Australia's liberal party has just elected a climate change skeptic as its new leader, which could prove to be a challenge to its carbon reduction.
"[Newly elected Tony] Abbott has vowed to block the Emissions Trading Scheme in the Senate, where Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Labour Party does not have a majority."
"The ETS, aimed at reducing Australia's carbon emissions by up to 25% below 2000 levels by 2020, is the centrepiece of the government's environmental strategy."
"Mr Rudd's immediate hopes of passing the bill before the Copenhagen summit now rest on the possibility of some opposition lawmakers rebelling and voting with the government."
FULL STORY: Australia opposition deals climate law blow

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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