If you live in the American Southwest, 2011 indeed was the year of fire for you. Arizona, New Mexico and Texas all had record fires. The “mega-fires” in these states burned an area larger than New Jersey.

China and Canada (not to mention the U.S.) are making headlines for their COP 17 positions, while many of their citizens have traveled to Durban to seek climate progress.

Could there be hope for progress in the second week of COP 17 climate negotiations? Discussion of a “road map” to future agreements draws discussion as the conference heads into the weekend.

A new “progress report” by a U.S. government agency reiterates that our nation’s investments – including city, state, and private investments – are at risk.

With 10 natural disasters this year that have each cost more than $1 billion, the United States can now make the claim of being home to the most costly damage caused by extreme weather on Earth.

The Nature Conservancy, is involved in a very exciting agreement between the Indonesian and U.S. governments and WWF to inject significant additional investments into forest conservation efforts on the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo.

The worst of Hurricane Irene has now passed, but if we ignore the threat of the climate storm scientists warn us about, the adverse impacts can be expected to last for generations.

Federal budget cuts may jeopardize funding for new public lands that could support bird populations challenged by climate change.

A very cool web series launches Friday – Earth Day – and will include 50 stories for 50 consecutive weekdays on the many ways climate change is impacting fish and wildlife across the 50 states of the U.S.

Stopping EPA from taking action would send a terrible signal to the rest of the world, signaling that the U.S. is backpedaling on climate change, even as China, Brazil and other countries are speeding ahead. This will adversely affect not only the United States’ standing in the world, but our economy.

Some in Congress are threatening to reverse the progress EPA has made in fighting carbon pollution. On Wednesday, the Senate is expected to consider amendments to a small business bill that would handcuff EPA in its ability to make forward progress on climate change.

Ifitweremyhome.com offers some surprising insights into how the United States uses energy and consumes oil in comparison to the rest of the world.

The real race between China and the U.S., the one that really counts, is not one over who develops which technology first. It’s over when, where, and how the two countries choose to work together to combat climate change. The world is watching.

The Nature Conservancy’s China program director Zhang Shuang comments on the carbon pollution and clean energy backdrop to Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington, D.C.

Here’s what’s happening at COP 16 on December 11, the morning of the Cancun Agreement.

Here’s what’s happening at COP 16 on the morning of December 4.

Here’s what’s happening at COP16 on the morning of December 3.

Here’s what’s happening at COP 16 on the morning of December 2.