TOP STORY

U.S. Foresees a Thinner Cushion of Coal

"Coal provides nearly one-quarter of the total energy consumed in the U.S., and by Mr. Warholic's estimate, the country has enough in the ground to last about 240 years. A belief in this nearly boundless supply has led officials to dub the U.S. the "Saudi Arabia of Coal." But the estimate, recent findings show, may be wildly overconfident." [Wall Street Journal]

RECOMMENDED READING

Up To 34 Reported Killed In Amazon Land Protest

"Indians protesting oil and gas exploration on their lands battled police in Peru's remote Amazon on Friday, with authorities and Indian leaders separately reporting nine police and 25 protester deaths...Indians have been blocking roads, waterways and a state oil pipeline intermittently since April, demanding Peru's government repeal laws they say make it easier for foreign companies to exploit their lands." [Associated Press - NPR]

Yvo de Boer, Global Climate Butler

A profile of Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) "tasked with herding 192 nations toward a do-or-die deal by year's end" and who, "it could be argued, holds the fate of the planet in his hands." [AFP - TerraDaily]

China's Smart Grid Ambitions Could Open Door to US-China Cooperation

"China’s largest electric transmission company has announced an ambitious plan to develop a national smart grid by 2020 that would help utilities and their customers transport and use energy more efficiently. The sheer size of the project raises some intriguing questions. First, about whether China has the capital and technology for such an extensive upgrade. And second, whether the project could provide an opening for U.S.-China cooperation on technological improvements that could benefit both." [SolveClimate]

VIDEO

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard tours the White House organic garden with head chef Sam Kass.  [WhiteHouse.gov]