URL: http://www.newsdaily.com/TopNews/UPI-1-20080211-08060300-bc-iraq-looting.xml 

BASRA, Iraq, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Iraqi government has accused neighboring Iran of taking over more than 15 oil wells on the Iraq-Iran border.

Inadequate security permit militia groups in the south -- allegedly backed by neighboring countries -- to loot the region's riches, particularly along the borders, the Alsumaria Iraqi satellite network reported Monday.

A U.S. report estimated oil smugglers pocketed yearly revenues of nearly $4 billion, equal to some developing states' budgets, the network reported.

Observers said recent clashes between security forces and al-Yamani groups in Basra and Nasiriyah were attempts to demonstrate that Iraqis weren't capable of taking over their country's security, among other things.

Evidence of Iran's involvement include Iranian-made grenades, explosives and anti-armor missiles, Alsumaria reported. Also, Tehran was accused of being behind the assassination of two southern governors last August.

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2008) — Turning native ecosystems into "farms" for biofuel crops causes major carbon emissions that worsen the global warming that biofuels are meant to mitigate, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota and the Nature Conservancy.

The carbon lost by converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands outweighs the carbon savings from biofuels. Such conversions for corn or sugarcane (ethanol), or palms or soybeans (biodiesel) release 17 to 420 times more carbon than the annual savings from replacing fossil fuels, the researchers said. The carbon, which is stored in the original plants and soil, is released as carbon dioxide, a process that may take decades. This "carbon debt" must be paid before the biofuels produced on the land can begin to lower greenhouse gas levels and ameliorate global warming.

The conversion of peatlands for palm oil plantations in Indonesia ran up the greatest carbon debt, one that would require 423 years to pay off. The next worst case was the production of soybeans in the Amazon, which would not "pay for itself" in renewable soy biodiesel for 319 years.

"We don't have proper incentives in place because landowners are rewarded for producing palm oil and other products but not rewarded for carbon management," said University of Minnesota Applied Economics professor Stephen Polasky, an author of the study. "This creates incentives for excessive land clearing and can result in large increases in carbon emissions.

"This research examines the conversion of land for biofuels and asks the question 'Is it worth it?'," said lead author Joe Fargione, a scientist for The Nature Conservancy. "And surprisingly, the answer is no."

For the full article, please visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207140809.htm \\

Date: February 10, 2008

URL: http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/30906 

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and Russia have agreed to start talks on fighting globalwarming, including possible greenhouse gas emissions trading that would help Tokyo to meet its goals under the Kyoto Protocol, media said on Sunday.

Japan is the world's fifth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, and while officials have pledged to meet its obligations under the international pact to fight global warming, critics say this may be difficult.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Russian First Deputy Premier Sergei Ivanov agreed in a meeting on the sidelines of a Munich conference that the first round of vice-ministerial talks on the issue would be held on February 27 in Tokyo, Japanese officials were quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying.

Separately, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said the talks aimed at reaching a deal under which Japan would buy surplus emissions quotas from Russia, a key step towards helping Tokyo meet its Kyoto goals.

The trading could take place under several options possible under the Kyoto Protocol, including one in which Japan -- one of the world's most energy-efficient nations -- takes part in work to reduce Russian emissions and then is allowed to count that cut as its own, the Yomiuri added.

Officials at the Environment and Foreign Ministries were not available for comment.

Japan has pledged to cut emissions by 6 percent from 1990 levels over the 2008-2012 period.

A government panel said in December that Japan would be able to reach its goals if additional measures, such as extra voluntary agreements with industries, are carried out.

The United States, China, India and Russia all emit more greenhouse gases than Japan, but of the top five emitting nations, only Japan is under pressure to meet a Kyoto goal.

(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Alex Richardson)