Reuters: Environment

Climate change makes English winemakers see red

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:22:26 -0500

DORKING, England (Reuters) - The pickers working their way along the hillside, clipping bunches of small, dark purple grapes from the rows of vines and dropping them into plastic buckets are harbingers of a warmer planet.

U.S. eyes deal with China on climate change monitoring

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:33:15 -0500

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States hopes to reach agreement with China during President Barack Obama's visit on how to record and monitor countries' efforts to fight global warming, a top State Department official said on Tuesday.

Australian koalas fast declining, researchers say

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:34:14 -0500

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's koalas have suffered a sharp population decline because of development, bushfires and global warming, and could vanish within decades, researchers said Tuesday.

U.S. to review California water diversion rulings

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:07:27 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. officials said on Monday they would reconsider new environmental mandates requiring California to divert water from drought-stricken farms and cities to help endangered fish in rivers and on the coast.

Energy demand to rise rapidly if no CO2 deal: IEA

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:18:26 -0500

LONDON (Reuters) - World energy consumption will rise rapidly over the next 20 years, pushing up costs and increasing greenhouse gases, unless a deal is reached to curb carbon dioxide emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Tuesday.

Australian government: carbon deal will be difficult

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:22:12 -0500

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Forging a political deal on Australia's carbon trade laws will be difficult after a new round of opposition infighting, the government said on Tuesday, casting fresh doubts on whether parliament will endorse the plan.

China eyes closing coal-fired power plants in capital

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:19:51 -0500

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is considering moving the last four coal-fired power and heating plants out of Beijing's municipal area, replacing them with gas-fired stations, state media reported on Monday, in an effort to improve air quality in the capital.

China ivory demand bodes ill for Africa's elephants

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:08:55 -0500

GUANGZHOU/NAIROBI (Reuters) - Tucked into a grimy building in Guangzhou, a small band of Chinese master carvers chip away at ivory tusks with chisels, fashioning them into the sorts of intricate carvings that were prized by Chinese emperors.

Threatened Maldives urges joint action at climate talks

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:04:56 -0500

MALE (Reuters) - The Maldives, threatened by rising sea levels because of global warming, on Monday pleaded with developed nations to reduce carbon emissions and said developing nations could change the outcome at climate talks in Copenhagen.

G20 makes little progress on climate financing

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:46:16 -0500

ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - Rich countries and developing nations fought over climate change on Saturday, failing to make progress on financing ahead of a major environmental summit in Copenhagen next month.