BERLIN, Dec 30 (Tierramérica) - With the chance for a global climate change treaty on hold, a tax on greenhouse gases could be an effective alternative for discouraging the activities that create emissions, say economists and environmentalists. Popularity: 32% [?] Read More →

WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (IPS) - As what was supposed to be a breakthrough year for action on climate change comes to a close, one indicator of the disappointment surrounding an anti-climactic outcome in Copenhagen and stalled U.S. Senate legislation can be seen on the European Climate Exchange. Popularity: 33% [?] Read More →

ROME, Dec 26 (IPS) - Lake Chad was bigger than Israel less than 50 years ago. Today its surface area is less than a tenth of its earlier size, amid forecasts the lake could disappear altogether within 20 years. Popularity: 35% [?] Read More →

WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (IPS) - From the Arctic sea ice to the Antarctic interior and the mountainous peaks of Peru, Alaska, and Tibet, ice is melting at an alarming rate. The accelerating loss of ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers is one of the most powerful and striking indicators of a warming climate. Popularity: 40% [?] Read More →

DOE has outlined its plans to establish and fund three new Energy Innovation Hubs over the next five years which will bring multidisciplinary teams of experts together to speed research and deployment of promising energy-related technologies. Popularity: 40% [?] Read More →

Record-breaking snowstorms crippled public transportation over the weekend, particularly in Washington DC, where bus lines were suspended and metro rail limited to underground stations. (WP) Highway work zones lack basic safety regulations, resulting in hundreds of preventable deaths and 11,000 injuries each year. (NYT) High unemployment has precipitated a drop in transit usage. (USA Today) A new 90-minute documentary called “Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City” will look at whether Americans need to rethink how we travel, and debuts in February.... 

BERKELEY, California, Dec 21 (IPS) - As countries failed to reach a substantive climate change pact at Copenhagen last week, action at the subnational level has emerged as one of the likeliest paths toward significant climate action. Popularity: 40% [?] Read More →

NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (IPS) - The world supped on an alphabet soup of acronyms over the nearly two weeks of climate change talks that just ended – UNFCCC, COP-15, IPCC, CDM, LDCF, MEF, CCS. But did any of these filter down to reach the average citizen? Popularity: 40% [?] Read More →

COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 (IPS) - The climate change summit proved to be a “spectacular failure even according to its own terms,” but civil society had “some successes,” such as the inclusion of certain issues on the climate agenda, and making the voice of the South heard loud and clear. Popularity: 39% [?] Read More →

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 19 (IPS) - “In a year’s time, the Japanese archipelago will be completely under water.” This official announcement was made following a violent eruption of Mt. Fuji, as a series of devastating earthquakes shook the country, forcing the world to face the challenge of taking in 110 million refugees within a very short time. Popularity: 37% [?] Read More →

The general manager of DC’s metro system has changed his leadership team and made broader commitments to safety. (WP) Virginia’s transportation board slashed road and transit funds by $893 million before Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell has even taken office. (WTVR) An Illinois Congressman who serves on the House Transportation Committee called for quick action on reauthorization. (Southwest News-Herald) U.S. Pirg’s transportation advocate argues the House jobs bill does too little to lay the groundwork for reform. (HuffPost) And, AC Transit in... 

COPENHAGEN, Dec 18 (IPS/TerraViva**) - Heads of state and government are working fervently Friday to complete an agreement at the climate change summit in Copenhagen, but texts coming out of their midst so far lack details on emissions cuts and long-term funding. Popularity: 29% [?] Read More →

HOUSE JOBS MEASURE PROVIDES NEEDED BOOST FOR INFRASTRUCTURE Changes Needed In Senate to Get Biggest Bang for the Buck WASHINGTON, D.C. – The transportation spending priorities in the jobs bill, set for a vote in the House of Representatives today, will provide much needed short-term funding for our roads, bridges and transit systems that will put Americans to work across the country.  These “stopgap” provisions will save and create jobs, and give states and localities the opportunity to start bringing their crumbling transportation systems back into... 

COPENHAGEN, Dec 18 (IPS/TerraViva) - People living in the Himalayan region are increasingly confronted by rising temperatures and glaciers melting at an unprecedented rate, threatening their very survival. This much the world already knows. Popularity: 22% [?] Read More →

Albuquerque1 Originally uploaded by Transportation for America The new Rail Runner commuter rail service in New Mexico has been hugely popular, drawing new riders and luring former drivers to the service. Monday’s online debate on conservatives and public transportation was billed as a back-and-forth on why the ideological right should embrace public transportation. While differences persisted between our conservative and libertarian panelists about the impact of transit investments, another schism developed over how big a role buses should...