Environment on Earth

Democratic senators called for the resignation of Stephen Johnson, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying he sided with polluters instead of fighting global warming and other ecological problems.
The three senators, all active in the climate change debate, also asked the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Johnson has made false or misleading statements in […]

A majority of Americans who responded to a June online survey say economic growth and development is more important to their region than environmental protection.A Harris Poll conducted online among 2,454 adults aged 18 and over between June 9 and 16 found that as economic conditions worsen, people who are asked to make a decision […]

 California will sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for “wantonly” ignoring its duty to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from ships, aircraft, and construction and agricultural equipment, state Attorney General Jerry Brown said.
Brown said the lawsuit, to be announced at a news conference at the Port of Long Beach on Thursday and filed in Washington after […]

 An environmental group in Japan said that it is planning to hold what it hopes will be the world’s largest clean-up, bringing 180,000 volunteers together to pick up trash.
U-Project, a private group based in Chiba prefecture east of Tokyo, said they were calling on citizens to join in the clean-up around Tokyo Bay on November 24.
“We […]

Birds have been moving north in Europe over the past 25 years because of climate change in the vanguard of likely huge shifts in the ranges of plants and animals, scientists said.
A study of 42 rare bird species in Britain showed that southern European bird species such as the Dartford warbler, Cirl bunting, little egret […]

Exploitation of North America’s shale and tar-sand oil reserves could increase atmospheric CO2 levels by up to 15%, a new report from WWF-UK and the major UK financial group Co-Operative Financial Services (CFS) has warned.
Extraction of the projected 1,115 billion barrels of recoverable oil from unconventional fuel sources such as Alberta’s oil sands and Colorado’s […]

Japan, under pressure to find other incentives than government spending to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, approved an October start for the trial trading of carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for global warming.
“We’ll set down rules in September on how to take part (in a trial carbon trading scheme) and in October we’d like to […]

The world’s largest commercial powers came into crucial talks on a new global trade pact pledging to assume the shared responsibility needed for solving planetary problems from climate change to food and energy prices.
But they are close to letting an arcane dispute over a seldom-used safeguard on farm imports spoil a trade deal worth billions […]

The American Trucking Associations filed a federal lawsuit in a California court against the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to stop plans intended to reduce diesel fuel pollution.The Arlington, Virginia-based trade group estimates over 10,000 independent truckers will be prohibited from the Los Angeles port, which is banning independent truckers as of October 1 […]

 BMW has announced plans to sell all-electric versions of its popular Mini car in the U.S., starting from summer 2009.
Mini USA Vice President, Jim McDowell, said that the company is still deciding whether to sell or lease the vehicles. He remained tight-lipped over exactly where in the country the cars will be available, and declined […]