Via Benny Peiser

Translated from German: OBAMA BACKS DOWN ON COSTLY CLIMATE POLICY

Under the impression of the global crisis, the new U.S. government its own climate goals question - and considering how they had done with the EU far-reaching relief for the heavy industry.

From Washington state: You had me at "mortally wounded"

Gov. Chris Gregoire's attempt to push Washington to the forefront of climate-change regulation appears mortally wounded in the state Legislature by fears it could hurt the econom

Australia: Emissions trading scheme hits brick wall

Plans for emissions trading have hit a brick wall after a majority of senators said they would vote against the government's scheme.

Translated from German by Benny Peiser: FORGET COPENHAGEN: GERMANY TO BUILD 12 NEW COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

Germany's environment minister Sigmar Gabriel (Social Democratic Party) is pushing for the construction of new coal-fired power plants in Germany. "We need eight to twelve new coal plants if we want to get out of nuclear energy," Gabriel said on Friday at a meeting of the Mainz-Wiesbaden AG (KMW) in Mainz. With regard to the opponents of the planned coal-fired power in Mainz, the minister said: "Those who demonstrate against coal-fired power will get nuclear power plants instead." Gabriel said, the decision about which power plants are built is the responsibility of companies and not politics. He added that new coal power plants would not increase carbon dioxide emissions.

First of all, old plants would be closed. In additon, the emissions trading scheme would limit the level of emissions. "You can build 100 coal-fired power plants and don't have to have higher CO2 emissions," said the environment minister.