Electric v gas guzzlers: Would electric cars really be any better for the environment than our current gas guzzlers? So much of our electricity comes from coal, after all, which isn’t exactly the cleanest source of energy. Might we all be better off simply upgrading to more fuel-efficient vehicles—that is, ditching our Hummers in favor of Toyota Corollas? — Slate

Broken promises: Half of the Victorian Government’s environment promises before the 2006 election have been broken or are at risk of not being delivered, according to a damning report card by leading conservation groups. The analysis — designed to check whether the Government would meet its commitments under new Premier John Brumby — found three pledges had been broken and little or no progress had been made on another 31. — The Age

Shell protest: The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) yesterday blocked the entrance of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Port Harcourt in protest of what they called human and Environmental rights abuses of their people by Shell. The protest which saw about 250 Ogonis protesting in front of the oil giant coincided with the celebration of the United Nations Human Rights Day where they vowed that Shell was not going to return back to Ogoniland. — Allafrica

Half of Amazon gone by 2030: Climate change could speed up the large-scale destruction of the Amazon rainforest and bring the “point of no return” much closer than previously thought, conservationists warned today. Almost 60% of the region’s forests could be wiped out or severely damaged by 2030, as a result of climate change and deforestation, according to a report published today by WWF. — The Guardian