Between the Broadsheets

The government last night moved to tighten its commitment to the 80% reduction of carbon emissions by the year 2050, introducing a safeguard that a limit be placed on reductions achieved by buying international offsetting credits.
During what will probably be the last few days of scrutiny before the climate change bill becomes law, the government made concessions in the House of Commons and the Lords, surprising green campaigners by tabling a further amendment to the energy bill - increasing from three megawatts to five the size of renewable projects that can benefit from its new feed-in tariffs. - The Guardian

Government lawyers have warned ministers that legal challenges could delay its plan for the construction of nuclear power stations and exacerbate potential energy shortages.
The fears are outlined in an internal advice note drawn up by City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), looking at consultation on construction plans and how wider policy changes may affect the programme. - The Guardian

Gazprom, the state-controlled Russian company with the world's biggest natural gas reserves, is to build a pipeline direct to the Georgian enclave of South Ossetia following the war the breakaway region in August - The Financial Times

Electricity generating costs will jump by 40% without a new nuclear power programme, Mike O'Brien, the energy minister, said yesterday in an attempt to win more support for the revival of an industry now led by th French. Mr O'Brien said Britain would be taking an unnecessary gamble on energy security without a nuclear contribution and rejected arguments that renewable energy and other technologies could fill the gap - Daily Telegraph