U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide related to energy use fell 2.8 percent last year, driven down by high oil prices and the sagging economy -- the steepest drop since 1982.

An MIT study published in a major science journal predicts that global warming will be twice as severe as previous estimates.

In the House climate bill, "consumers would receive around $750 billion in direct and indirect handouts and subsidies through 2030 to offset the higher energy costs."

"A climate change bill working its way through Congress this week has been packed with amendments aimed at giving the coal industry a chance to survive if technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions is eventually perfected and deployed."

The House Energy Committe amended its climate bill to include a "Clean Energy Deployment Administration" within the Energy Department that would fund new nuclear plants as well as renewables.

The House Energy Committee begins markup on the Democrats' climate change bill today.

In Alaska, some land is rising as it is relieved of the weight of glaciers melted by climate change.

"America's future climate law began working its way through Congress this week, rewritten with new details and changes that were negotiated to give the coal industry generous incentives. Environmental groups are going along, believing the weakened bill is still the best hope for action on climate."

This week begins a showdown on climate legislation in the House Energy Committee. The Democrats have votes to pass it -- but at what price?

"A new analysis halves longstanding projections of how much sea levels could rise if Antarctica's massive western ice sheets fully disintegrated as a result of global warming."

"Dust storms accelerated by a warming climate have covered the Rocky Mountains with dirt whose heat-trapping properties have caused snowpacks to melt weeks earlier than normal, worrying officials in Colorado about drastic water shortages by late summer."

Marathon negotiations seem to have produced a deal on key points of climate-and-energy legislation among House Democrats. Energy Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) announced late Tuesday that he though he had enough votes to pass the compromise. It reportedly gives away about half of the CO2 credits to utilities and other heavy industry -- instead of auctioning them.

"The Obama administration said Friday that it would retain a wildlife rule issued in the last days of the Bush administration that says the government cannot invoke the Endangered Species Act to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases threatening the polar bear and its habitat."

"President Barack Obama's $3.55 trillion budget, released on Thursday, retains his plan to cut climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions by auctioning off 100 percent of emission permits to industries."

"OSLO -- A proposed U.N. study of climate extremes will be a practical guide for tackling natural disasters and fill a gap in past reports focused on the gradual effects of global warming, experts said.