World
China finance minister backs carbon tax
Support for a carbon tax within China appears to be growing after reports Lou Jiwei said this could take place “in some time”
China ratchets up solar trade war with USA
China has imposed preliminary anti-dumping duties on solar products from the US and South Korea following an eight month investigation
EU and China launch joint scheme to tackle pollution
Environmental Sustainability Project set to target heavy metals, water pollution, and waste treatment alongside pair’s existing climate strategy
India unveils plans for massive concentrated solar power
100MW concentrated solar power (CSP) installation accredited by UN’s Clean Development Mechanism set to be constructed in Rajasthan
World Bank to cut financing for coal plants
Morning summary: The World Bank will limit financing of coal-fired power plants to “rare circumstances”
EU and Australia set to accelerate emissions trading links
Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard says discussions will be sped up after Kevin Rudd announces end of unpopular carbon tax
US and China outline ‘five actions’ to combat climate change
John Kerry says climate will dominate this week’s US-China talks, as cooperation on carbon capture and energy efficiency announced
Wildfires shoot climate warming tar balls into atmosphere
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists reveal small carbon balls created in wildfires are 10 times as warming as conventional soot
Congress tells NASA to prioritise Mars exploration over climate change
US lawmakers back plans for deep space exploration but slash investment in agency’s climate research programmes
Records set to be smashed as Germany’s solar output soars
Germany will continue to break records for solar output despite a struggling manufacturing sector, confirm analysts
Poorly planned hydropower plants linked to North India floods
Floods in Uttarakhand that killed over 1000 and left many more homeless could have been exacerbated by inappropriate hydropower plants
China coal pollution blamed for falling life expectancy
Morning summary: Air pollution is shortening the lives of people in northern China by around 5 years
Smart air conditioning could save business $100k a year
Office sensors could save business millions if deployed across USA, scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report
What does a Republican-friendly carbon tax look like?
Obama’s climate plans avoid confrontation with Republicans but giving them what they want good be the key to an effective carbon tax
Desertec’s collapse unlikely to affect EU energy plans
Collapse of €400 billion plan will not affect Brussels energy strategy, but it does highlight the growing cost effectiveness of solar photo voltaic panels
Analysis: where is all the money for energy efficiency?
From the EU to individual homeowners, sourcing the cash for supposed no-brainer projects is proving harder than anticipated
China’s carbon emissions ‘could peak’ in 2025
Experts from government affiliated Energy Resources Institute say 2 degrees warming target is still realistic if China curbs pollution
European Parliament passes carbon market reforms
So-called backloading proposals to fix flagging carbon market passed after months of debate
Desertec in trouble as founders quit €400 billion solar project
Morning Briefing: ambition to power Europe using solar panels in North African deserts thrown into disarray after split between leading planners
Skinny cows and climate change could cost farmers billions
A study predicts wild and domestic cattle will drastically reduce in weight as the climate warms − compromising food security and slashing farmer’s profits