Nuclear and climate news over the past week

How good it would be to be able to ignore Donald Trump! But he sees to it that this is pretty much impossible, in any current affairs media. On the nuclear scene, many worry a lot:

• about his choice of  Steve Bannon on the National Security Council – “Unsupervised by people who know what they’re doing. Trump and Bannon could bring the world closer to a nuclear holocaust.“
•  Pentagon urges Trump to expand nuclear weapons, ready for “limited” atomic war.
• Thanks to Trump’s comments on climate change and nuclear arms we are once again close to nuclear war. 
• USA intelligence agencies to study whether the Russian and Chinese leadership could survive a nuclear attack
• Dangerous steps by Russia and Trump on nuclear arms control

Meanwhile the global nuclear industry is in financial crisis.  And Fukushima nuclear reactor radiation at highest level since 2011 meltdown.

Trump is having his impact on climate change news and action, too.

Joint Statements on Climate Change from National Academies of Science Around the World.

AUSTRALIA

CLIMATE. Well, Prime Minister Turnbull and Resources Minister Matt Canavan have flung themselves well and truly into the embrace of the  coal industry. They have set up a task force to promote coal. They are setting up a $5 billion fund for ‘clean-coal’ power stations, and plan to use the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to fund “clean coal”, seeing that no private investor would take that risk. New “clean” coal plants would cost $billions in taxpayer subsidies, and not clean anyway.

However, there is one clear, intelligent and influential voice for  Australia’s energy future – Chief Scientist Alan Finkel   Finkel says ‘clean coal’ has to stack up.

Australia’s national government falters on climate policy. Victoria races ahead.

South Australia is in position to be renewable leader, stabilise Australia’s energy system with supergrid. Snowy Hydro turns to solar

Solar power now taking off in a big way in Western Australia.

NUCLEAR

Federal nuclear waste dump plan  ( This is not just a South Australian issue – it’s national.) Extracts from Hansard show how the Australian government seeks to deceive the public on the definition of “High Level Nuclear Wastes”

Kimba Mayor wants a referendum first, before any decision on nuclear waste dump. South Australian property owners offer land for nuclear waste – at Napandee and Lyndhurst, near Kimba. Community survey shows strong local opposition to Federal nuclear waste dump at Barndioota, South Australia. Nuclear propaganda group to visit Port Augusta.

Ben Heard, of nuclear front group “Bright New World” in unfair attack on S Aust Liberals.   Response to Ben Heard’s misinformation on the proposed nuclear waste importing plan.

Federal govt embarrassed over backlash to its plan to expand Shoalwater Bay military training area.

INTERNATIONAL

Antarctic Sea Ice Likely to Hit New All-Time Record Lows Over Coming Days.

Delays, ballooning costs, stall Next-Generation Nuclear Reactors

UK.

• Decision to leave Euratom leaves Britain’s nuclear industry floundering. Britain’s nuclear safety at risk as they pull out of Euratom.  Fake charity (nuclear lobby) The Weinberg Foundation is whining about Britain leaving Euratom.
•  British government now being urged to guarantee Moorside nuclear funding.  Blow to UK nuclear strategy as Toshiba considers pulling out of Cumbria plant. Europe’s biggest nuclear construction project now hangs in the balance.

JAPAN. Radiation in Fukushima reactor containment vessel at deadly level: TEPCO.   Fukushima nuclear disaster: Worker sues Tepco over cancer.  Niigata governor Ryuichi Yoneyama stands firm against restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant.

Hitachi to take a 70 billion yen hit after U.S nuclear  project fails.     Toshiba’s financial woes continue – about to be sued by trust banks. Toshiba to withdraw from nuclear plant construction, chairman to quit.

IRAN.     Iran tested ballistic missile, but did not breach nuclear agreement

USA. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis warns NKorea against nuclear attack .  Fear of nuclear war leads Texans to build expensive bunkers.   America’s EPA head announces pullout from a global pact to cut emissions.  A Washington State judge uses doubt on climate change as legal cause to block a climate activist’s defense.

FRANCE. France’s next President to face costly propping up of the nuclear industry. China decides against taking stake in Areva .

INDIA. Toshiba to withdraw from Indian nuclear projects.

SOUTH AFRICA Only government-owned nuclear companies have responded to Eskom on nuclear marketing.

GREENLAND. Greenland – environment future threatened by mining for uranium and rare earths.