Here are today’s environmental news headlines…

Pope Benedict Preaches Environmental Protection at World Youth Day

“Pope Benedict XVI opened the official portion of his first visit to Australia today by reminding everyone at the Government House welcoming ceremony of “the need to protect the environment.”…”

Global Forest Survey Aims to Stem Deforestation

“A global remote sensing survey of the Earth’s forests is being conducted by the United Nations to enhance knowledge of land use change, including deforestation, reforestation and the natural expansion of forests….”

OECD: Biofuels Ineffective at Curbing Global Warming

“Government financial support of biofuel production in the world’s wealthiest countries is costly, has a limited impact on reducing greenhouse gases and improving energy security, and raises world crop prices, finds a new study of policies to promote greater production and use of biofuels in OECD countries….”

Hydrogen Cars Will Need Multi-Billion Dollar Jumpstart, Experts Warn 

“It will take massive subsidies from the U.S. government to make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a significant part of the nation’s transportation future, according to a National Research Council report released Thursday. The study finds that even under a best-case scenario only about two million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be on American roads by 2020, less than one percent of the nation’s estimated total number of cars and trucks….”