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France to Push on With Climate Summit After Paris Attacks
The French government vowed to push on with the United Nations Climate summit in Paris this month and will boost security for the more than 120 world leaders traveling to a city reeling from a deadly terrorist attack. “It will go ahead with reinforced security measures,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in Vienna on Saturday, a day after gunmen killed at least 129 people in the French capital. “This is an absolutely necessary step in the battle against climate change and of course it will take place.” [ read more … ]
Energy secretary: ‘All of the above’ includes reducing emissions
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Friday that the Obama administration’s “all of the above” approach to energy sources means it seeks to reduce carbon dioxide from the energy sector.
Moniz sought to clarify the “all of the above” policy, saying that while certain energy sources such as wind and solar have no carbon emissions, the administration is truly committed to all forms of energy, including fossil fuels. “We say ‘all of the above,’ but let me be very clear: ‘all of the above’ starts out with a commitment to low carbon,” Moniz said Friday at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event. [ read more … ]
Coal Not Going Away Anytime Soon Despite Renewables Push
Coal: Can’t live with it and can’t live without it — at least not yet. It is the biggest source of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that negotiators around the world hope to limit in an agreement to be thrashed out in Paris next month. Demand for coal is leveling off, but it will remain a key energy source for decades, no matter how many billions of dollars of investment go into cleaner energy like wind and solar. Too much of the world depends on it now for heating and power generation for us to suddenly live without it. [ read more … ]
Ill. regulators approve Grain Belt Express project
The commissioners said Houston-based Clean Line, a merchant transmission developer, didn’t qualify as a public utility at the time it submitted its application in April and shouldn’t have been allowed to use the faster approval process. However, del Valle in particular noted support of Clean Line’s goal to move wind energy from remote southwest Kansas to population centers farther east in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Climate change will continue to be a significant issue that will affect all of us,” del Valle said. “I fully support the goal of building infrastructure of moving renewable generation from sparsely populated areas which are rich in wind resources to areas with larger loads and higher prices.” [ read more … ]
Massive wind power transmission line gains Illinois approval
The line, used to access wind power harnessed in Kansas, has generated strong opinions. Sentiment at public meetings in the region has often been hostile, especially from affected landowners. But business, labor unions and consumer advocacy groups have come out strongly in favor of the project, billed as funneling $700 million of investment into Illinois and creating 1,500 jobs. [ read more … ]
Colorado Governor tweaks climate doubters, seeks ‘miracle’ solution
When Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged governors nationwide to “just say no” to U.S. EPA’s new carbon emissions rules earlier this year, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) offered what he called a “thoughtful” response publicly declining the Republican’s suggestion. Now he admits that he that he just couldn’t help trolling the Kentucky senator. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.