BRUSSELS, Feb 24 (Reuters) – The EU forestry and
farming sectors will have to monitor and report from 2013 any
changes to land use that could affect greenhouse gas emissions
as part of the bloc’s measures to curb climate change, under a
draft law seen by Reuters.

The proposal, expected to be published officially next week,
does not go as far as setting firm targets for limiting land-use
change.

BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) – EU nations, under heavy
pressure from Canada, failed on Thursday to agree on a proposal
to label fuel from tar sands as particularly polluting, giving
Ottawa four more months to press its case that the move would
unfairly discriminate against one of its most lucrative exports.

A committee of technical experts was unable to deliver a
decisive vote on the European executive’s proposal to tag oil
sands as more carbon-intensive than other crude sources as part
of its efforts to curb global warming.

BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Years of lobbying over a
draft EU rule that would label fuel from tar sands as dirtier
than that from other oil sources reached an impasse on Thursday,
prompting both opponent Canada and environmentalists to declare
victory.

A committee of technical experts was unable to deliver a
decisive vote either way on the European executive’s proposal to
tag oil sands as carbon intensive as part of its efforts to curb
global warming.

BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Years of fierce lobbying
against draft EU rules that would label fuel from tar sands as
more polluting than from other sources produced a stalemate on
Thursday when a committee of technical experts failed to agree
on the proposal.

The European Union’s executive and environmentalists say the
“dirty” label is necessary to help fuel buyers choose the least
carbon-intensive energy forms and help to curb global warming.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – An EU vote on Thursday on a draft law to label fuel from tar sands as highly polluting is likely to produce a stalemate, EU sources said, marking a draw in a long lobbying tussle between oil giant Canada and environmentalists.

Among those likely to abstain were Britain and the Netherlands, which both have a stake in Royal Dutch Shell, active in oil sands, and the EU’s most powerful member Germany.

LONDON (Reuters) – Only months before the torches blaze at London’s Olympic Games, the limelight at one of the British capital’s well-loved small theatres will go dark.

For nearly two decades, Greenwich Playhouse in the southeast of the capital has been among scores of fringe theatres, that serve as the seedbeds for Britain’s acting talent.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A group of nations opposed to an EU law forcing all airlines to pay for their emissions meets in Moscow this week to debate possible retaliation, raising the risk of a trade war.

From January 1, all airlines using EU airports are obliged to acquire carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The law has triggered international protest from nations including the United States, China and India.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Nations opposing a European Union law that forces all airlines to pay for their carbon emissions will next week debate an array of counter-measures, a draft agenda seen by Reuters on Friday showed, raising the risk of an aviation trade war.

The agenda also refers to the formal dispute procedure under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, although some airline representatives and analysts have said the meeting would be unlikely to decide on whether to invoke that for now.

BRUSSELS, Feb 17 (Reuters) – A meeting in Moscow next
week of nations vehemently opposed to the EU law that forces all
airlines to buy carbon permits will debate a “basket of
counter-measures” to the European Union scheme, a draft agenda
seen by Reuters on Friday showed.

The agenda also refers to the formal dispute procedure under
the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, although
some airline representatives and analysts have said the meeting
would be unlikely to decide on whether to invoke that for now.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European parliamentarians have agreed to compromise wording ahead of a vote this month that is expected to increase pressure on the Commission to remove carbon allowances to prop up prices on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme which have plumbed record lows.

The news helped carbon prices, with the benchmark contract up nearly 4 percent at 8.68 euros per tonne at 1250 GMT.