Environ News

The Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Act, introduced in the US House by Representatives Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and John Shimkus (R-IL) last week, would extend ethanol tax credits for another five years. However, backers of ethanol face an uphill battle, as the proposal has both reignited the fuel versus food debate and intensified scrutiny of the EPA’s regulations on the environmental impact of corn-based ethanol. Source: Clean Skies News

A U.S. proposal to ban the trade of polar bear products was defeated at a UN meeting in Qatar. “This conference has been a disaster for conservation,” fumed Greenpeace’s Oliver Knowles. “Country after country has come out at this meeting arguing for business as usual and continued trade in wildlife species that are already devastated by human activity.” Source: CBC

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Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Fuji Heavy Industries and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) have formally established the CHAdeMO Association, with these five companies as its executive members. The association aims to increase quick-charger installations worldwide to encourage the spread of electric vehicles and to standardize how to charge these vehicles. Electric vehicles (including Plug In Hybrid electric vehicles) can contribute enormously to reduction of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector. “CHAdeMO” is an abbreviation of “CHArge de MOve”, equivalent to “charge for moving”, and is a pun for “O cha demo ikaga desuka” in Japanese, meaning “Let’s have a tea while charging” in English. Source: CNET News

At the opening of its new Media Lab, MIT showed off its Smart Cities project, which comprises green urban transportation work. The project vehicles include an urban car and a compact powered wheel for existing bicycles. Source: IDG

In rural China, a Sichuan village is pioneering a biogas project that authorities hope will help reduce the country’s soaring CO2 emissions and ease the region’s chronic smog problem. Source: Reuters