Santa Cruz County wind turbine presents conundrum for state regulators. The state Coastal Commission encourages California's seaside communities to embrace clean energy -- with a caveat. It has to look good. [News Source]

Mass. joins program to cut tailpipe emissions. Massachusetts is among 11 eastern states that agreed yesterday to develop a plan by 2011 for a regional program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle fuels. [News Source]

Preserving the world’s tropical forests. Climate policy will create both disincentives and incentives for tropical deforestation: disincentives if the carbon emissions from forest clearing are priced and incentives as a price on carbon will increase the demand for carbon-neutral energy sources. [News Source]

What happened in Copenhagen? Part II. The achievement was a result of joint efforts by all the participating countries other than out of the will of one or two countries. [News Source]

Clashing over the climate. At the end of the Copenhagen climate talks that continued for about two weeks, developing nations seemed relatively satisfied with the final outcome, but not all of them. Those from Africa and small island nations declared it was nothing but another empty promise. [News Source]

Despite summit setback, UN canvasses emissions curb. Although a deal on aviation and maritime fuel emissions was not reached at this month's climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, the United Nations through its aviation agency is pushing on its aggressive plan of action to curb global warming greenhouse gases. [News Source]

Blow to Sarkozy as carbon tax halted at 11th hour. Nicolas Sarkozy's government was scrambling to salvage its flagship carbon tax yesterday after the French constitutional council struck down the measure just two days before it was due to come into force. [News Source]

Ruling blocks carbon tax in France. The French Constitutional Council has rejected a tax on carbon emissions strongly backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy that was to take effect Friday. But his ruling conservative party said the measure would be redrafted so it could be passed into law next year. [News Source]

Sarkozy rushes to revive carbon tax. French ministers scrambled on Wednesday to rescue a carbon tax aimed at cutting energy consumption, which was annulled by the Constitutional Court just 48 hours before it was due to come into force. [News Source]

Humiliation for green convert Sarkozy as carbon tax ruled unconstitutional. Nicolas Sarkozy's dreams of putting France on the frontline of the fight against global warming were in disarray today, after his flagship carbon tax was ruled unconstitutional two days before it was due to come into effect. [News Source]

Kashmir’s houseboats in decline. If it does not clean up its act the courts have threatened to close down the houseboats, which have entertained visitors since British times. [News Source]