World faces hottest year ever, as El Niño combines with global warming (Independent) A combination of global warming and the El Niño weather system is set to make 2007 the warmest year on record with far-reaching consequences for the planet, one of Britain's leading climate experts has warned. [News Source]

Alaska opposes lawsuit aimed at reducing global warming emissions (KTVF Fairbanks) A dozen states are trying to force the federal government to reduce automobile emissions that contribute to global warming, but Alaska is not among them. [News Source]

Climate Experts Search For Answers In The Oceans (Science Daily) By absorbing half of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, the oceans have a profound influence on climate. However, their ability to take up this carbon dioxide might be impaired as a result of climate change. To determine their response to global warming, ESA has backed two projects that provide systematic data on key oceanic variables -- color and temperature. [News Source]

Scientists will now examine the impact of climate change on humans [AP] (Aljazeera) Researchers will try to better understand the Earth's poles in 2007 and the effect of climate change as part of the first "International Polar Year" since the 1950s. [News Source]

Finding a middle ground in the debate on climate change (International Herald Tribune) Moderates warn that "crying doom" over global warming could do more harm than good -- but so can indifference. [News Source]

Hackett Environmentalist Joins Gore In Global Warming Fight (The Morning News) FORT SMITH -- Robert McAfee of Hackett joined forces with Al Gore in the former vice president's initiative to raise awareness about -- and action to slow -- global warming. [News Source]

Alternative energy industry is heating up (BizJournals) Energy will dominate the news again in 2007. With little being done at the federal level to combat climate change, state and local governments are acting to boost clean energy and reduce global warming emissions. California leads the country, having passed landmark legislation in 2006 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. [News Source]