"BOSTON -- A group of animal rights activists sued the U.S. government Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of a rarely used law they say treats them like terrorists if they cause a loss in profits for businesses that use or sell animal products."

"China has further revised up its solar power development target for 2015 by 50 percent from its previous plan, state media reported on Thursday."

"Three advocacy groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency last week over concerns that regulations for paper mills emissions are 25 years out of date."

"Greenpeace, the Center for Biological Diversity and Port Townsend AirWatchers filed suit on Dec. 6 under a clause of the Clean Air Act that allows citizens to hold the EPA accountable for carrying out the provisions of the act.

"Owners of thousands of U.S. homes tainted with foul-smelling Chinese drywall agreed to a legal settlement on Thursday with a German manufacturer."

"WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [Wednesday] issued a rule making greener refrigeration gases legal in household refrigerators and some commercial freezers."

"SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Jerry Brown railed Thursday against politicians who doubt climate change, calling them 'political lemmings' and the chief obstacle in the fight against global warming."

"Police officers investigating the theft of thousands of private emails between climate scientists from a University of East Anglia server in 2009 have seized computer equipment belonging to a web content editor based at the University of Leeds.

"The Environmental Protection Agency is expected Friday to approve a tough new rule to limit emissions of mercury, arsenic and other toxic substances from the country's power plants, according to people with knowledge of the new standard."

"The Institute of Medicine report stops short of asking the federal government to retire all the animals, saying future unseen threats to human health may require their use."

"The shutdown-averting budget bill will block federal light bulb efficiency standards, giving a win to House Republicans fighting the so-called ban on incandescent light bulbs."