Energy & Environment: Countries Unveil Emissions Plans Ahead Of Copenhagen

• "With less than three weeks remaining before negotiators gather in Copenhagen to hammer out a global response to climate change, a rapid-fire succession of countries are unveiling national plans that serve as opening bids for reining in heat-trapping emissions," the New York Times reports. Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, "seized on the latest pledges to take aim at the United States, which has not yet played its hand."

• "A Senate panel on Thursday battled over whether the country could expand oil and gas drilling in coastal waters without damaging the environment, spotlighting one of the big fights over climate legislation," the Wall Street Journal reports.

• "Senate Democratic leaders are resting their hopes for bipartisan climate change legislation on the unlikely partnership of Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)," The Hill reports. "The revelation this fall that the two lawmakers shared a strong bond and a commitment to work together on one of the biggest policy issues facing Congress shocked many of their Senate colleagues."