It’s winter in Vermont, although it’s 40 degrees in Burlington, there’s no snow on the ground and my neighbor, Tom, is moping about the house. He has a new collapsible ice shanty, auger and tip-ups sitting in his basement unused, because the ice on Lake Champlain (what there is of it) is not thick enough to support ice fishing.

Britain and other EU countries worrried about climate change could lose thier ability to impose taxes or restrictions on airlines under a draft treaty between the EU and US which actually curtails the power of national governments.

The treaty which is known as the "Open Skies" agreement, is meant to liberalise aviation. But it includes a clause requiring EU states to reach agreement not only with each other but also the US before taking measures to tackle noise or air pollution from airlines.

So now we have a situation where Europe will have to gain approval from the US to curb air

New shocking research on climate change has been published. The alarming research is not from a pressure group but published by Britain's Environment Agency, and written by scientists from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change.

The study, the first of its kind to examine climate change impacts beyond the end of this century, concluded that over the next millennium temperatures could increase by up to 15°C and seas rise by up to 11.4 metres, with vaste swathes of low-lying areas around the world under water.

The report's dire predictions include:

Global and regional warming could more than quadruple after 2100: Temperatures could rise

More on Kyoto: The environment group, Friends of the Earth has said that Governments who signed up to the Protocol are failing to take the necessary action to ensure that emission targets are met.

According to FoE, emissions data from countries who signed up to Kyoto reveal that many are still failing to bring carbon emissions under control - with emissions in Italy, Canada, and Austria all increasing since 1990. UK emissions are also now rising - putting the UK's Kyoto commitments in jeopardy.

Mike Childs, Head of Campaigns at FoE argues: "The UK likes to claim world leadership on climate change.

For nearly fifty years Shell has been flaring gas in the Niger Delta in vast quantities. The practice is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and a major source of air, noise and light pollution for the people of the Niger Delta. It causes huge resentment amongst the communities who bear the brunt of oil exploration. In a ground-breaking ruling, on 14 November last year a Nigerian Court ordered Shell to stop gas flaring in Iwherekan, in the Niger Delta.

So far, Shell has not done so.

Now Friends of the Earth has set up a website where you can email

Tomorrow is the first Anniversary of the UN Kyoto Protocol taking effect.

A year on the Protocol is fundamentally weakened by the Bush Administration's refusal to sign up to it. However some parts of the agreement are booming - especially carbon trading.

Carbon dioxide is now one of the world's fastest-growing markets, worth as much as 34 billion euros (40.2 billion dollars) annually by the end of this decade, according to some analysts.

"The carbon market is going very well. We've seen tremendous growth this year," argues Henrik Hasselknippe, senior analyst at Point Carbon, a firm that monitors the CO2 pollution business. Much

Whats the US Congress' response to record profits and high gas prices? Why its royalty relief for the oil & gas industry, of course! According to this morning's New York Times, "the government will give up more than $7 billion in payments between now and 2011. The companies are expected to get the largess, known as royalty relief, even though the administration assumes that oil prices will remain above $50 a barrel throughout that period.". Yikes. Separation of Oil & State, anyone?

Under their new leader David Cameron, the Conservatives could be about to radically alter thier energy policy, as their try and improve their "green" credentials. Launching a review of their energy policy today, the shadow Trade and Industry spokesperson, Alan Duncan, has indicated that the party are looking for a greater proportion of energy to come from renewables, such as wind and solar. They are also suggesting that they might drop their historic support for nuclear power.

However, Duncan also suggested there could be "a new lease of life" for fossil fuels, based on clean-coal and carbon-capture technology. What do you

To their admirers, they are the latest must-haves in status, style and chic. To their critics, they are dangerous, polluting and gas guzzling brutes. Known as Chelsea tractors they are urban 4X4s or SUVs. But the news that Londoners are the most likely people in the whole of the UK to buy 4X4s will come as no surprise to people who have watched in horror as more and more off-roaders clog up London’s streets and pollute its air.

A recent survey has found that one in six Londoners who are looking to replace their car this year planned to buy an

The British Environment Agency has calculated that over two million homes are at risk of being flooded, a situation that will get worse because of climate change. "The risk of flooding is ever present, and increasing", says the Environment Agency (EA).

Despite everyone knowing that climate change will make matters worse, developers are still trying to develop on known flood-risk areas. Last year, planning permission was granted for 21 cases of "major developments" in the UK against the advice of the EA.

Barbara Young, the chief executive of the EA, says: "Recent floods, storms and drought have shown how vulnerable we are