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Al Gore nominated for Peace Prize

By TIMES WIRES
Published February 2, 2007

Former Vice President Al Gore was nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to draw the world's attention to the dangers of global warming, a Norwegian lawmaker said Thursday. "A prerequisite for winning the Nobel Peace Prize is making a difference, and Al Gore has made a difference," said Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, a former minister of environment. Brende said he joined political opponent Heidi Soerensen of the Socialist Left Party to nominate Gore as well as Canadian Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier before the deadline expired Thursday. The winner is announced in mid October.

Swedish CEO says he has solution

As world leaders search for ways to curb the emission of greenhouse gases, Lars G. Josefsson says he has already found the solution. The chief executive of Swedish energy company Vattenfall AB has launched a plan for how industries can curb climate change - a program for a global carbon trading scheme that would cap greenhouse emissions and allow companies to trade permits. Josefsson's plan, Combat Climate Change, or 3C, has quickly been endorsed by leading politicians, climate researchers and - somewhat surprisingly - some of the world's largest companies. His idea: In 2013, the Kyoto Protocol and Europe's emissions trading program should be replaced, with caps for each country based on its gross domestic product. Plans have been posted on the Web sites of 3C (www.combatclimatechange.org) and Vattenfall (www.vattenfall.com/climate).

Chirac says U.S. could be taxed

The United States could face European carbon taxes on its exports if it does not sign global climate accords, French President Jacques Chirac was quoted as saying in New York Times interview Thursday. "A carbon tax is inevitable," he said. France has pushed in the past for a carbon tax on goods from countries that refuse to sign the Kyoto accord, meant mainly to target the United States and China. Some lawyers say it would violate international trade rules.

Calif. keeps up suit against automakers

California's new attorney general is reaching out to automakers as he continues a federal lawsuit that seeks millions of dollars for the greenhouse gases produced by their vehicles. Attorney General Jerry Brown sent a letter Wednesday to attorneys for the six major automakers California is suing, asking to meet personally with the chief executives of General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan. The suit, filed in September, marked the first time a state has sought damages for the effects caused by gases emitted by cars and trucks.

[Last modified February 2, 2007, 01:35:51]