Read More
I'm only human, of flesh and blood I'm made

Making buildings more efficient: It helps to understand human behavior 5
Posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago by David Roberts
If I told you how much energy your neighbors use on average, and whether you fell above or below that average, would that induce you to save more energy? What if, depending on whether you came in above or below average, you got an emoticon on your energy bill? Say, a smiley face if you save more energy than they do, a frowny face if less. Sounds silly, right? We're all rational people here. We do things for considered reasons, not some cartoon face! Except not so much. Read More
A wild ride

Copenhagen climate summit (part 1): the expectations 0
Posted 5 hours, 53 minutes ago by Jake Schmidt
As we are quickly approaching the final stretch before the Copenhagen climate negotiations (just a week to go before it begins), Jake Schmidt offers a quick summary of where the past 2 years of international negotiations have taken us and where we are headed. Read More
Organic farming has a major part to play in a low-carbon world

Soil carbon—a blind spot in the debate on carbon 2
Posted 6 hours, 36 minutes ago by Emma Hockridge
COP15 looks like it may well be a cop out. The world was disappointed when it became clear Barack Obama would not get climate protection legislation through the U.S. Senate, endangering any meaningful global agreement. But a much earlier cop out came when agriculture failed to make it onto the agenda at all. Read More
Spin me baby one more time

On ‘climategate’ 31
Posted 1 day, 16 hours ago by David Roberts
The Manufactured Doubt industry has been around for decades, working to thwart regulatory constraints on large corporations that make dangerous products. Not only are all the same techniques being used in the same way on climate change, in many cases they're being used by the same people and institutions that fought against tobacco, CFC, asbestos, and auto safety regulations. Read More
We're with you. Really.

Climate deniers, hold your fire! 20
Posted 2 days, 3 hours ago by Andrée Zaleska
As climate change skeptics ratchet up the rhetoric, climate activist Andree Zaleska has an urgent message for the deniers out there: we agree! Read More
China, India, U.S. commit to seal Copenhagen deal 2
Posted 4 days, 9 hours ago by Keith Schneider
With global allies pressing for a commitment to emissions reductions, the White House and Beijing announced critical steps in the last week that may move the world as close to a binding agreement on climate change as possible. Read More
Don't mess with Texas (Ranger)

Chuck Norris on Copenhagen 23
Posted 5 days, 2 hours ago by Tom Athanasiou
A lot of dreck comes across my desktop. I'm even on a list called "ennui mail," and some of it is utterly irredeemable. But still I took notice when Chuck Norris: Copenhagen Talks To Forge "One World Order" blew in. Read More
One of Climate Deniers favorite dodges is water vapor

Climate Denial Crock of the Week: The big mist take 1
Posted 5 days, 3 hours ago by Peter Sinclair
One of the most contentious of climate crocks is the role of water vapor in climate change. And climate deniers are always trying to fog the issue. But don't be scared, Crock of the Week is here, to help make sure you don't get sucked in. Read More
The U.S.-India climate ‘partnership’ 0
Posted 5 days, 4 hours ago by Jonathan Zasloff
At least that’s what the White House is calling it. Does it mean anything? Maybe. Read More
Obama going to Copenhagen 0
Posted 5 days, 7 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
President Barack Obama will attend the climate summit in Copenhagen next month and offer to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, officials said Wednesday. Read More
What to make of the new climate poll 41
Posted 5 days, 16 hours ago by David Roberts
Learning how to count to 350 0
Posted 6 days ago by Rebecca Solnit
SuperFreak Dubner embraces ClimateGate conspiracy theories 24
Posted 6 days ago by Brad Johnson
Obama administration officials grateful for early spring 10
Posted 6 days ago by Ashley Braun
Freeing the grid 0
Posted 6 days, 5 hours ago by Adam Browning
Kids just say no—to fossil fuels 0
Posted 6 days, 9 hours ago by Osha Gray Davidson
Making buildings more efficient: rationalizing retrofit markets 5
Posted 6 days, 16 hours ago by David Roberts
Capturing the massive social benefits of fuel efficiency requires regulation 6
Posted 1 week ago by Michael A. Livermore
Copenhagen talks ready for take off: 5, 4, 3… 0
Posted 1 week ago by Geoffrey Lean
Treat energy efficiency like a utility 0
Posted 1 week ago by Tom Laskawy