Energy deal shows cap-and-trade on hold - Burns on Business

The acquisition of Allegheny Energy by rival utility FirstEnergy Corp. shows how far cap-and-trade has fallen from the top of the nation's political agenda.

Allegheny gets 95 percent of its power from coal-fired plants, emitting 45 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to the blunt report here that the company prepared when cap-and-trade legislation still had momentum in early 2009. "This is a major challenge," the report concludes.

Apparently it's less of a challenge today. The $8.5 billion deal announced here Thursday includes a roughly one-third premium on Allegheny stock. That likely reflects how the potential threat of a government-sanctioned carbon-trading scheme has receded into the background.

[But they're not even climatologists!]: Lords call for "calm nerves" in response to Climategate - 11 Feb 2010 - BusinessGreen.com

An influential group of peers yesterday called on politicians, businesses and the media to take a more dispassionate stance on the so-called "climategate" controversy, warning that exaggerated concerns over the accuracy of climate science were in danger of delaying action to address climate change risks.
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It added that "the overwhelming body of peer-reviewed scientific evidence [what evidence, specifically?] shows… climate change is happening and is very likely to be caused by human activity".

The group includes some of the UK's most influential climate policy experts, such as Lord Stern, head of the Climate Change Committee Lord Turner, chairman of the Environment Agency Lord Smith, former BP chief executive Lord Browne, and CBI boss Richard Lambert.

Live Q&A: Fred Pearce | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Your chance to quiz the man who led the major investigation into the climate science emails on his interpretation of the scandal

China's fears of rich nation 'climate conspiracy' at Copenhagen revealed | Environment | guardian.co.uk

'Conspiracy to divide developing world' will make future talks harder, says leaked government report
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The paper is scathing about the US-led "umbrella group", which it says adopted a position of inaction.
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Lynas, who was present at many of the key negotiating sessions, said: "It's astonishing that this document suggests the Chinese really believes the absurd conspiracy theory that small island states were being played like puppets by rich countries. The truth is that the small island states and most vulnerable countries want China and its allies to cut their emissions because without these cuts they will not survive. Bluntly put, China is the world's No1 emitter, and if China does not reduce its emissions by at least half by mid-century, then countries like the Maldives will go under."

Dallas / Fort Worth Weather - cbs11tv.com

Periods of light to moderate snow will affect dfw Airport through the evening with 4 to 6 inches of snow likely.

Vancouver Games get thumbs down: News24: SciTech: News

The use of trucks and helicopters to ship now-slushy snow to Cypress Mountain has become one of the symbols of the run-up to the Games, focusing attention on how lush and green Vancouver looks compared to previous snow-covered host cities.

But Linda Coady, vice-president of sustainability at the VANOC organising committee, said the helicopter shuttles would boost the Games carbon footprint by less than one percent, even if the choppers flew for eight hours a day right through to the February 28 closing ceremonies.