China, India Urged To Avoid Obsession With Cars CHINA: April 14, 2008 BOAO - China and other big developing countries such as India need to take steps to avoid being over-reliant on private cars, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning UN climate panel said. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), told Reuters that investing in improving railways and urban public transportation was one way countries such as China could balance the need for fighting climate change with that for economic growth.

Suez Calls For EU Energy Policy, Single Regulator FRANCE: April 14, 2008 PARIS - Suez Chief Executive Gerard Mestrallet called on Friday for a common energy policy and a single regulator in Europe, but said this would probably take time. Mestrallet also reiterated his opposition to plans by the European Commission to separate energy production and transport networks.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has published a report of its efforts to reduce the company's environmental impact in 2007. The report focuses on emissions to air and water, waste management, land stewardship and climate change. The report and a summary of Rio Tinto's CSR strategy can be found on the company's website.

US Congress Should Take Lead On CO2 Rules - Lawmakers US: April 11, 2008 WASHINGTON - The task of writing first-ever rules to limit greenhouse gas emissions should fall to the Congress and not federal regulators, key lawmakers in the House said Thursday. Pressured by a landmark 2007 ruling by the Supreme Court that it must reconsider its refusal to regulate carbon-dioxide emissions from new cars and trucks, the Environmental Protection Agency last month started a long process of writing regulations.

Shipping CO2 Controls To Raise Transport Costs UK: April 11, 2008 LONDON - The world's shipping industry plans to limit its growing carbon dioxide emissions by taxing marine fuels and signing up to a new climate change deal in moves likely to raise transport costs for raw materials. Experts say the measures, aired at an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) meeting on fuel pollutants in London last week and about a year away from being formally agreed, will be painful but are necessary in the fight against climate change.

France, Germany Nearer To Cars CO2 Deal - Diplomats BELGIUM: April 10, 2008 BRUSSELS - France and Germany are making progress on finding a common position over proposed new European Union limits on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars, diplomats said on Wednesday. "There are signs that they are very near to an agreement," one of the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The European Commission, as part of its plans to fight climate change, has proposed legislation to reduce CO2 emissions from cars and steep fines on manufacturers that fail to comply.

Poland Sees Power Prices Surging On EU Carbon Plan NORWAY: April 10, 2008 OSLO - Polish electricity prices could surge 50-70 percent if the European Union goes ahead with plans to force power producers to buy their carbon emission permits from 2013, Environment Minister Maciej Nowicki said on Wednesday. Nowicki said Poland would be particularly hard hit by the rules, proposed in January and contested by Warsaw, because nearly all of its electricity comes from dirty coal and lignite and so its power producers will need a large number of permits.

Next US President Urged To Outline Climate Policy NORWAY: April 10, 2008 OSLO - The next US president should signal a shift in global warming policies before taking office to help a UN meeting in Poland in December take steps to work out a new climate treaty, Poland said on Wednesday. Under President George W. Bush, the United States is the only rich nation opposed to the UN's Kyoto Protocol capping greenhouse gas emissions until 2012. Many nations expect a shift under Bush's successor, whether a Democrat or a Republican.