Easter – Passover – time for religious observances and/or to be helping that bunny, (or bilby) to hide those chocolate Easter eggs – or something fun like that. Probably bad timing to be talking about climate change, as the news is not good.
It’s so bad, in fact, that I aberrate here from things nuclear to draw attention to what is happening in the Arctic. Radio Ecoshock keeps us up to date, and the latest news explains the exceptionally cold Northern winter, the Arctic Meltdown, and the proposals for renewable power AND geoengineering.
Arctic temperatures have skyrocketed to 30 degrees celsius over the long-term average. Warm humid air going into the Arctic hits the dense dome of cold air, and bypasses it, going up into the upper atmosphere, even to the stratosphere. The high altitude Polar Vortex split, and a deep persistent jet stream trough over North America shifts, bringing freezing weather.The high Arctic warming in the spring, autumn, and throughout the winter results in melting ice. The complexity of atmospheric “rivers”brings streams of warm air to the Arctic, carrying water vapour , itself a greenhouse gas, which increases absorption of heat.
For a detailed explanation of the Arctic situation, see the youtube videos by Paul Beckwith:
- Hot Wet Atmospheric Rivers Ravage Arctic: Part 1 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5OifOXfJe0
- Warm Humid Air Penetrates Arctic Cold Dome: 2 of 4- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUV21csBNc–
- Topsy Turvy Weather on a Planet in Peril: Part 3 of 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viw_5MlJoRE
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. Escalating bushfire dangers, as climate change brings record winter temperatures. Victoria: peat fires near Cobden could continue burning for months. Marine heatwave in Tasman sea breaks all records. Good climate policy is beyond the Australian government – and maybe it should be .
Many supporters rally to Julian Assange, after his access to Internat is cut off. The Age print version carried article – Supporters rally after Assange banned from net access – but it’s not available on the Internet
Opposition to planned Gippsland mine – risks of thorium contamination.
NUCLEAR. Submissions to the Australian Senate Inquiry on siting federal nuclear waste dump – deadline 3rd April . Senate Inquiry into Nuclear Waste Dump Siting. Australian Senate Committee has published only the PRO NUCLEAR submissions. ?ignoring the others. Submission for the public good – to Senate Inquiry on nuclear waste dump selection.
South Australia’s new Liberal MP Dennis Hood will push for nuclear dump.
Strong support for Sydney’s Aboriginal rally against Brewarrina nuclear dump plan.
RENEWABLE ENERGY. How renewables trumped brown coal and gas over Australia’s summer. Victorian government backs push for solar on all new-build homes. Write-downs and rebates: What states can do about gold-plated grid. More at reneweconomy.com.au
INTERNATIONAL
Climate change is the top threat to the world’s biodiversity.
Space radiation is increasing. That might put a stop to human visitors to Mars.
RUSSIA. Nuclear, biological and chemical weapons research at Novichok (exclusive to nuclear-news). Russia’s sunken submarine– still with nuclear weapons.
CHINA. Toxic threat from Tiangong-1 Chinese space station crash soon!
UK. Small Modular Nuclear Reactors – their connection to nuclear weapons development. Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG) slams biased meeting promoting Bradwell nuclear power plan. Wind and solar make more electricity than nuclear for first time in UK. UK slowly recruiting nuclear safety staff that it will need when it leaves European union. Assange internet connection cut off in embassy – Kim Dotcom.
NORTH KOREA. Increased activity at North Korean nuclear site.
FRANCE. France’s govt sets cost of Bure underground nuclear waste burial at 25 billion euros (about double that is likely). AREVA – failed company exhumed – now called “ORANO” and STILL losing money. France to make a huge investment in energy storage.
USA.
- Women lead in USA campaign to protect the world from a U.S. nuclear trigger finger.
- US navy’s Virginia attack submarines will now be able to fire nuclear weapons.
- Will Trump’s new national security adviser John Bolton steer Trump in the direction of attacking North Korea? How America could come to terms with a nuclear-armed North Korea. Over 100 U.S. nuclear security experts urge Trump not to scrap Iran nuclear deal.
- Subsidy for nuclear power stations as a national “emergency”? Plan to revive Texas Consolidated Nuclear Waste Storage Facility.
- March 28 – anniversary of Three Mile Island nuclear disaster and the lies about “no-one died”.
- Who REALLY benefits from uranium mining in Grand Canyon country?
JAPAN.
- At Social Book Café Hachidorisha in Hiroshima – hibakusha continue to give testimony about the nuclear bombing.
- Another aging nuclear reactor in western Japan to be scrapped . Fukushima disaster interest payments to be shouldered by taxpayers now estimated to US$ 29,3 billion, up 58% from previous estimate.
- Hong Kong will not lift post-Fukushima ban on some Japanese food. Intensive campaign from Japanese diplomats to push other countries to lift their ban on Japanese contaminated produce. “Fukushima Pride” – publicity event to promote Fukushima food in Paris.
CHINA. China’s progress in nuclear power is not as sure as it used to be.
SAUDI ARABIA. Saudi Arabia to build the world’s biggest solar power project.
SOUTH AFRICA. South Africa: the country that built nuclear weapons and then gave them up.
Nuclear Australia 
Leave a comment