Reuters: Environment

Curbs to ship pollution would stoke global warming, study says

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:08:31 -0500

OSLO (Reuters) - Shipping is slowing climate change by spewing out sunlight-dimming pollution but a clean-up needed to safeguard human health will stoke global warming, experts said Friday.

Feared Asian carp may be near U.S. Great Lakes

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:12:11 -0500

CHICAGO (Reuters) - There are signs Asian carp may have breached barriers designed to keep the prolific fish out of the Great Lakes, which could spell ecological disaster for the vital source of fresh water, authorities said on Friday.

UN climate chief seeks $10 bln rich-nations pledge

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:22:30 -0500

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. environmental chief called on rich nations on Thursday to pledge $10 billion a year for three years at next month's Copenhagen summit to help poor states begin to tackle the impact of climate change.

U.S. group sees worsening coastal flooding threat

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:23:23 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fast-melting ice from Greenland and Antarctica will lead to a much sharper rise in sea levels than previously estimated, touching off flooding that will radically alter U.S. East Coast cities from Miami to Baltimore, according to a new study.

Conoco to pay air quality fine to Pennsylvania

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:54 -0500

TORONTO (Reuters) - ConocoPhillips Corp will pay $38,137 for 2009 air quality violations at its 190,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania, state environmental regulators said on Friday.

Gap between India, U.S. emissions goals grows wider

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:14:48 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When President Barack Obama and India's prime minister meet next week to talk about climate change the leaders will focus on green technologies rather than narrowing the global divide on greenhouse gas emissions goals, the chairman of the U.N.'s climate science panel said.

Pennsylvania residents sue over gas drilling

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:56:36 -0500

DIMOCK, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Residents of a small rural Pennsylvania town sued Cabot Oil & Gas Corp on Friday, claiming the company's natural-gas drilling has contaminated their water wells with toxic chemicals, caused sickness and reduced their property values.

German climate adviser optimistic about Copenhagen

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:54:09 -0500

BERLIN (Reuters) - World leaders cannot afford to leave a U.N. summit in Copenhagen next month without a robust agreement to fight climate change, German government climate adviser Hans Joachim Schellnhuber said Friday.

Melting sea ice dilutes water, endangers sea life

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:28:16 -0500

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Melting of the Arctic sea ice due to global warming is diluting surface waters and this is endangering some species of shellfish which need minerals in the water to form their shells and skeletons, scientists have found.

Big Oil to Congress: Expand offshore drilling

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:42:21 -0500

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Executives from two major oil companies told Congress on Thursday that the U.S. government should open more offshore areas to oil and natural gas drilling so America can rely less on foreign suppliers.