Water For Life™ Concerts

The U.S. solar energy industry hopes to persuade Customs officials to reverse a decision to impose a 2.5 percent tariff on solar panel imports after more than two decades of duty-free trade in the product, an industry official said on Thursday.

As the world wrestles with how to cut greenhouse gas emissions, new technologies are gearing up to grab climate-warming carbon right out of the air.

Recent high-profile departures from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over its position on climate change may be more than a short-term, public-relations hit for the lobbying powerhouse, according to supporters of cap-and-trade legislation.

France launched the "battle of the electric car" Thursday as it unveiled plans to invest 1.5 billion euros on infrastructure for the two million electric and hybrid cars it wants on the road by 2020.

Germany's incoming government has signalled that it is to extend the life of nuclear power plants and tighten the country's generous renewable energy subsidy law (the EEG).

Venture capital (VC) investments in clean-technology companies climbed to $1.59 billion over the last three months, as national stimulus packages brought some confidence back to the sector, according to the Cleantech Group and Deloitte.

An online facility meant to make it easier for renewable energy projects in developing countries to access insurance has been launched by a group of insurers and the UN.

China's air force deployed a "magic-like" range of chemicals and technology to clear Beijing's smoggy air for a grand parade marking the 60th anniversary of Communist China, state media said on Thursday.

Duke Energy said on Thursday it brought two new wind power projects on line and said it would use Siemens Energy wind turbines as well as General Electric turbines at a planned Wyoming wind farm.

As the Copenhagen climate change summit in December begins to dominate the global agenda, China is trying to pull off a delicate balancing act.

The European Commission has presented measures to fight VAT fraud in carbon permits to regain the credibility of its emissions trading scheme ahead of crunch climate talks in December.

Honda Motor is looking into developing pure electric vehicles because slow progress in setting up hydrogen fuelling stations could limit the sale of its fuel-cell vehicles, the head of Japan's No.2 automaker said.

With only two months to go before a new climate deal is negotiated in Copenhagen, The Forests Dialogue calls on industrialized nations to ensure robust financial commitments for conservation and sustainable management of forests and on tropical countries to ensure that these new financial streams are fairly shared with forest dependant communities.

By promising to lift import tariffs on Chinese wind turbines and other green tech items, the industrialized countries in the OECD hope to encourage the world’s largest emitter to come onboard a Copenhagen climate deal.

Increasing through 2009, investments in solar power and other clean energy technologies are again close to the record levels seen just before the financial crisis hit.

According to a survey released by WWF on Tuesday, investors show "significant support" for a carbon market mechanism that would address emissions caused by deforestation.

JOHANNESBURG Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (IRIN) - The world faced a major food crisis in the mid-1960s, when India and most of Asia had suffered back-to-back droughts and were dependant on food aid. The US President's Science Advisory Committee remarked in a 1967 report that it would take an "innovative effort unprecedented in human history" to "master" the crisis.

NAIROBI Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (IRIN) - The continued degradation of the Mau complex - Kenya's largest water catchment area - threatening everything from the spectacular annual migration of the wildebeest to pastoralism, agriculture and hydro-power generation, has dominated public debate for the better part of 2009. The government’s plan to evict the illegal settlers has added to the controversy.

BANGKOK Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (IRIN) - More than 150,000 people have been evacuated in Vietnam as governments and relief workers across parts of the Mekong region brace themselves for Typhoon Ketsana.

MANILA Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (IRIN) - Evacuation centre volunteer Candy Regadillo calls on a long line of hungry and tired flood survivors to be patient as she hands out dwindling relief items, three days after flooding in Manila and surrounding areas left more than half a million displaced and nearly two million affected.