Climate 411

Today’s post is by Derek Walker, deputy director of the State Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

On June 3rd Californians will vote on two competing ballot initiatives that purport to prevent abuse of "eminent domain" – the power of a government to take private property for public use.

But only one of these – Proposition 99, the Homeowners Protection Act – would limit the government’s ability to use eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer.

The other – Proposition 98 – is a deceptive scheme financed by wealthy landlords that would make it easier to evict people from their homes to make way for new developments. Plus Proposition 98 is filled with hidden provisions that would seriously harm the environment.

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This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Ideas for businesses, and hope for everyone concerned about global warming – that’s what you get with our just-published, first annual Innovations Review. This new report highlights innovative processes, products, and technologies in a range of different industries.

Green business practices can drive cost savings and create new markets, giving companies a competitive advantage. But what’s next after the basics, like switching to energy-saving light bulbs and printing double-sided?

Here’s one example that caught my eye – a southern California Web hosting company powered entirely by the Sun.

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This post is by Lisa Moore, Ph.D., a scientist in the Climate and Air program at Environmental Defense Fund.

In IPCC‘s Third Assessment Report (2001), scientists reported that carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane levels were higher than at any time in the past 420,000 years. In their latest report (2007), IPCC scientists raised the number to 650,000 years.

Last week, scientists again revised the number upward. New research shows that CO₂ and methane levels are higher today than they have been in at least 800,000 years.

Here’s how they know.

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This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Operation Climate Vote

This post is part of a series on the work of the Environmental Defense Action Fund to enact an effective climate law. You can help by writing to Congress.

The Senate is set to vote on landmark global warming legislation in early June – just a few short weeks away. Here are our top five reasons why they must act now.

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This post is by Britt Lundgren, an agricultural policy specialist at Environmental Defense Fund.

Last month I posted about the gridlock over the 2008 Farm Bill, and discussed how different programs in the Farm Bill might impact global warming. The conference report (final version of the bill) has now been issued, and Congress is scheduled to vote on it today.

How did it turn out? The final bill includes important new investments in conservation, but doesn’t do enough to expand and improve conservation programs, or reform our antiquated system of farm subsidies.

Here are the details.

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