Green light signals long haul to change: Are US politicians suddenly so convinced of the threat of global warming that they are prepared to do something about it? No: probably not for years, for all the talk. President Bush’s decision to refer to climate change and energy security in his State of the Union address last night shows that it is on the political map; so, more emphatically, do the congressional measures on the theme. Times Online

Waterbird species in decline: Nearly half of the world’s waterbird species are in decline, mostly due to rapid economic development and the effects of climate change, according to a global survey released Tuesday. Forbes

$45.4m World Bank grant for India’s coal industry: The world’s biggest fund for environmental projects is investing for the first time in a non-renewable, polluting fuel – coal – in what it says is a new pragmatic approach to the energy needs of the developing world. Reuters

New threat to Big Easy: global warming: The Army Corps of Engineers is rebuilding a stronger levee system in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. But scientists now see something more dangerous than seasonal hurricanes: global warming. CBS News

Pregnant polar bears shift from ice to land: More pregnant polar bears in Alaska are digging snow dens on land instead of sea ice, according to a federal study, and researchers say deteriorating sea ice due to climate warming is the likely reason. Summit Daily