Mayors find interests in common. Mayors from all over Colorado converged Friday in Aspen to discuss common issues and to draft a resolution on the regional boom in natural gas drilling. [News Source]

Tree rings offer clue to history of hurricanes. Within the annual growth rings of old longleaf pines, scientists are discovering a previously unknown record of hurricane activity in the Southeast. [News Source]

South Africa: wine - climate change. With global warming an everyday item in the news, the protestations of wine producers that their grapes are sourced from "cool climate sites" deserves at least a little interrogation. [News Source]

Bumpy road seen for new Canadian emission rules. Canada's plan to adopt strict auto emission standards similar to California's, which are the toughest in North America, will do nothing more than increase costs to the public, with little environmental benefit, an auto industry group said on Friday. [News Source]

Climate change tops British agenda in speech to UN. Britain's foreign secretary warned at the United Nations on Friday that climate change was a growing threat to international security and the world economy, saying the next 10 years would be crucial. [News Source]

California sues automakers. The state of California is suing the world’s six largest automakers. The lawsuit charges greenhouse gas emissions from cars are responsible for high healthcare costs, pollution, wildfires, and beach erosion. [News Source]

Branson outlines plan to funnel billions into green energy. Richard Branson has promised that the Virgin Group, which he chairs, will invest $3 billion to combat global warming. [News Source]

Small Island nations in the spotlight at the U.N. Some of the world's tiniest and most far-flung nations were front and center Friday at the annual meeting of foreign ministers, espousing causes like climate change, development needs and even fishing practices. [News Source]

Reducing CO2 from the top down. The second annual Clinton Global Initiative brought together world business and political leaders and asked them for a commitment to take action to stop global warming. [News Source]

Wal-Mart to reduce packaging. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Friday announced a five-year program with its suppliers to help reduce overall packaging by 5%, aiming to help keep trash out of landfills and global warming gases out of the atmosphere. [News Source]

Global warming must be top priority for UN, says Beckett. Tackling climate change and averting the threat of rising sea levels, increased droughts and associated famines should become the greatest priority for the United Nations, the Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, said yesterday. [News Source]