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The World Environment News is a daily environmental update bringing you all the latest environmental stories, pictures and video from across the globe, courtesy of the Reuters news service. if it’s happening in the world of environment, it’s happening in the World Environment News.
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Latest News (179 stories)
Under The Hood: GM Blueprint For Volt 2.0
Photo: Rebecca Cook
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: TROY, Michigan
Author: Ben Klayman
The Chevrolet Volt stands as the most heavily promoted - and harshly scrutinized - vehicle from General Motors Co in decades. And that's just version 1.0.
U.S. Group Sues To Halt Artist Christo's Project
Photo: Michael Kappeler
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Keith Coffman
A coalition of environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife advocates have filed a federal lawsuit to block a project by the artist Christo that would drape fabric canopies along a long stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado.
Drought, warmer Weather Persist In Much Of U.S.
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Carey Gillam
Weird weather kept vexing large swathes of the United States over the last week, with unseasonably warm and dry conditions melting northern snows and spreading drought through the southwest, even as heavy rains soaked parched pastures in Texas and Oklahoma, according to climate experts.
Middle East Trails Again In Green Energy Growth
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: ABU DHABI/DUBAI
Author: Maha El Dahan and Daniel Fineren
Talk of a Middle Eastern green energy boom is likely to prove no more than a mirage with little hope of the region saving clean technology companies from the shrinking project pools of Europe.
Analysis: Canada Plan To Sell Oil To China Faces Big Hurdles
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: CANADA
Author: David Ljunggren
Prime Minister Stephen Harper may still be smarting from Canada's failed bid to ramp up oil exports to the United States, but his plan B could prove to be even tougher.
Storm Over Climate Change Among Weather Forecasters
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Deborah Zabarenko, Environmental Correspondent
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Canada, Alberta To Announce New Oil Sands Monitoring
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: CANADA
Author: Scott Haggett
The governments of Canada and Alberta will announce details of a new environmental-monitoring regime in the province's oil sands on Friday, as they look shore up an industry whose growth plans are under attack from environmental groups.
SolarCity IPO Expected In Third Quarter: Source
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Nichola Groom
Solar power company SolarCity is expected to debut on U.S. markets in the third quarter this year and has hired Goldman Sachs to underwrite its initial public offering, a source close to the company said on Thursday.
Key Senate Republican Says Drilling Bill Faces Hurdles
Date: 03-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Ayesha Rascoe
The top Republican on the Senate energy committee on Thursday acknowledged passing legislation to boost domestic energy production will be a tough task this year, even as Republicans maneuver to keep the focus on energy issues ahead of the November elections.
Warm Winter Creates Winners And Losers In U.S. Economy
Photo: Kevin Lamarque
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Edward McAllister and Jeanine Prezioso
Halfway through what might turn out to be the second mildest U.S. winter on record, major parts of the nation's economy are feeling the impact, for better or worse.
Insight: Oil Industry Sees No Threat From Electric Car
Photo: Tyrone Siu
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: UK
Author: Tom Bergin
The biggest oil companies in the world have calculated that few, if any, of today's drivers will see electric cars outnumber gasoline and diesel models in their lifetimes.
Analysis: German Solar Groups Could Thrive On Subsidy Fears
Photo: Michaela Rehle
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: GERMANY
Author: Christoph Steitz
Fears Germany will cap or cut green energy subsidies is boosting demand for solar panels, and uncertainty about the shape of the measures could give the country's battered solar sector an advantage against Chinese rivals.
Estonian Students Find Iron Age Life Smoky And Cold
Photo: Ints Kalnins
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: ROUGE, Estonia
Author: David Mardiste
Ever wondered what it was like to endure an Iron Age winter?
Fewer Zoos May Have Elephants Under New Standard
Photo: Hyungwon Kang
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: KANSAS CITY, Kansas
Author: Kevin Murphy
Fewer U.S. zoos of the future may have elephants but those that do would have happier animals under a new policy requiring American zoos with two elephants to add space for a third in case one dies.
Europe Freeze Kills 89, Fears Rise Over Russian Gas
Photo: Stoyan Nenov
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: KIEV/BELGRADE
Author: Richard Balmforth and Matt Robinson
Record-low temperatures in parts of Eastern Europe pushed the death toll from Arctic conditions to at least 89 people on Wednesday, and have forced Russian gas provider Gazprom to warn over supplies to Europe.
China Streams Live Panda Video To Foster Conservation
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: CHINA
Author: Beijing Newsroom
China began Wednesday streaming live video footage of its pandas around the world via webcam in an attempt to boost awareness of conservation efforts for its beloved but endangered animal ambassadors.
China To Invest In Agriculture Innovation To Boost Food Security
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: CHINA
Author: Michael Martina and Tracy Zheng
Atlantic Power Picks Up Stake In Oklahoma Wind Project
Date: 02-Feb-12
Author: Aftab Ahmed in Bangalore
Independent power producer Atlantic Power Corp said it bought a majority stake in Canadian Hills LLC, which owns a 300 megawatts windpower project in Oklahoma, for $23 million.
China Says Ready To Defend Its Rare Earth Policies
Date: 02-Feb-12
Country: BEIJING
Author: Michael Martina
China's Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday it was prepared to defend its rare earth export policies at the World Trade Organization, days after the global trade body ruled against its export restrictions on raw materials exports.
More Than 60 Dead In East European Cold Snap
Photo: Bogdan Cristel
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: UKRAINE
Author: Pavel Polityuk, Richard Balmforth, Tsvetelia Tsolova, Daria Sito-Sucic & Aleksandar Vasovic
More than 60 people have died in a cold snap across Eastern Europe, authorities said on Tuesday, forcing some countries to call in the army to help secure food and medical supplies and set up emergency shelters for the homeless.
Poland Eyes Changes To Renewable Support Plan
Photo: Reuters/Juergen Schwarz
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: POLAND
Author: Maciej Onoszko
Coal-reliant Poland aims to increase support for biogas and solar generation through the end of the decade while cutting support for investment in wind and other renewable generation, a government official said on Tuesday.
GE Sees More Casualties In Wind And Solar
Photo: Reuters/ Michael Kooren
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: ITALY
Author: Tom Bergin
General Electric Co. expects increased competition and a reduction in subsidies by cash-strapped governments to lead to more companies exiting the wind and solar power businesses, but the industrial behemoth still sees growing long-term demand.
Sustainable Energy Is Answer To Wider Crisis: EU's Hedegaard
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: BELGIUM
Author: Barbara Lewis
Energy efficiency offers one of the best tools for tackling the world's debt and social crises as sustainable development comes in from the margins to the mainstream of economic debate, the European Union's climate chief said on Tuesday.
Exclusive: Canadian Solar Seeing Spike In European Demand
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Nichola Groom
Canadian Solar Inc is scrambling to ramp up production of solar panels to meet an unexpected surge in demand from Europe, Chief Executive Shawn Qu said on Tuesday.
Jessica Alba Goes Toxin-Free With The Honest Company
Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Piya Sinha-Roy
Working mom Jessica Alba is adding entrepreneur to her many titles, shifting from movie star to businesswoman with a venture that provides parents easy access to eco-friendly natural products for babies and homes.
Canada Ethanol Policy Hurts Livestock Farmers: Report
Photo: Reuters/Mark Blinch
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: CANADA
Author: Rod Nickel
Ethanol production has boosted the prices of grains that Canadian farmers buy to raise cattle and pigs, and Ottawa should curb or eliminate its support for the industry, an agriculture research organization said on Tuesday.
Plans To Block Carp Will Re-Reverse Chicago River
Photo: Reuters/Illinois Department of Natural Resources/Handout
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: USA
Author: Andrew Stern
Keeping the invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes will involve re-reversing the flow of the Chicago River -- an engineering marvel completed a century ago through a complex network of rivers, canals, and locks, a new study said on Tuesday.
NRC Wants U.S. Nuclear Operators To Adopt New Seismic Model
Photo: Reuters/Dominion Power/Handout
Date: 01-Feb-12
Author: Scott DiSavino
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday the agency wants nuclear plant operators in the central and eastern United States to use a new seismic model to reassess the potential for earthquakes in their area.
Halliburton Wins Ruling Vs BP Over Gulf Oil Spill
Photo: Reuters/Stringer
Date: 01-Feb-12
Country: GULF OF MEXICO
Author: Jonathan Stempel
A federal judge on Tuesday said Halliburton Co is not liable for some pollution claims arising from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, setting back BP Plc's effort to hold other companies responsible for part of the $42 billion cleanup.
Keystone XL Bill Gets 44 Senators On Board
Photo: Reuters/Stephen Lam
Date: 31-Jan-12
Country: USA
Author: Roberta Rampton
A group of 44 senators, all but one Republican, have signed on to proposed legislation that would authorize the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline despite the refusal of President Barack Obama to advance the project.