The Obamacar, By Fiat - Planet Gore - National Review Online

Obama may want America to be more like Europe, but he doesn’t have the spine for it. He’d have to begin with a $4-a-gallon gas-tax hike.

Time To Terminate Western Civilization Before It Terminates Us By Guy R. McPherson

Global climate change threatens our species with extinction by mid-century is we do not terminate the industrial economy soon.
...And, of course, there’s the matter of ecological overshoot, which is where we’re spending all our time since at least 1980. Every day in overshoot brings us 205,000 people to deal with later. In this case, “deal with” means murder.

Mystery killer of emblematic wild goats troubles scientists - Environment - NZ Herald News

A second theory is that a series of mild winters over the past 15 years - possibly linked to global warming - has allowed old female ibexes to survive beyond their normal life expectancy. These biologically weaker animals have given birth to frail offspring unable to withstand the rigours of living in such challenging terrain.

Greenpeace Pushes for Renewable Energy in SAfrica - ABC News

Eskom, South Africa's state-owned electricity supplier, experienced a supply crisis in 2007 due to ailing infrastructure. That led to power rationing that hurt economic output.

"We are asking from the government to be more ambitious in their targets of generating electricity from renewable energy," said Melita Steele, a Greenpeace energy and climate campaigner. "A minimum of 36 percent of the country's electricity should come from renewed energy sources by 2030."

Science Matters: Anti-environmentalists are stuck in the past - Winnipeg Free Press

[David Suzuki with Faisal Moola] Environmental damage from climate change is already killing 300,000 people a year, with an economic impact of $125 billion a year.

Mexico's maneuvering could yet save Cancun Summit - BusinessGreen Blog

If the Copenhagen Summit was burdened by over-optimism, the Cancun meeting looks set to be completely submerged by a surfeit of pessimism.

Hats off then to Mexico's tireless diplomats, who are currently jetting around the world desperately trying to remind the key players that even if a full blown climate change treaty can not be delivered there are areas where breakthroughs could still be achieved.

Why has extreme weather failed to heat up climate debate? | Bill McKibben | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Moscow had never hit 100F (38C) before; lately it's been a rare day when the mercury settles lower.

History : Weather Underground

[According to Weather Underground, Moscow hasn't reached 100 degrees in August. The predicted high for Friday is 60 degrees.]