Appeals court to decide future of California carbon auctions

Businesses looking to invalidate California’s fee for carbon pollution take their arguments to a state appeals court Tuesday in a case that could determine the future of one of California’s signature efforts to combat climate change. With a central piece of Gov. Jerry Brown’s legacy on the line, lawyers for the state and for environmental advocacy groups will defend a program that has been closely watched around the world as a potential model for controlling carbon emissions.

China Turns to $503 Billion Rail Expansion to Boost Growth

China plans to spend 3.5 trillion yuan to expand its railway system by 2020 as it turns to investments in infrastructure to bolster growth and improve connectivity across the country. The high-speed rail network will span more than 30,000 kilometers under the proposal, according to details released at a State Council Information Office briefing in Beijing Thursday.