Obama restates clean energy commitment, omits targets

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Obama restates clean energy commitment, omits targets
Despite failing to enact comprehensive climate legislation, there is no reason the US Congress should not pass a clean energy standard and grant related tax credits, President Barack Obama said during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. More >>>

UK carbon tax could ‘devastate industry’ – MPs
A committee of UK parliamentarians has warned that the government’s planned top-up tax on emissions allowances could have a “devastating effect” on industry. More >>>

Drill, baby, drill
The oil majors are betting big on gas, while throwing some loose change at alternative energy technologies. But they are also banking on energy efficiency extending the life of the internal combustion engine. Jeremy Lovell reports

SEB, Daiwa top environmental bond league table
Sweden’s SEB and Japan’s Daiwa have been the two most active underwriters of environmental bonds issued by multilateral finance institutions, according to a new league table. More >>>

Congress, not EPA, needs to act on emissions – Alexander
Congress should move on legislation to deal with nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and mercury emissions so the US Environmental Protection Agency does not have to devise regulations for these pollutants, a Republican senator said Monday. More >>>

S&P sets out solar securitisation challenges
Securitisation may be a “viable option” for solar photovoltaic developers, says rating agency Standard & Poor’s, but it has set out a list of concerns that are likely to prove daunting to structurers and credit ratings firms. More >>>

Carbon trading goes west
The Western Climate Initiative is finally operational, but with only two of its planned 11 members. Gloria Gonzalez reports on what this means for its carbon market – and on the potential for it to gather both momentum and members once more

Rising tide for Impax water strategy
Environmentally themed investment funds have had a difficult time of late, but Impax Asset Management claims its water strategy has performed better than most. More >>>

Recycling fund delivers 50% return since 2008
A UK recycling fund has reached £100 million ($157 million) in assets and delivered an almost 50% return since its launch in 2008. More >>>

Cellulosic ethanol plant to ditch DOE loan guarantee
A joint venture with Dutch life sciences firm DSM has allowed biofuels producer Poet to eschew a loan guarantee from the US government. More >>>