Germany said it would issue 451.9 million tonne say ear of carbon-dioxide pollution certificates from 2008 to 2 012, 0.3%fewer than allowed by the European Commission. Germany cut its planned emission cap because new power plants will need fewer free C02 permits than previously expected, the DEHST emissions trading unit of the environment ministry said on its website. Germany earlier set aside 11 million tonnes of C02 a year for new power plants and factories, yet permits foronly9.79milliontonnesareneeded. German utilities and energy-intensive industries want installation-level allocations of permits as they prepare for the second phase of the EU's climate control programmed. Some 1,625power plants and factories, new and in operation, will get388.86 million tones of free permitseveryyearthrough2012 according to the plan.

Carbon dioxide has a bearing on food supply. For example, some cereals are specifically adapted to low concentrations of carbon dioxide. Pascal-Antoine Christin and colleagues from the University of

Trees are not very effective as carbon sinks trees may not be the insurance against global warming we all thought they were. Their ability to store carbon dioxide has diminished due to rise in

Planktos, a California company that is trying to turn a profit by fertilizing the ocean with iron dust, canceled planned field tests on Wednesday, citing a lack of funds. At the company's Web site, planktos.com, a notice blamed a "highly effective disinformation campaign' for the cancellation.