Environment News

Al Kuwait - The Kuwait National Petroleum Company on Sunday signed contracts worth $12 billion (nine billion euros) with three international consortia to upgrade two refineries and invited bids to build a new multi-billion-dollar refinery.

Pungesti - US energy major Chevron, shielded by barbed wire, under police protection and under fire from egg throwers, is in trouble in Romania with villagers angry at its drive to drill for shale gas.

Pungesti - US energy major Chevron, shielded by barbed wire, under police protection and under fire from egg throwers, is in trouble in Romania with villagers angry at its drive to drill for shale gas.

Berlin - The world has a likely chance of meeting the UN's warming limit of two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) if it cuts annual greenhouse gas emissions 40-70 percent by 2050, especially from energy, a top expert panel said Sunday.

Washington - The top U.S. environmental official will visit Taiwan in the first trip by a cabinet-level leader from Washington to the Chinese-claimed island in 14 years, officials aid Saturday.

- As the sun sets, the cloudy sky melds with the glaring white of the frozen terrain as tourists trudging in single file line marvel over blue glaciers in Antarctica, a hip new vacation destination.

Paris - Global investments in renewable energy slumped 14 percent last year, with China pouring more money into the sector than Europe for the first time on record, the UN said Monday. Investments in renewables apart from hydroelectricity dipped to $214.

California - Cage after cage, oysters destined for a sprinkling of lemon juice and a delighted diner are pulled from the majestic Chesapeake Bay, where 20 years ago they had nearly disappeared.

Port-au-prince - The World Food Program sounded an alarm Friday over arid conditions in northwest Haiti that have worsened an already dire food shortage in this impoverished country.

Oslo - Oil-rich Norway moved Friday to target its huge sovereign wealth fund's investments more closely at boosting green businesses, but environmentalists said the proposals were not strong enough.