All Environment
- Russia to Ukraine: Pay off gas debt to resume negotiations
After Russia cut off gas for Ukraine, Russia says it won't negotiate with Ukraine until the country pays off its gas debt. Ukraine’s parliament is considering legislation that would allow its gas transit and storage facilities to be leased as joint ventures with the US or EU member countries.
- FocusGlobal warming: Can post-Kyoto climate pact work by taking a different tack?
Previous agreements to restrict greenhouse-gas emissions, including Kyoto, have largely failed. To curb global warming, negotiators are hoping countries will design and enforce their own cuts.
- Colorado oil spill dumps 7,500 gallons in Poudre River
Colorado oil spill hits downstream vegetation but not drinking water, officials say. The Colorado oil spill was caused by floodwaters damaging a storage tank.
- Why Rick Perry wants Tesla Motors in Texas
Many states want electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors to build a 'gigafactory' in their states. But in more conservative Texas, Governor Rick Perry is working hard to market itself toward Tesla Motors, writes Jesse Morris.
- Summer 2014 outlook: Temperatures above normal for much of the US
Summer 2014 is upon us! What do longterm forecasts say about where it will be hot and dry, where it will be wet and muggy, and where it will be refreshingly cool.
- Ukraine crisis: Why Shell put shale projects on hold
Royal Dutch Shell says it stopped its shale projects in Ukraine because of air strikes, but there may be more economic reasons. The oil supermajor was disappointed with the economic viability of what it once thought was a large shale deposit, Alexeev writes, and was looking for a way out.
- Oil prices near 9-month high on Iraq crisis
Oil prices stayed near a nine-month high Friday on concerns that the Iraq crisis would spread and disrupt the country's oil production. US oil prices rose 2 cents to $106.07 per barrel while Brent crude oil slipped 12 cents to $114.94.
- Electric Harley-Davidson: All the power with none of the roar?
Harley-Davidson debuted an electric bike called the LiveWire. Will its innovation drown out the gas-guzzling gusto of other motorcycles?
- Iraq crisis: Why Baiji refinery matters for Iraq – and beyond
Sunni jihadists battled with Iraqi government forces for control of the country's largest refinery. Loss of the Baiji refinery wouldn't directly impact global oil markets, but it would exacerbate the Iraq crisis and further destabilize a fragile regional situation.
- In a global 'war on coal,' coal is winning
Global coal consumption rose 3 percent in 2013, despite efforts in some places to scale back use of the carbon-heavy fuel. Why is it hard to stop depending on coal for energy?
- Is China on the brink of a solar power breakthrough?
Both the US and China have been quickly working toward reducing the cost of solar energy. The US's solar energy quest has remained in the private sector, while China has taken a different approach.
- North Dakota oil output hits 1 million barrels per day
North Dakota oil production levels hit a new high in April, according to the most recent state data. North Dakota oil now makes up more than 12 percent of all US oil production – an unfathomable scenario just a decade ago.
- Bipartisan attempt to raise gasoline tax
A pair of US senators, one Republican and one Democrat, want to raise the nation's gas tax for the first time in over 20 years.
- We will never run out of oil, but that's not the point
The notion that the world will never run out of oil is misleading, writes Kurt Cobb. The real issue is about the rate of oil production.
- Iraq crisis: Threat of oil shutoff puts onus on Saudi Arabia
The Iraq crisis threatens to disrupt the country's oil output, a scenario for which the world has to prepare, says US President Barack Obama. Saudi Arabia is starting to feel pressure to help with the global oil supply if Iraq's oil can't be accessed.