Most of the focus in the last few years has centered on imposing caps on greenhouse gas emissions to prod energy users to conserve or switch to nonpolluting technologies.

But now, with recent data showing an unexpected rise in global emissions and a decline in energy efficiency, a growing chorus of economists, scientists and students of energy policy are saying that whatever benefits the cap approach yields, it will be too little and come too late.

Read the story here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/weekinreview/06revkin.html 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Shares of solar power companies soared on Friday on optimism that key tax subsidies for the renewable energy sector could be extended by U.S. lawmakers in the coming weeks.

A new bipartisan proposal by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and John Ensign would extend the tax credits, and Wall Street analysts said the measure has a good chance of passing soon because it is not linked to a tax hike for Big Oil.

Read the story here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSN0430341720080404 

JACKSON (AP) — Money from oil and gas field developers in southwest Wyoming has been used to help buy a conservation easement on ranchland to protect sage grouse habitat.

The Conservation Fund announced it has completed a project with partners that will protect 1,042 acres of sage grouse habitat on a ranch southwest of Daniel.

Read the story here:

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2008/04/04/local_news_updates/17local_04-04-08.txt

WASHINGTON – Anything that allows America to continue its dependence on carbon fossil fuels – whether the sprawling tar sands of Canada or the petroleum pools under Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – completely misses the point about shifting to alternative energy sources.

Alternative sources should be real energy alternatives like wind, solar and geothermal power rather than alternative fossil fuel sources that often give off more greenhouse gases than conventional crude oil. Without making that crucial distinction we will continue to stoke the boilers of global warming that are destroying our planet’s all-too fragile environment at an ever-increasing rate.

Read the story here:

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/31/opinion/gazette/34-gazetteopinion.txt 

OTTAWA – The Harper government has rejected a new pledge taken by opposition leaders to endorse a tough international treaty to fight global warming.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, the Bloc Quebecois’ Gilles Duceppe and the NDP’s Jack Layton all signed the pledge to push for a post-Kyoto Protocol climate change agreement that would prevent average global temperatures from rising by more than two degrees Celsius above 19th-century levels “because scientists have shown that, otherwise, the consequences of global warming are likely to be catastrophic.”

Read the story here:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=a18decb6-a686-4d19-9ae2-da17d872b63b&k=39533

CALGARY – Premier Ed Stelmach has been voted Canada’s Fossil Fool of the year by a coalition of environmental groups.

Stelmach earned the dubious distinction for his promotion of the northern Alberta oilsands, refusal to touch the brake on development in the region and releasing a greenhouse gas plan that implements only intensity-based targets.

Read the story here:

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=3155985c-f727-417a-8363-c04008cd4d85&k=23711

Facing members of Congress unhappy about the soaring price of petroleum, executives from five giant oil companies today sought to portray themselves as part of the energy solution and not the energy problem.

But lawmakers seeking a way to deal with rising concern among motorists took aim at the oil companies and the record profits they registered last year amid record oil prices.

Read the story here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040100157.html?hpid=topnews

OTTAWA – The Harper government is being accused of misleading the world about the toughness of its plan to force industry to bury greenhouse gas emissions underground.

Opposition parties and environmental groups say a submission made by Canada to a United Nations climate change conference this week in Bangkok is “deceitful” since it suggests the government is imposing immediate reductions in pollution through the deployment of new technology, when in fact, there are no regulations in place.

Read the story here:

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=f6d9ed61-44ba-411d-bac8-f64655283d61&k=84923

HELENA – The state’s utility consumer advocate and NorthWestern Energy have agreed on a $15 million-a-year rate increase for the company’s electric and natural gas rates – but not everyone believes it’s a good deal.

Starting Monday, the proposed rate hike will be heard before the Public Service Commission, which must decide whether to approve it.

The chief legal advocate for utility consumers, the Montana Consumer Counsel, will argue for approval of the 2 percent increase, saying it benefits both the consumer and the company.

Read the story here:

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/31/news/mtregional/news07.txt