All Environment
Michigan Senate race: Can outsider millions make climate change an issue?Outside groups backed by the Koch brothers on the right and environmentalist billionaire Tom Steyer on the left are pumping millions into a race that tests whether climate issues can play well for Democrats in moderate states.
Ukraine crisis: Putin speeds up Russia pivot to AsiaAs the Ukraine crisis continues, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia may let China hold a share in one of its biggest energy projects in Siberia. It's a sign that Putin is looking increasingly to Asia for new energy customers as its relations with Ukraine and Europe deteriorate.
Obama at NATO: Can US energy save Baltic allies?NATO is looking to the US to shore up energy security, particularly as tensions rise with gas-rich Russia over the Ukraine crisis. At this week's NATO Summit, European allies will likely press President Obama for accelerated gas exports and a lift of the US oil export ban as a counter to Russian influence.
PG&E gets $1.4 billion fine for gas pipeline explosionPG&E should pay a $1.4 billion penalty for a deadly 2010 gas pipeline explosion, according to a ruling from California regulatory judges Tuesday. PG&E, the state's largest utility, said in a statement it fully accepts that a penalty is appropriate.
Arctic drilling: Will oil lure Shell back to icy waters?Oil supermajor Shell is considering a return to Arctic drilling, after a series of setbacks nearly ended the company's plans in the Arctic for good. But before Shell can move its rigs into the Arctic, several obstacles remain.
Russia-Ukraine gas talks fail, IS and oil, Obama’s global climate plan [Recharge]Failed Russia-Ukraine-EU gas talks last week raise the specter of a cold, dark winter in Ukraine; the Islamic State's oil-fueled spread is bolstering similar aspirations among Boko Haram in Nigeria; President Obama looks to sidestep Congress in global climate change efforts. Catch up on the week in global energy with Recharge.
Want to fight climate change? Build more nuclear power.Aging plants and competition from cheaper alternatives threaten the future of US nuclear power, the country's largest source of carbon-free electricity. Even with renewable energy, it will be exceedingly difficult to meet US climate change targets if much of American nuclear goes offline, Cunningham writes.
Threatened coral: Climate change puts 20 types at riskClimate change is one reason the US government is putting 20 species of threatened coral on a list of threatened species. The threatened coral are vital to the health of marine ecosystems, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
How climate change could ruin your Hawaii vacationClimate change may just threaten your dream trip to Hawaii. A new report from the University of Hawaii says the state's tourism industry must start preparing for the effects of climate change.
- Climate change: Is your opinion informed by science? Take our quiz!
Climate change has become a politically-charged, divisive issue, but the underlying science is relatively simple and has been around for more than 150 years. Do you know what causes global warming?
Train delayed again? Blame the oil boom.With oil production booming in the US, producers are increasingly turning to railways to get crude to refineries. And so much oil is hitting the rails that it's crowding out grain and coal – and even people.
UN climate change report warns of 'irreversible' impactsA draft UN climate change report finds that global warming could be irreversible, painting a harsh warning of what's causing global warming and what it will do to humans and the environment. It also offers ways to curb climate change.
Bear rescue: Man drives an hour to save injured cubAn Arizona man drove 80 miles to rescue an injured bear cub and bring it to a wildlife conservation center. It is unkown if the injured bear cub will be released into the wild.
California earthquakes may pose threat to nuclear plant, expert saysCalifornia earthquakes may pose a safety risk to the state's last operating nuclear plant, a senior federal nuclear expert says in a report obtained by the Associated Press. The report says no one knows whether the facility's equipment can withstand California earthquakes.
Who needs Keystone XL? Oil sands flow to US via loophole.As Keystone XL awaits a final decision from the Obama administration, at least one energy firm has found a loophole to ship controversial oil sands across the US border. The Keystone XL workaround could increase the flow of oil sands to the US by an additional 75,000 barrels per day without White House approval.
Climate change policies pay for themselves, study saysAn MIT climate change study released Sunday indicates the cost of slashing coal-fired carbon emissions would be offset by reduced spending on public health. The EPA-funded study examined climate change policies similar to those proposed by the Obama administration in June.
Oil trains face scrutiny; Alaska votes on oil taxes; Australia waffles on renewables [Recharge]Canada determined lax oversight and poor safety caused a deadly oil train explosion; Alaskans voted on a referendum they hope will revive falling oil production; Australia is shifting from renewable energy, just as it discovers oil offshore. Catch up on the week in global energy with Recharge.
Blue lobster is 'one-in-two-million' crustaceanBlue lobster caught by a fisherman in Scarborough, Maine Saturday. The blue lobster has been named Skyler and will be donated to the Maine State Aquarium.
In race for solar power, China is winningChina is cutting its dependence on carbon-heavy coal and replacing it with solar power at a breakneck pace, Topf writes. The world's top energy consumer added 3.3 gigawatts of solar power capacity between January and June.
For oil and wind, offshore is promised land – and muddled policyExtending the naton's oil and gas boom and wind power's technology to coastal waters makes logical sense. But it highlights the contradiction between President Obama's 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy and his environmental agenda.
