Global warming has been blamed on hampering efforts to fight poverty, according to U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.  The food and oil crises are causing significant hurdles to achieving the 10-year Brussels Programme of Action.  While the U.N. is quick to blame food shortages on rising oil prices, let’s not forget that the great ethanol bust caused rice, corn and wheat prices to skyrocket earlier this year.  So, yes, the U.N. is correct:  climate change has hurt the fight against poverty.  But not in the way they describe.
Read More: www.climate-l.org

In 1991, Norway enacted a punishing carbon tax - $65 per ton of greenhouse gas emitted.  The result?  Carbon emissions have risen 15% since that time.  The country blames the increase on growth but, with gasoline at or near $10 per gallon, it seems no price is too much to pay for personal transportation.  If you think this can’t happen in the United States, think again.  From the article:

Although the tax forced Norway’s oil and gas sector to become among the greenest in the world, soaring energy prices led to …

The editor over at the Chilling Effect website posted a great article yesterday which expounded on a write-up in the LA Times.  There is a growing disconnect between what the American people want and what Democrats think they want.
Remember Barack Obama’s answer to the growing energy crisis?  Properly inflate your tires to save gasoline, he remarked.  What was one of the dominant chants heard at the Republican National Convention?  “Drill, baby, drill!”  The American people are looking for solutions to the energy crisis, not simple-minded tactics that may save a …

Reported yesterday, Harry Reid’s attempt to include a ban of oil shale in a $56 billion economic stimulus package failed today in the US Senate.  The House of Representatives is expecting to consider a similar bill as early as Friday but it, too, is expected to fail as President Bush has already threatened a veto.  Senators not voting on the bill at all include John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Barack Obama (not even voting present!!) and Joe Biden (D-CT), among others.  While the bill had enough votes for a …

Ah those Democrats. They love to be sneaky. Harry Reid is trying to ban whatever he can while everyone else in Congress is desperately trying to save our economy. Oil shale is the apple of Reid’s eye and he hopes to include legislation to ban 800 million to 2 billion barrels of oil from shale refinement in the current appropriations bill or as a separate amendment. So while everyone else is trying to come up with a plan to keep our economy out of a recession …

The Democrats have finally caved into Republican pressure over high gas prices and will let an October ban on offshore drilling expire. The Democrats offered up what some Republicans called a “sham” earlier this month to allow for offshore drilling 50 or more miles off the coast, which would eliminate 90% of the estimated 18 billion barrels of oil expected to be available off the continental shelf.
Read More: news.yahoo.com

(Via American Conservative Daily).  In a bid for the governorship, Republican Roy Brown promises more energy alternatives if elected.  Brown wants to auction off state-owned coal tracts, build new coal-fired power plants and make it easier for oil and gas exploration.  Brown said he would also eliminate the state’s business equipment tax to encourage oil and natural gas drilling.
Read More: www.washingtontimes.com

The Democrats have punted the ball on fourth and inches.  Instead of giving the American people a real shot at energy independence, Pelosi and her posse passed a bill that would open offshore drilling only at 50 or more miles off the coast (where there’s about 3% of oil compared to 97% within 50 miles).  But this is all a moot point now as the bill won’t come up for a vote in the Senate until after the election.
Read More: michellemalkin.com

Al Gore, speaking via satellite at the launch of Live Earth in India, said that it’s time to invest in clean energy to help kickstart the economy and that coal and oil contribute to the debt and financial crisis we’re experiencing today.  I hate to tell you, Al, but when people and corporations don’t have as much discretionary income to spend, the last thing on their mind is how to invest in trivial green energy products.  The added expense of converting entire systems over to clean energy alternatives is only …

The Democrats in the House passed a very poor bill aimed at opening up offshore drilling in an effort to get themselves reelected, umm, lower energy prices for America.  The bill only allows for offshore drilling 50 miles out when most of the oil is much closer to the coastline.  Way to go, Dems!  We won’t forget this in November!
Read More: www.washingtonpost.com
Read More: michellemalkin.com