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In the end the vote was agonisingly close, but Big Oil’s buddies in the Senate fell at the final hurdle in their attempt to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

One step forward - two steps back or two steps forward one step back? It’s been a topsy turvy couple of weeks as far as the climate is concerned. We have had the Republicans gaining control of both sides of the House and Obama pulling a climate rabbit out of the hat with the US-China deal.

The oil industry is in surprisingly bullish mood. As America prepares to go to the polls today in the crucial mid-term elections, Republicans have signalled that, if victorious, they will immediately push to free up exports of gas and oil and pass legislation forcing him to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

Shell has become the latest western company to cease its activities in Russia due to sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine. The oil giant has suspended its operations with its joint venture partner Gazprom Neft to frack Russian shale oil.

Just when fracking was due to take centre stage in Colorado’s November elections, two of the State’s top Democrats have agreed to a compromise deal, which you could argue will leave Colorado’s communities unprotected on the front-line of the fracking boom.

Big Oil has always been a bad, bad loser. And it is therefore no surprise that it has threatened to sue a small coastal city in Maine which on Monday night struck an historical blow against the industry by banning the export of tar sands from its harbour.

As the evidence mounts that fracking is causing chronic air pollution and health problems, American civil society organisations are pressuring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take action.

Today could be the day when the fate of the Keystone XL pipeline could take a decisive turn. Later today the Senate is expected to debate what on the surface is a bipartisan energy efficiency bill, but pro-KXL Senators could try and push through a vote on the controversial pipeline as an amendment to the bill.

Under a clear-blue spring sky, thousands of people joined ranchers and First Nations leaders from the Cowboy and Indian Alliance for a ceremonial procession along the National Mall in Washington DC to protest against the controversial Keystone XL pipeline on Saturday.

It was not a normal day in DC. But then it was Earth Day. But even for a day that celebrates our relationship with our fragile planet, this was something special. It was unique.