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TheGreenO Politics Blog is all about the political parties and their initiatives towards green environment. Find information about political efforts and developments promoted by different governments towards environmental awareness. Know about the political leaders who run for the cause of environment and eco-friendly drive to save our planet.

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Advocates - Cash Is Critical for Climate Deal

How much money should the rich world be willing to put up to entice the developing world to accept some form of limits on their emissions? And how soon should the rich world put its offer on the table?

Those questions came no closer to being answered on Friday during a meeting of European Union officials — much to the fury of green politicians in the European Parliament and several environmental and antipoverty groups, including Oxfam, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and WWF.

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Michael Steele: ‘We Are Not Warming’

Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, said we live on a cooling planet.

The Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Steele, has weighed in on climate change.

In a March 6 radio appearance that is only now percolating through the blogosphere, Mr. Steele apparently fielded a skeptic’s question about global warming. As transcribed by The Huffington Post, a liberal site, Mr. Steele thanked the questioner and replied this way:

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Greening American Industry

A group in Cincinnati has converted an old, vacant building to create a green tech lab for green construction and design projects.

The Ford training center in the Twin Cities has plans to close its doors by 2011 and will lay off hundreds of employees in the process. A few area groups have decided to use this manufacturing site as a green jobs training program for wind turbine manufacturing and installation, and light rail car production.

Tags: Economy | Auto Industry | Green Jobs

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Where are the Green Jobs?

We have heard there will be hundreds of thousands of jobs created from initiatives contained in the economic stimulus plan. But let us be concerned with the job creation within the green or cleantech sector of business and industry.

Obama laid out plans to rebuild our energy grid and has a focus on increasing U.S. dependence on renewable energy (RE) sources for our energy use over the next few years.

Tags: Green Jobs | Obama

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Amid Hard Times, A View From Off the Grid

On Warren Pond Farm near Ithaca, N.Y., aims to use alternative energy and employ environmentally friendly farming practices. They also raise buffalo.

When the economy began tumbling last fall, I immediately thought of Jill Swenson.

Jill is a friend and former college professor who, in 2002, quit her appointment teaching journalism at Ithaca College to become, along with her partner, Sam Warren, a full-time organic farmer and self-sufficient producer of power.

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E.P.A. Proposes Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency today proposed a rule that would require a broad range of industries to tally and report their greenhouse gas emissions.

The move was hailed by environmentalists as an important precursor to regulating greenhouse gas emissions, as the Obama administration is expected to do.

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Senators Have Beef With ‘Cow Tax’

Antipathy toward a “cow tax” is apparently bipartisan.

Last Thursday Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, joined with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York to introduce a bill that would ban the idea of a tax on cows’ methane emissions from burps and flatulence.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 20 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

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The Silent (Light Green) Majority

Market research has consistently found that most Americans–as many as 87%–are concerned about the environment, global warming… generally support the concept of environmentally sustainable development.

But the same research finds that a lot of those people aren’t turning that concern into action: only about 25% of all consumers report having purchased green products other than organic food or energy efficient lighting.

Tags: Alternative Energy | Environmental Policy | Global Initiatives

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The Meaning of New York’s Carbon Trading Move

David A. Paterson, governor of New York, is taking some of the bite out of a regional carbon emissions trading initiative.

Governor David A. Paterson of New York is thinking of giving the utility industry more free allowances to pollute under the Northeast carbon-trading system, as my colleague Danny Hakim reports today.

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Obama Suspends Bush Rule on Endangered Species

Wildlife biologists will have to be consulted over decisions that may affect him.

President Obama today asked federal agencies to consult with wildlife biologists over decisions that may affect threatened or endangered species.

The memorandum effectively suspends a December 2008 rule issued by the Bush administration, which waived requirements that agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers consult with experts at the Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service when undertaking projects like building dams.

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Raise Gas Tax, Then Move to Mileage Tax, Federal Commission Says

A commission established by Congress to study the nation’s financing options for highways has recommended raising the federal gas tax by 10 cents a gallon.

In the report (executive summary) released this morning, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission called for an end to the “crisis” of neglect in funding that has contributed to worn-down highways, traffic congestion and “structurally deficient” bridges.

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Leaky Nuclear Research Facility Stirs Debate in Canada

A Canadian nuclear facility that produces at least of half of the world’s supply of medical isotopes has a long history of leaks and unanticipated maintenance delays. And little wonder. The reactor — part of the Atomic Energy of Canada’s Chalk River Laboratories in Eastern Ontario — has been in operation for nearly 52 years.

Two successor reactors which were to replace it have been abandoned because of engineering and financial problems. And recently, the reactor at Chalk River has gone through a particularly bad patch. There have been three leaks at the facility since December.

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Obama Vows Support for Renewables — and a Carbon Cap

On Tuesday evening, in his first address to Congress, President Barack Obama identified energy as one of the “three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future.”

Mr. Obama, who consistently listed energy before two other areas — health care and education — repeated his vow to double renewable energy in three years. He said that solar, wind and biofuels, along with “clean coal” and more efficient vehicles, would receive investments of $15 billion a year, though eventually he wants to ensure that renewables become a “profitable kind of energy.”

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Obama and Canada’s Controversial Oil Patch

In the unlikely event that Barack Obama has some free time during his first trip to a foreign country as president on Thursday, he can take in Ottawa’s first Tar Sands Film Festival.

It is just one of several events organized this week by environmentalists in Canada and the United States, as well as native groups, to encourage the new administration to put pressure on Canada over pollution from Alberta’s huge oil-extraction projects.

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Can Obama ride in a Toyota Prius?

First priority is security – especially if Heads of States and Governments are going to participate. Unfortunately, there just aren't that many armoured limousines that are environmentally friendly. If, for example, Obama is here, it simply isn't safe enough to drive him around in a car like the Toyota Prius – although it's a great hybrid car.

Secondly, practicalities must not stand in the way of achieving a good conference result. For example, some delegates prefer paper copies of meeting documents. Therefore the conference cannot be 100 percent electronic. Instead, we encourage delegates to recycle.

Tags: Obama | The Environment

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E.P.A. to Consider Rollback of Bush Coal Policy

The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday that it will consider whether to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants, in a potential reversal of Bush administration policy.

According to the Sierra Club, Lisa Jackson, the new E.P.A. administrator, has granted its petition that the agency reconsider a controversial decision in December by Stephen Johnson, the Bush administration’s E.P.A. administrator, stating that officials weighing federal applications by utilities to build new coal-fired power plants cannot consider their greenhouse gas output.

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Obama Signs Stimulus Packed With Clean Energy Provisions

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden tour the roof of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with Blake Jones, president of a Colorado solar company, ahead of signing an economic stimulus package loaded with clean-energy incentives.

President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus package today, and the clean energy industry — among the biggest winners — is celebrating.

Tags: Obama | clean energy

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U.S. and Sustainability

Have you ever wondered where the United States stacks up globally in terms of environmental sustainability? While its pretty clear that there is a lot of room for improvement, just where does the US fall compared to other countries?

On the one hand, the US is the land of consumption and never even bothered to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, but on the other, Americans enjoy vast national parks, clean drinking water, and extensive sanitation and recycling programs.It’s not easy to balance all the positives and negatives in the context of the international community.

Tags: Environmental Policy | Global Initiatives

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Green For All

When people hear the term “green” they often think of it as interchangeable with “expensive.” Of course, this is not a general rule: an environmentally sustainable lifestyle can actually save you a lot of money. Still, the stigma exists.

When it comes to politics, this link between green and luxury has put off many Americans who worry that promoting environmental sustainability may hurt the US economy or their own already stretched budgets. This can be seen as a major reason the political coalition fighting for environmental causes has long been small and exclusive.

Tags: Alternative Energy | Economy | Education | Environmental Policy

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China to Freeze Water Use

China is aiming to use no more water in 2020 than it does now, despite forecast economic growth, according to the country’s water resources minister.

Speaking at a conference on Saturday, Chen Lei said that current usage of 229 cubic metres of water per 10,000 yuan ($1,400) of products made would be reduced to 125 cubic metres in 11 years (Xinhua).

“We must take strict measures to preserve water resources in the face of the severe lack of water worsened by factors such as overuse, pollution and drought,” said Chen.

New Scientist says China’s GDP is actually forecast to grow by 60% by 2020. So a reduction in water use per GDP of around 60% would mean that the country uses exactly the same amount of water. (New Scientist’s headline, ‘Parched China to slash water consumption by 60%’ is rather misleading.)

China Daily says a quota system, with users paying for water used above their quota, will ensure people stick to conservation plans. New irrigation plans for agriculture will also be put in place.

Tags: Earth | environment & ecology | Policy

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