Environmental demands grow for UN peacekeeping troops. Increasingly -- and controversially -- overburdened peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere find themselves busy doing environmental cleanups, climate change mitigation projects and providing relief from natural disasters on top of their security duties. [News Source]

Climate change fight seen costing $300 billion a year. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming and adapting to impacts such as droughts and rising sea levels are likely to cost about $300 billion a year, the top U.N. climate change official said. [News Source]

Oil lobbyists use town hall tactics to oppose climate bill. The oil industry is helping organize anti-climate bill rallies around the nation. The American Petroleum Institute and other groups opposed to the climate legislation before Congress are funding rallies in 20 states over the August recess. [News Source]

GM says new car is capable of 230 mpg. General Motors announced Tuesday that its forthcoming electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt, will get fuel economy of 230 miles per gallon in city driving, an achievement that both accelerates and befogs the industry's race to produce more efficient cars. [News Source]

Science advisers mull priorities. An elite group of 21 US researchers met publicly for the first time as the new advisory panel to President Obama on scientific and technical matters, but it will take time to know how effective the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology will be. [News Source]

Oregon policies leading U.S. away from ‘oil vulnerability’. Oregon is one of the 10 states doing the most to reduce consumer dependence on oil, and ranks No. 35 among states in per driver spending on gasoline, according to a report published today by the Natural Resources Defense Council. [News Source]

Can corals survive in a warming world? Global warming is a long-term threat to the world's coral reefs. And this summer, the risk to Caribbean corals could be acute. [News Source]

Environmental demands grow for UN peacekeeping troops. Increasingly -- and controversially -- overburdened peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere find themselves busy doing environmental cleanups, climate change mitigation projects and providing relief from natural disasters on top of their security duties. [News Source]

Climate change fight seen costing $300 billion a year. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming and adapting to impacts such as droughts and rising sea levels are likely to cost about $300 billion a year, the top U.N. climate change official said. [News Source]

Oil lobbyists use town hall tactics to oppose climate bill. The oil industry is helping organize anti-climate bill rallies around the nation. The American Petroleum Institute and other groups opposed to the climate legislation before Congress are funding rallies in 20 states over the August recess. [News Source]

GM says new car is capable of 230 mpg. General Motors announced Tuesday that its forthcoming electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt, will get fuel economy of 230 miles per gallon in city driving, an achievement that both accelerates and befogs the industry's race to produce more efficient cars. [News Source]