No, Rush, California Isn't Banning Black Cars

Federal judge rules against carmakers on standards for greenhouse gases

(NEWSER) - Vermont can set its own greenhouse emissions standards to curb gases that contribute to global warming, a federal judge ruled yesterday in a decision that boosts states’ rights. Automakers sued the state after it adopted standards originally made law in California, saying the regulations were impractical and would upend the industry, the Times reports. More»

15 states join fight to limit greenhouse gases from cars and trucks

(NEWSER) - California, joined by 15 other states, filed suit today against the Environmental Protection Agency for rejecting its plan to limit greenhouse gases on cars, trucks, and SUVs. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the Bush administration is "ignoring the will of millions" by ruling that Congress' recent boost in fuel-efficiency standards makes California's own emissions law unnecessary, reports the AP. More»

(NEWSER) - Arnold Schwarzenegger says he'll take the Environmental Protection Agency to court if California doesn’t get a green light for its tough new auto emissions laws within six months. "The clock is ticking. If we don't see quick action from the federal government, we will sue the EPA," Schwarzenegger said yesterday. More»

Researchers now able to distinguish new, old sources of methane

(NEWSER) - There are huge quantities of methane locked in ice sheets around the world, threatening to speed up climate change as they get released in melting ice. But determining which methane is the ancient kind and which is much younger and hails from, say, plant life that has decayed in lakes hasn't been easy—until now. The BBC reports that researchers have been able to ID the former by logging the ratio of different isotopes of carbon found in the methane molecules. Scientists were then able to test some of the 150,000 sites in Alaska and Greenland where methane is seeping into the atmosphere, and found that some are indeed releasing ancient methane. More»

Carbon dioxide emissions take biggest jump on record

(NEWSER) - Carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases continued to build in the atmosphere last year, a federal report finds: Between 2009 and 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s yearly index of greenhouse gases—which measures said gases' combined heating effect—jumped 1.5%, to 1.29. It has climbed 29% since 1990, the Los Angeles Times reports. That number isn't the equivalent to a change in our temperature in degrees, but as it rises, so too does our warming potential, says a NOAA director. More»