Weekly roundup 12/23/10: Season's Greetings

Many of you have already started the trek home to loved ones, but here at 1Sky we still wanted to wish you very happy holiday and a wonderful New Year! Here are a few of the highlights from this week to tide you over until 2011.

WikiLeaks, climate and the Dalai Lama

A few months before the COP15 Copenhagen climate talks last year, WikiLeaks hackers launched an attack to try to gain control of the Department of State computers. Though the breech didn't grant them the complete control they wished for, they did stumble upon a tidbit from the Dalai Lama. The New York Times explains,

The international community should focus on environmental problems like climate change, the Dalai Lama told U.S. diplomats last year. Melting glaciers, deforestation and polluted water from mining projects were problems that 'cannot wait,' while Tibetans can wait 5 to 10 years for a political solution, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader told Timothy Roemer, the United States ambassador to India, in a secret cable obtained by the Web site Wikileaks."

Renewable Energy, Extended

The government grant program covering up to 30% of costs for renewable energy projects was set to expire on Decemeber 31, 2010. With the new tax bill signed into law, the grant program has won another year of life. Solar, wind, and geothermal industries breathe a sigh of relief as they now have more time to gather investors, grow, and create more jobs. This comes just in time, as news poured in over the past week about renewable energy growth:

• Cost of U.S. Solar PV Systems Declining
• U.S. Renewable Energy Grew 16.8% YTD in 2010
• Study: Wind could be 24 pct. of New England power

Getting Energized

While Senator John Rockefeller (R-WV) dropped the push for a vote on his bill to suspend EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, he's made it clear that will have no bearing on his efforts in 2011. When he made a push earlier in the year, Rockefeller's bill sunk in the Senate, but may see new light on January 5th when the Republicans take control of the House of Representatives and hold more seats in the Senate. In return, President Obama announced plans to "immediately engage with Republicans" next year in hopes of passing an energy bill. He admitted though that he is still trying to "figure out" how to strike an energy deal.

Fox News Follow Up

After Media Matters posted an email from a Fox News editor directing his staff to spread climate skepticism , USA Today reports that recent study by University of Maryland results reveal

Fox News viewers were 'significantly more likely' to believe falsehoods about the economy, political votes and climate science. "

The survey goes on to say that,

"Among non-viewers, 82% believed that the Earth's temperature has been rising. Among frequent Fox News viewers, only 63% agreed."

It seems Fox News is getting just what they'd like but they wouldn't reply to USA Today for a comment on the survey results.