Global Warming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A beef industry group has challenged a ruling by U.S. environmental regulators that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, saying the move would hurt agriculture. The ruling earlier this month by the Environmental Protection Agency earlier opens the way for regulation of six heat-trapping gases without new laws passed by Congress. Livestock farms emit carbon dioxide from the tailpipes of machinery and trucks, while waste from cattle also emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association filed a petition in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals this week, saying EPA climate regulations would hurt large farms. "This unilateral ... Read Full Story

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's new government approved on Wednesday a long-delayed revision of its 2008-12 national plan that allocates carbon permits to industries to meet European Union requirements and sent to Brussels for approval. Bulgaria, the only EU member state without an approved plan, hopes to get Brussels' nod in two months and distribute 42.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) permits a year to 132 installations, Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova said. The new center-right government of the GERB party, which won July elections on promises to tackle rampant corruption and crime, has said it has tackled all shortcomings of the plan, which the ... Read Full Story

BEIJING (Reuters) - China condemned claims ascribed to Britain's climate change minister that it had "hijacked" negotiations in Copenhagen, saying on Tuesday the accusations were an attempt to sow discord among poor countries. The sharp words from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu were the latest baring of diplomatic bad blood after the talks in Copenhagen ended on Saturday with a broad, non-binding accord that fell short of hopes for a robust global agreement on how to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Jiang was responding to a report in Britain's Guardian newspaper that said the Environment Minister Ed Miliband had accused China, Sudan, Bolivia and ... Read Full Story

An inventory of New Mexico's greenhouse gas production shows residents have reduced their average emissions from gasoline use over a seven-year period, but they're consuming more energy to heat, cool and power their homes. Despite efforts by Gov. Bill Richardson's administration to address climate change and lower greenhouse gas emissions, a draft inventory prepared by the state Environment Department shows New Mexico's total direct emissions increased by about 4 percent between 2000 and 2007 to 80 million metric tons. Richardson has signed several executive orders aimed at curbing the pollution blamed for global warming. He has appointed advisory groups to come up with recommendations ... Read Full Story

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India could improve upon its aims to slow the growth of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, the environment minister said on Tuesday after returning from climate change talks in Copenhagen. India said it was willing to rein in its "carbon intensity" -- the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted per unit of economic output -- by between 20 and 25 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels. "(It) is not only eminently feasible, but can also be improved upon to the benefit of our own people," Jairam Ramesh, the environment minister, said in parliament. The climate change meeting ended last week ... Read Full Story