Economics

Lawyers, not engineers, to dominate work on carbon storage in 2010

[Pembina endorses the concept of carbon capture and sequestration at the end]

By Bob Weber (CP)
December 26 2009

EDMONTON — Before you start putting carbon in the ground, you first have to put lawyers in a room.

After a year that saw billions of dollars in public funds sprayed around a variety of carbon capture and storage pilot projects, the focus in 2010 will shift from splashy press conferences to quiet boardrooms where officials will work out exactly how all that money will be spent.

Chinese oilsands takeover bid under review

Investment law says big deals must represent 'net benefit' for Canada

By Andrew Mayeda, Canwest News Service
December 19, 2009

The Harper government is quietly reviewing the $1.9-billion investment by a state-owned Chinese oil company in two oilsands projects, more than a month after the deal was originally supposed to close.

December 23, 2009
Statoil Committed To Canada's Oilsands

By: Lynda Harrison

Statoil Canada Ltd. has a new Canadian president who says this country's oilsands represent a key part of the company's global strategy and his company is committed to developing them in a manner that balances social, economic and environmental concerns.

Alberta oilsands comeback predicted to fuel economic growth

By MARKUS ERMISCH, QMI AGENCY
Last Updated: 24th December 2009

Following a sharp economic contraction this year, Alberta's economy is forecast to be one of Canada's fastest growing provinces in 2010.

Scotiabank economist Alex Koustas predicts that in 2010, the energy province's GDP will grow by 2.9% after shrinking 2.6% this year.

Only B.C., at 3%, is forecast to grow at a faster rate.

On Saturday, December 19th, eco-activist Ingmar Lee unfurled a banner
high atop the flagpole at BC's legislature in an effort to draw
attention to the planned pipeline that will ship dirty oil from
Alberta, through the precious Great Bear Rainforest, to Kitimat BC
where it'll be processed and transported along our ragged coast by
supertankers for export. Remember the Exxon Valdez?

Ingmar tells his story here:
http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/5232-climbing-the-pole-for-forest...

CHEK TV'S video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YqRnHeCud4

Copenhagen: Obama Guts Progressive Values

— By Bill McKibben
| Fri Dec. 18, 2009

The President of the United States did several things in his agreement today with China, India, and South Africa:

"The city of Copenhagen is a crime scene tonight, with the guilty men and women fleeing to the airport." Don't feel too dirty partyers. Be sure to buy indulgences and see you when you fly in to the party at Whistler

Low targets, goals dropped: Copenhagen ends in failure

Deal thrashed out at talks damned as climate change denial in action
* http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/18/copenhagen-deal
* John Vidal, Jonathan Watts and Suzanne Goldenberg in Copenhagen
* guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 December 2009 00.47 GMT

* The Moment Of Truth*
*By Fidel Castro*

18 December, 2009

The news from the Danish capital gives a picture of chaos. After planning a conference with about 40 thousand people in attendance, the hosts find it impossible to honor their promise. Evo, the first of the two presidents of ALBA-member countries to arrive, stated some truths derived from the millennium-old culture of his people.

Tories mulled weaker oil-gas emission targets: documents
last Updated: Monday, December 14, 2009
CBC News

The Conservative government has considered abandoning some of the greenhouse gas reduction goals set out in its 2007 green plan and allowing weaker targets for the oil and gas sector, documents obtained by CBC News suggest.

The proposal raises questions on how the Tories could cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 — a target they insist they can reach — while weakening the targets in the oil and gas sector.

Scientists Sound Biomass Alarm; Is Copenhagen Listening?

Monday 14 December 2009

by: Joshua Frank, t r u t h o u t | News Analysis

Current climate legislation and the Kyoto Protocol are undermining the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Or so contends a cautionary article that appeared in October's peer-reviewed journal of Science.