A day after winning the presidential election last week, George W. Bush made this now-legendary -- and, to some, menacing -- statement: "I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it." Without dwelling on the notion that conservatives are supposed to protect and grow capital, not fritter it away, environmentalists are wondering just where and how President Bush is going to spend his political booty in the natural-resource realm. Leavitt: A man with a plan -- or at least a clear agenda. In much the same way he spent his more limited allowance in …

Massive forest fires may be caused by global warming The massive forest fires that have ravaged the American West in recent years may be caused by global warming, according to a new study in the journal Nature. The Bush administration has argued that the fires are unnatural, caused by overgrown forest ground cover, and more logging, er, "thinning" is needed to prevent them -- thus the Healthy Forests initiative passed last year. But according to the study, such arguments assume that the "Little Ice Age" from around 1350 to the early 20th century, which was characterized by cool, wet conditions, …

Lake Powell is drying up; Glen Canyon is coming back Lake Powell is dropping by a foot every four days, thanks to ongoing drought in the West -- and many enviros couldn't be happier about it. Veteran conservation leader David Brower called the completion of Glen Canyon dam in 1963, and the subsequent drowning of the canyon and its many side canyons to create Lake Powell, the greatest disappointment of his life. Since then, many activists have been arguing, futilely, for the draining of the lake. But what activism hasn't been able to accomplish, Mother Nature is. Since 1999, Lake …

Bush admin opposes recommendations in Arctic climate-change report Last week, details emerged about a comprehensive study on the accelerated and destructive effects of global warming on the Arctic, involving more than 300 scientists from eight nations and six indigenous tribes. Now some members of an eight-nation negotiating team are accusing the U.S. of working to water down recommendations based on the study. U.S. State Department officials have argued that the study doesn't contain enough evidence to warrant specific policy proposals, something several negotiators dispute. Specifically, the Bush administration has fought against a seemingly anodyne passage urging member countries to adopt …

Food web unraveling in Antarctic, thanks to global warming Krill, the shrimp-like crustaceans at the center of the Antarctic food chain, are rapidly disappearing, and scientists suspect global warming may be the culprit. In some key ocean regions, krill have declined by more than 80 percent in the last 25 years, according to a study in today's issue of the journal Science. Numerous Antarctic fauna rely on the thumb-sized critters for a large part of their diet, including whales, seals, penguins, squid, fish, and sea birds. Scientists trace the precipitous drop to a decline in sea ice -- young krill …

Wind farms ignite controversy in Scotland and California A proposal to build the world's biggest on-shore wind farm on Scotland's rugged Isle of Lewis is triggering a pitched battle. Lewis Wind Power, a joint venture between British Energy and construction group AMEC, claims the project would create hundreds of jobs and generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of 1.1 million people, as well as meet 6 percent of the U.K.'s renewable-energy targets. Opponents, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, claim that the farm would damage an environmentally sensitive peat bog and harm wildlife. Meanwhile, in …

The New York Times editorial page took the Bushies to task yesterday for ignoring and distorting science on climate change, echoing accusations made by NASA's top-dog climatologist, Jim Hansen. Speaking in Iowa last week, Hansen castigated the Bush administration for its failure to face up to facts and act, and he "said that he had been instructed by Sean O'Keefe, administrator of [NASA], not to discuss publicly the human contribution to global warming," the Times writes. The editorial continues: [T]his administration has a depressing history of discouraging robust discourse on climate change. ... The net result is that while most …

Unleaded gas making inroads in African countries -- finally Years after leaded gas was given the heave-ho in developed countries, a number of African nations are beginning the process of shifting to unleaded. Leaded gas -- or rather, the lead spewed into the air when it is combusted -- has been shown to lower IQs in children and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in adults. The U.N. and the U.S. EPA, among others, are pushing for the elimination of leaded gas in developing countries, but the process is complicated by several social and economic factors. There is …

Comprehensive new study confirms that global warming is devastating Arctic For the handful of people left in the world who don't yet believe it, a comprehensive new study should remove all doubt that the Arctic is being ravaged by global warming. The four-year study, commissioned by eight nations with Arctic territory (including the U.S.), was conducted by nearly 300 scientists as well as representatives from native communities in the region. It concluded that while global warming will have a few beneficial effects, like a longer growing season, the consequences will be overwhelmingly negative for wildlife and human communities. It also …

Britain's Queen Elizabeth speaks out on global warming In a rare public intervention into politics, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II met with Prime Minister Tony Blair and either -- depending which news reports you believe -- strongly expressed her concern about global warming, or smacked him upside the head for not pushing the U.S. to join Kyoto. While the queen regularly visits Downing Street to discuss politics, it is almost unheard of for the substance of those conversations to become public. It's a leak few believe could be accidental, particularly with the U.S. election fast approaching. The queen will also take …