"With the bruising health care debate over, President Obama's top economic adviser left little doubt last week that energy and climate has taken its place atop the administration's agenda."
 

A document accidentally disclosed the Obama administration's strategy for the upcoming Cancun climate talks: bypass traditional news media, manage expectations, and present the Copenhagen Accord as an all-or-nothing, take-it-or-leave-it text.

"About 175 nations agreed a plan Sunday to salvage climate talks after the Copenhagen summit but the U.N.'s top climate official predicted a full new treaty was out of reach for 2010."

"Almost 90 percent of Austrian glaciers  shrank in 2009, some by as much as 46 metres (150 feet), the Austrian Alpine Association (OeAV) said Friday."

"The first round of UN climate talks since December's bitter Copenhagen summit opens in Bonn on Friday with the future of the process uncertain."

"The World Bank approved a controversial $3.75 billion loan to build one of the world's largest coal plants in South Africa yesterday, defying international protests and sharp criticism from the Obama administration that the project would fuel climate change."

In a major feature in the New York Times Magazine, Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman examines claims that controlling climate change will damage the economy.

"The United States will host a meeting of major economies on April 18-19 in Washington to advance talks on a global deal to fight climate change, the top U.S. climate negotiator said on Wednesday."

"Nitrous oxide stemming from thawing permafrost poses a more serious global warming threat than previously realized, according to a new study published Sunday in the journal Nature Geoscience."

"The Environmental Protection Agency is exploring whether to use the Clean Water Act to control greenhouse gas emissions, which are turning the oceans acidic at a rate that's alarmed some scientists."

President Obama does not appear to have won many GOP votes for climate change legislation with his offshore drilling plan. In fact, he may have lost as many votes as he may have gained. And the chief beneficiary of the drilling plan -- the oil and gas industry -- is running ads against a climate bill.

"Consumers will pay more for cars upfront but may save money in the long term under new rules finalized Thursday by the Obama administration that will increase fuel efficiency and for the first time set greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and light trucks."

"The European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 satellite will measure the effects of climate change on the size and thickness of the polar caps."

"President Obama's top aides huddled [Wednesday] with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democratic committee leaders to map out a strategy for cobbling together 60 votes on a comprehensive energy and climate change bill once lawmakers return next month from their spring break."

"A 24 hour-long wave of darkness will sweep around the globe as people and corporations turn out the lights from 8:30 to 9:30 pm local time on Saturday, March 27 to mark Earth Hour - sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund to promote effective climate change action."