Climate blogs and news roundup: EPA Hearing and Green Jobs

Last week, the EPA rally in Seattle made the news all over the Northwest and across the nation: Relive it here.

Do you ever wonder what the opposition is doing to keep things the way they are? So polluters keep polluting while the oil industry makes record profits? This Roll Call story fills you in on the campaign to stop the clean energy bill.

We love jobs. We love green jobs. We love new jobs. We love clean jobs. In this Washington Post article, the Obama administration announces money for green jobs and training.

Obama has argued that putting an environmental focus on the economy-reducing dependence on foreign fuel, developing domestic energy alternatives and addressing climate change can help pull the U.S. out of its worst downturn since the Depression.

How could we possibly lead in the 21st century without a fundamental change in our energy policy?" Biden said Tuesday.

"It necessitates the jobs that will get us there," he added. "Green jobs are good jobs."

More good news from the world of business. This last week, several large firms agreed that carbon emissions must be cut. 500 business leaders issued a call to halve greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Some speakers in Copenhagen said the Obama administration's position on climate change had strengthened chances of a global deal at a U.N. gathering in December...

The global economic crisis also is helping, because many countries, including the U.S., are pouring money into renewables and other low-carbon technologies as part of their stimulus packages.

Just in case you missed it: Obama talked energy this week. Kate Galbraith reports:

Speaking at Nellis Air Force base in Nevada, home to the nation’s largest solar electric installation, President Obama hailed the accomplishments of the economic stimulus package on Wednesday, placing special emphasis on clean energy.

'Already, we’ve made more progress on this front in the last four months than we have in the last three decades,' Mr. Obama said, pointing to his administration’s move last week to tighten fuel-efficiency standards."

Next week, we expect the news and blogosphere to look more closely at H.R. 2454, green jobs, clean energy and the economy. Did we mention we love green jobs? We're not alone. The EPA'S Lisa Jackson says in recent Huffington Post item that the United States should take the lead on clean energy technologies:

We have to get in the race now and win it. I don't expect a moving backwards because of recession.