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Utah Sen.-elect Mitt Romney signaled he may focus on climate change when he's sworn in in January. In a brief interview with E&E News yesterday, the former Republican presidential nominee said he sees climate change as a "critical area." ....snip Last year, Romney told college students in St. Louis that he was "concerned about the anti-scientific attitude" expressed by some of his Republican colleagues and that he was convinced humanity has played a part in global warming (Climatewire, Oct. 3). "I happen to believe that there is climate change, and I think humans contribute to it in a substantial way,...

Carbon Trading May Dwarf That of Crude Oil If carbon cap-and-trade becomes a reality, get ready for a potential multi-trillion dollar commodities market that could sprout up quickly, but not without growing pains. “I’m estimating carbon markets could be worth $2 trillion in transaction value – money changing hands – within five years of trading (starting),” says Bart Chilton, a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner, who's also chairman of its energy and environmental markets advisory committee. “That would make it the largest physically traded commodity in the US, surpassing even oil.” Chilton's estimate is based on futures activity in...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has boosted his environmental profile by signing global warming agreements with states and foreign governments, most recently one this month with the Australian state of Victoria. Schwarzenegger officials say the agreements are intended to force the federal government to take a more stringent approach to tackling global warming. But some critics note the signings have given Schwarzenegger opportunities for photo-ops with foreign leaders, and Democrats have raised concerns that the Republican governor is using the deals to predispose California to a market-based system in which companies can buy their way out of emissions reductions. Each of the...

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Association of Corporate Counsel: WHAT: The Honorable Al Gore, Jr., 45th Vice President of the United States, will be the keynote speaker at the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel's (ACCA-SoCal) 12th Annual Gala Dinner & Pro Bono Silent Auction. Every year, the chapter hosts the Annual ACCA-SoCal Gala Dinner & Pro Bono Silent Auction to raise funds for deserving non-profit legal assistance organizations. The subject of Climate Change has evolved far beyond a mere matter of general interest. Federal and state legislatures are increasingly focusing on controlling greenhouse gas emissions, compelling energy conservation, promoting...