North Africa’s Prospects as Energy Goliath Are Fading - NYTimes.com

LONDON — A deadly attack by militants on an Algerian natural gas plant last month has dealt a major setback to a group of North African countries whose prospects as oil and gas producers were already cloudy.
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The United States is now close to being self-sufficient in gas thanks to a boom in shale gas, but Europe is heavily reliant on imports. That reliance is likely to increase in the coming years as domestic production dwindles and — once the Continent’s economy rebounds — demand begins to rise again. The International Energy Agency forecasts that the European Union will have to import 80 percent of its natural gas needs by 2030, up from about 60 percent now.

If Europe cannot turn to North Africa, it can look elsewhere.

The global liquefied natural gas market is likely to grow. The United States and Canada are also likely to become major exporters. Big new fields have been found in the waters off Israel, and exploration is starting off the coast of Cyprus. But the most obvious source is Russia, which already has 54 percent of the European gas import market.

Chinese Said to Consider Carbon Tax - NYTimes.com

The taxes would work by penalizing big emitters, thus encouraging consumers and businesses to reduce their use of electricity and gasoline. Over time, emissions would come down. And global temperatures, which have been increasing since the industrial revolution, would stabilize or decline preventing a big rise in sea levels, heat waves and other climate change calamities.
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Meanwhile, in the U.S., many members of Congress find the idea of carbon taxes totally anathema and think such taxes would wreck the economy. They might, however, want to consider a proposal promoted by Mr. Hansen that would take the money collected from carbon taxes — or carbon fees as he prefers to call them — and rebate it in full to individuals. That would help consumers pay for more expensive electricity and gasoline, while giving them an incentive to cut their use of energy and fossil fuels. It’s an elegant way to limit damage to the economy while giving people incentives to do what is right for the planet.

Twitter / RyanMaue: Gage OK record low was 11°F, ...

Gage OK record low was 11°F, beat it Fri morning w/1°F or else would have in the evening with 8°F ... brrr  [Michael Mann was in Oklahoma Friday.]