All Environment
BP lawyers scolded for using 鈥榗ollege term paper鈥� line spacing tricksA federal judge scolded BP lawyers Monday for tinkering with their line spacing to make a legal brief meet a strict page limit. 'Counsel's tactic would not be appropriate for a college term paper,' the judge told BP lawyers in a ruling.
Why coal is here to stayCoal may be terrible for the environment, but its abundance and low cost make it a tremendously useful fuel around the globe. That means coal isn't going to disappear overnight, which is bad news for the fight against climate change.聽
Combating global warming: good for economic growth, after all?New study concludes that much of the investment needed to reduce global emissions makes good economic sense irrespective of climate benefits.聽
Bobby Jindal says Obama denies science of US energy boom. Is he right?Oil and natural gas are booming in the US, and stakeholders across the board are trying to harness the boom to for their own benefit 鈥� from lawmakers like Bobby Jindal hoping to push back against gas-rich Russia, to oil companies pushing to export crude and maximize profit.
New Zealand colossal squid: Rare, close-up lookNew Zealand colossal聽squid聽sometimes inhabit the world of fiction and imagination, but have rarely been seen in daylight. That changed Tuesday when scientists in New Zealand聽got a long-anticipated chance to thaw out a colossal squid and inspect it.
Islamic State: Can US cut off its oil sales?The Islamic State is believed to be producing between 25,000 and 40,000 barrels of oil per day, smuggling and selling it on the black market. In its effort to degrade the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL), the US will aim to cut off the group's oil sales.聽
Progress WatchClean energy: How the world is cleaning up its actLast year, new global capacity of hydroelectricity, wind, solar, and other renewable power grew more than in any previous year.聽Clean energy聽faces daunting obstacles, but the progress on energy and climate to date is notable and likely to continue.
US takes aim at ISIS oil, New sanctions on Russian energy, CO2 levels at new highThe US will aim to cut off Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) oil sales as part of its broader effort to 'degrade and destroy the Islamic State'; New Western sanctions on Russia energy aim to 'shut down' its most prized oil and gas projects; Record high carbon dioxide levels will add urgency to upcoming global climate talks. Read the latest on energy around the globe with the Monitor's Recharge.聽
New US sanctions on Russia target heart of Putin's energy empireNew US sanctions on Russia are the strongest yet against Russia. The point of new Russia sanctions on five major energy firms is to 'shut down' Russia's聽deepwater, shale, and Arctic exploration, according to one senior US official.
Ukraine crisis: Why has Russian gas through Ukraine dropped 20 percent?Russian gas to Poland through Ukraine has dropped by at least 20 percent, but it's unclear who's at fault. Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom says that gas flows through Ukraine hasn't changed, and if there's a reduction, it's Poland's fault.
Scotland independence? Why Big Oil votes 'no.'Oil supermajors BP and Shell are closely watching next week's Scotland independence referendum, hoping voters will choose to remain part of the United Kingdom. The reason? Companies like certainty, and a newly independent Scotland could change how the energy firms have long done business in the region.
Ohio Senator: GOP majority would get Obama 鈥榯o the table鈥� on Keystone XLNo major energy legislation has passed the Senate since 2007, but that could change if Republicans take control in November's midterm elections. Sen. Rob Portman (R) of Ohio told reporters at a Monitor-hosted breakfast Thursday that a majority GOP Senate would 'get the president to the table' on Keystone XL and other key energy issues. 聽
Driverless cars: Good for the planet?Driverless cars are almost certainly a part of our transportation future as companies like Google experiment with autonomous driving. Depending on how you look at it,聽impact of driverless cars on our energy use could either be incredibly good or incredibly bad, or somewhere in between.聽
Biofuels: Why this plant could be a game-changer for renewable fuelA new biofuel factory in Iowa uses farm waste to produce renewable fuel on a large, commercial scale. Unlike corn-based ethanol, this so-called cellulosic ethanol doesn't push up food prices or use farm space.聽
Russian gas to Poland drops mysteriously by almost a quarterRussian gas deliveries to Poland were down 24 percent this week, Poland's gas monopoly said Wednesday. It remains unclear as to why Russian gas supplies to Poland were nearly a quarter lower than normal, and the drop is having knock-on effects in Ukraine.
I-15 washout: Floods close busy highway stretchDrivers were told to avoid an Interstate 15 (I-15) washout in southern Nevada Wednesday, after the busy highway crumbled from intense flash floods. The I-15 washout could close the highway stretch near Moapa for several days, officials said. 聽聽
With immigration postponed, Congress seizes on Obama鈥檚 coal planObama's plan to curb coal-fired emissions is in the spotlight now that the president has postponed executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections. Republican lawmakers blasted the proposed EPA rules Tuesday at a hearing on the policy's implications for state regulators.
Climate change threatens half of America's bird species, new study findsOut of 588 species studied, 314 species could lose more than half their current range, according to a new study by the National Audubon Society. And 126 of the 314 species have nowhere else to go.- Byron Bay shark attack: Rescue attempt failsA Byron Bay shark attack in eastern Australia caused one fatality despite a beachgoer's brave rescue attempt, police said. A lawyer on vacation said he saw the Byron Bay shark attack victim and swam out to try to rescue him.
Climate change: Carbon dioxide levels at record high, UN saysCarbon dioxide levels reached a record high in 2013, according to a new UN report, rising to global concentrations of 396 parts per million last year. It was the biggest year-to-year change in carbon dioxide levels in three decades, the UN said.