TOP STORY
Up Against the Wall Street
World economic crisis puts climate agreement, CO2 cuts in jeopardy
Worldwide financial turmoil is seriously damaging the chances of the world's biggest polluters agreeing on a new international climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. U.N. officials and climate experts have said for months now that the world needs to agree on, at the very least, specific emission targets for a new climate treaty by 2009 in order to have a decent chance of avoiding the most damaging effects of climate change. However, the 2009 timeline was somewhat ambitious even before the economic crisis blew up, since the United States and China keep using each other as excuses to avoid binding emissions cuts. But now such an agreement is even less likely given the dearth of global capital available to help developing nations fund clean-energy projects and adapt to climate change's effects -- both seen as crucial incentives to draw poorer nations to the negotiating table. The financial chaos is already prompting the European Union to reconsider its own emissions-cutting plans. Officials have hinted they will likely not require the power sector and other heavily polluting industries to purchase permits to pollute -- a major component of the E.U.'s plan to slash emissions 20 percent by 2020.
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sources: Associated Press, Reuters, The Guardian
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TODAY'S NEWS
Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plains
Some Native American tribes see better financial future in wind farms
Some Native American tribes, particularly those on extremely windy reservations, have been pursuing deals lately with wind-power developers, seeing the projects as potentially large and steady sources of income. Overall, Indian reservations are some of the poorest areas in the United States, but federal energy officials and others hope that a boom in wind power projects on Native land will become, like casinos, a big, reliable source of income for areas that sorely need the funds. So far, only one large wind project has been completed on tribal land -- a 50-megawatt wind farm on Campo land near San Diego -- but other farms are on the way. The Lower Brule Sioux tribe recently signed a deal with a Spanish utility for a 225-megawatt wind farm on their reservation land in South Dakota. And another nearby Sioux tribe, the Rosebud Sioux, has already erected one turbine to power its casino and is about to sign a deal with wind developer Distributed Generation Systems to build a 30-megawatt wind farm on 50 acres of their reservation land -- an arrangement that's expected to bring in about $5 million over 20 years.
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source: The New York Times
see also, in Grist: Q&A with Winona LaDuke about wind power on Native land
Going So Yasuni?
No cash yet offered to save Ecuador rainforest as deadline looms
In June 2007, Ecuador offered to avoid oil development in a tract of biodiverse rainforest if other nations and green groups were able to pony up $350 million a year for a decade. Reaction to the pay-to-protect idea was positive, but a twice-bumped-back deadline is coming up in December 2008, and still no funding is in place. The oil field in question lies within Yasuni National Park, home to many endangered flora and fauna, and is officially designated as an "untouchable zone" that is supposed to be a safe haven for reclusive indigenous tribes. Says Huaorani tribe member Penti Baihua, "If the oil companies destroy all of the Yasuni, where will we live?"
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source: The Guardian
Hold Me Closer, Tiny Cancer
Bisphenol A may reduce effectiveness of chemotherapy
Oh, bisphenol A, what can't you do? The ubiquitous chemical, present in polycarbonate plastic and most can linings, may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy, says new research published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Researchers subjected human breast cancer cells to low levels of BPA. "It's actually acting by protecting existing cancer cells from dying in response to anti-cancer drugs," says researcher Nira Ben-Jonathan. As the study authors note, "These data provide considerable support to the accumulating evidence that BPA is hazardous to human health." Other studies have linked BPA to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, behavioral disorders, reproductive problems, and obesity. Lest we need to remind you, a 2003-2004 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found BPA detectable in the urine of 93 percent of the 2,500 participants.
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sources: The New York Times, ScienceDaily, CBC News
For Peat's Sake
Deal reached to halt deforestation on Sumatra
Indonesian authorities have agreed to halt deforestation on the island of Sumatra, which has lost about half of its forest cover to logging since 1985. Conservationists joined Sumatran tigers, orangutans, rhinos, and elephants in applauding the deal, launched at the World Conservation Congress being held this week. Deforestation has increased the impact of flooding and forest fires on the island, not to mention cramping the style of the 200 mammal species and 580 bird species that live there: in one of Sumatra's 10 provinces, the elephant population has dropped 84 percent and the tiger population 70 percent in the last 20 years. In addition, more than 13 percent of the island's trees grow in peat, which stores vast amounts of carbon that would be let loose if the trees were removed.
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sources: Mongabay, BBC News, Bloomberg, World Wildlife Fund
In Brief
Snippets from the news
• International Maritime Organization cracks down on ship pollution.
• "Superworms" can eat toxic waste.
• Could more renewable energy mean lower power prices?
• Defense lawyers threaten to stop Ivory Coast pollution trial.
• Prince Charles skeptical of green buildings.
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GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
Checkout Line: Kibbles and fits
Is organic pet food worth the trouble?
You love your dog, but you love your pocketbook, too. Is organic pet food worth the extra cash? To find an answer to that vexing question, food sleuth Roz Cummins talked to experts, consulted her dog, and scanned the internet. Still unsatisfied, she made the ultimate sacrifice: she personally taste-tested organic kibble vs. byproduct-laden Purina. Her conclusion? Woof.
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new in Checkout Line: Kibbles and fits
The Dispassion of the Chris
Grist takes Columbus Day off to ponder imperialism
"In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." My, how times have changed. For one, the ocean's not so blue. For another, imperialism nowadays ain't a cause for celebration. So with that in mind, here at Grist, we won't be "celebrating" Columbus Day on Monday. Instead, we'll be "observing" it -- basically poking it with a stick and turning it over in morbid fascination. However, we do plan to be a little bit lazy when we come to work that day, so we won't be sending out the Daily Grist. Don't worry though, we'll be back at it again on Tuesday. See you then.
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