Browsing: International

The global financial crisis must not be used as 'an excuse to give up' and developing countries that are major emitters must be prepared to make binding commitments, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong last night told the London School of Economics.

• Ferguson looks to amend offshore storage bill
  
• Government rejects call to delay trading scheme
  
• Greens urge Rudd to 'green up' $10.4 billion dollar rescue package
  
• Energy agency finds no sign yet of carbon leakage for EU aluminium

• New Zealand sets out treatment of stationary energy emissions
  
• Federal officials shun offsets for flights
  
• Ban non-recyclable packaging, urges environment group
  
• UNSW issues sustainability assessment tool for water infrastructure
  
• India set for 'dramatic' expansion of coal-fired generation

• Bligh flags new clean energy office, but no new resources
  
• Many data gaps to fill, says CSIRO climate change and fisheries study
  
• Coastal climate study urges changes to planning and approval processes
  
• Pew Centre issues guide to McCain and Obama climate policies
  
• World Bank boosts renewables spending, APEC to study urban use of renewables

The Rudd Government should impose a 10% levy on coal exports to raise $5 billion a year for clean coal technology and governments of the world should accompany an international post-2012 climate change agreement with a 'parallel treaty' on atmospheric cleansing, according to Tim Flannery.

Professor Ross Garnaut this morning handed to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd an all-embracing set of policy proposals to combat climate change. Garnaut warned that a failure by this generation to deal with climate change 'would haunt humanity until the end of time'.

Interdependence is this century's "central organising principle" as the world faces up to a level of greenhouse gas emissions that "radically affects the future of the planet itself", Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this morning told the UN General Assembly in New York. He committed Australia to using "creative middle-power diplomacy" to help resolve global challenges and called for "governments and companies of good will" to participate in the nation's proposed global CCS institute (plus audio)

CE Daily trawls through Carbon Disclosure Project responses, released in New York overnight, and looks at how Australian companies are gearing up for the new climate policy regime. Plus, which companies responded – including Boral, AMP and News Corporation – and which didn't – including Nufarm, St George Bank and Fairfax.

The costs of cutting emissions will be greater than expected, according to soon-to-be-released OECD research. Meanwhile, a separate study to be released next month says global nuclear capacity could increase almost four-fold by 2050.

Use climate action fund to help 'price-sensitive' industries, says South Australia

* Allocate 20% of permit revenue to climate fund, says Energetics

* Generators caution on free permits

* Environment Business Australia urges at least 25% cut by 2020

* Trading scheme will 'disempower' voluntary action, efficiency expert warns

* ExxonMobil urges EPBC Act rethink

* Greenpeace lauds 'tipping point' as jury acquits protestors