Six major European oil and gas companies have come together seeking advice from the UN to devise a plan to stop global warming. “In a sign of the rising pressure on fossil fuel companies ahead of a UN meeting in Paris to seal an international climate deal, the chief executives of groups including Royal Dutch Shell and Britain’s BP have sought direct talks with governments on creating a global carbon pricing system.

“We owe it to future generations to seek realistic, workable solutions to the challenge of providing more energy while tackling climate change,” the executives say in a letter to the FT revealing their plan. [FT]

A project to construct the world’s first tidal lagoon for electricity generation off the coast of Swansea has sparked an environmental row on the south coast of Cornwall. “And a second row is brewing, with a Chinese construction group in poll position to win a huge contract to undertake marine works at Swansea Bay, despite key promises by the developers to prioritise local involvement.

The Cornish dispute centres on a project to reopen a quarry at Dean near St Kevergne on the Lizard Peninsula, to source at least 3m tonnes of stone for the Swansea project.” [The Guardian]

New data has revealed wind power is generating roughly 5% of the total power for the United States, and even more in the Midwest where many wind farms are concentrated. “States like Minnesota, Kansas, and Iowa are generating 15 to 30% of their power from wind.

Even with current technology, larger states like Texas and California are nearing 10% of their energy generation from wind. Wind power has fully become a mainstream source of electricity, and should no longer be considered a fringe energy source.”  [USA Today]