greenhouse gas emissions

It’s no secret that the world is warming, but a new report published by the World Wildlife Fund suggests we may not have as much time to mull solutions as we think. If the world doesn’t commit to green technologies by 2014, the report says, runaway global warming and economic meltdown are all but unstoppable.

In an attempt to both strengthen the US's negotiating hand in the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks, and to prod domestic lawmakers into swifter action on lasting legislation, the White House has told the Environmental Protection Agency to move forward with new rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Far sooner than popularly anticipated, the PPX stock GASTRTY was halted and delisted this morning, for a payout of POP$100 per share. The proposition promised a payout if China and the U.S. sign a binding treaty concerning their greenhouse-gas emissions by 2009. Over the weekend, the two nations joined nearly 200 others in a deal to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) over the next 13 years.

Trading at $52.25 at close, the market was (just) predicting correctly. Slight ambiguity in the proposition's wording may have contributed to the lack of optimism—though a dangerous greenhouse gas, HCFCs form just a fraction of the total emissions. Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, makes up over 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and is more likely to be the problem one might expect an international treaty to tackle. Nevertheless, an agreement concerning greenhouse gas emissions was signed by China and the United States, and, with the requirements technically met, the proposition paid out. Be on the lookout for a more expanded proposition on this subject.—Abby Seiff

Living in a New York City apartment on a journalist's budget is one way to rein in your greenhouse gas emissions. But a woman in Olympia, Washington, has it all over our two editors who are vying for green bragging rights. Dee Williams lives in a standalone house, not an apartment. But her house measures only 84 square feet.

The tiny house incorporates recycled materials and cost about $10,000 to build. It has heat, electricity and a composting toilet, but no running water.

Williams says she wanted to reduce her impact on the planet, and didn't feel right about spending a lot of time and money on a house when people in other parts of the world have so little. —Dawn Stover

(Image: The Olympian)

Back in the day, big-time musicians used to regularly get together for all-star jams benefiting good causes like famine relief, AIDS research and ending apartheid. But ever since the problems that afflicted the world in the 80s were magically fixed through the transformative power of mediocre pop songs (thanks for opening our eyes, Bono!), rock stars appear less eager to join forces onstage against the intractable ills of the 21st century. Nowadays, the good work is done through compilation albums.

Enter Rhythms del Mundo (just wondering: why not hispanicize all three titular words?), a high-minded album created to raise money for the green activist organization Artists Project Earth. Although its a bit unclear exactly how the group plans to use the money—the Web site mentions raising public awareness of the need to reduce fossil-fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions—its a refreshing approach to environmental fundraising.

The project features a weird mix of do-gooder artists, including the usual mainstream suspects (Sting, U2, Maroon 5, Jack Johnson), along with bands with more indie cred, like the Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs. All the songs on the album are infused with Latin rhythms inspired by the Buena Vista Social Club, and late, great Social Club members Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo appear on a few tracks. Even Coldplay, the recording industrys answer to unflavored yogurt, gets revitalized with some Cuban flair. Be sure to check out one of the standout tracks, a spiced-up version of Stings Fragile. Get the message? The planet is fragile. Yes, its about as subtle as a cattle prod, but it does sound good. —Doug Cantor

Photo: State of California/ protectingourenvironment.com

Although hes appeared on film in scandalously skimpy attire more often than most bombshell babes, the Governator is apparently no girly-man when it comes to cracking down on polluters. Impatient with federal policies on global warming and greenhouse-gas emissions, Ahnold took his own stance earlier this week by signing a partnership with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to explore cleaner-burning fuels and cut back on industrial carbon dioxide output.

President Bush has declined to implement aggressive policies regulating industrial emissions, preferring to leave the regulation up to individual companies. And although officials at the state and national level insist that Schwarzeneggers move did not sidestep the White House, the California EPA stated that they had not been asked to review the agreement before its signing.

California will not wait for our federal government to take strong action on global warming, Schwarzenegger said, calling it the single most important issue" faced by the world community.

The state was the 12th-largest source of greenhouse gases in the world last year, producing more than some whole countries, so efforts to curb emissions in the Golden State could put a serious dent in pollution worldwide. —Nicole Price Fasig

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Addressing Climate Change
One of the greatest challenges for the 21st century is the increasing
temperature of the planet. In the last century,
the Earth's surface warmed 0.6C. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
estimates that temperatures could rise by between
1.4 and 5.8C by the end of this century. BP's
position on this issue is clear. Greenhouse gas
levels are rising and the balance of scientific
opinion links that rise to the increase in our
planet's surface temperatures. As a major provider
of energy, we believe we have a responsibility to