Climate change meet set to begin work on pact (AFP via Yahoo! News) Gruelling efforts to craft a pact on climate change enter a crucial phase on Monday when a 192-nation UN forum takes its first look at a draft text for negotiations. [News Source]

Another view of climate change. The matter of climate change is being framed not in scientific but in ideological terms. [News Source]

Cap and trade confusion. There was a definite "Alice in Wonderland" quality to Premier Dalton McGuinty's announcement last week that Ontario is moving ahead with a cap-and-trade carbon market, ostensibly to fight global warming. [News Source]

Pollution lightens wallets. Our national energy system is highly inefficient. For every unit of energy that's produced, two units are thrown away -- usually in the form of waste heat that power plants just vent into the atmosphere. [News Source]

Ag is vital to climate policies. Climate change and renewable fuels are leading topics of discussion in local coffee shops, Capitol Hill hearings and international conferences. We can be grateful that North Dakota agriculture is well positioned to play an instrumental role in securing solutions. [News Source]

Canada just doesn’t get it. The aim of Mr. Gore's Climate Change Summit was to provide an update of recent science about climate change, and to reinforce the need for individuals and governments worldwide to take action. [News Source]

Carbon offsets: A small price to pay for efficiency. Carbon offsets, though much maligned, are an excellent idea. If you want to help reduce carbon emissions, consider buying some. [News Source]

Different EPA. Saying that the EPA "is back on the job," Lisa Jackson contended that it was time for the United States to stop wasting energy and start leading in the quest for cleaner power sources. [News Source]

Levee system making strides. Another year of incremental work on the New Orleans region's levee system has reduced the risk of flooding, but experts still advise running for the hills if a significant storm threatens during the hurricane season that opens Monday. [News Source]

City’s sewage to generate electricity. A byproduct of Fayetteville’s sewage will soon become a renewable source of electricity. [News Source]

Gov. Mitch Daniels goes national as voice of GOP. Gov. Mitch Daniels criticized a Democratic climate-change proposal endorsed by President Barack Obama, calling the House's climate bill "a classic example of unwise government." [News Source]