Nuclear and climate news this week

It seems that it takes the very young and the very old to grasp the world’s climate emergency, and have the guts to demonstrate this to the world. Greta Thunberg and her family are paying the price for her outspoken courage. David Attenborough, (in the past constrained by the BBC) now speaks boldly about the planet’s environmental crisis.

Nothing dramatically new in the nuclear area.

Freedom of information, press freedom, civil liberties, – might not be directly linked to climate/nuclear issues, -but, indirectly, they’re linked to everything. In London, a judge denies Julian Assange a delay in extradition hearings, as he, having been effectively in solitary confinement, struggles to meet the power and resources of the US government. His own country, Australia, spinelessly  backs the USA, as usual. Meanwhile the Australian media is launching a concerted campaign against Australia’s exceptionally repressive laws that target. journalists

AUSTRALIA

Growing calls for Australian government to defend Julian Assange.

The government seeks to intimidate the media.  Australian media push for press freedom – a culture of secrecy – the right to know.  Regional News Media join the campaign for  freedom. Australia needs a Media Freedom Act. New involvement of Attorney General in press freedom.

NUCLEAR –

• Keep Australia’s ban on nuclear power – Noel Wauchope at Federal Inquiry Hearing.  South Australian government says: “nuclear power remains unviable now and into the foreseeable future.”-No benefit to Australia in planning for nuclear power – Tilman Ruff. Nuclear Power Uninsurable and Uneconomic in Australia.
• Federal govt trying to con Australians that a national nuclear waste dump is a “local” not a NATIONAL ISSUE. Few permitted to vote on nuclear waste dump.  A new bribe given on the eve of Kimba and Wallerberdina nuclear waste dump ballot.  Public excluded from Delloitt Risk Assessment report for the radioactive waste repositary.  Federal govt open door to international high level nuclear waste dump.
• Aaron Patrick in Australian Financial Review subtly slants a story in the pro nuclear direction. ANSTO’s nuclear medicine problems. South Australia: ballot on nuclear waste dump: Labor reaffirms anti-nuclear policy.

CLIMATE. Australia’s climate crisis: destruction of forests.   Independent MP Zali Steggall to propose climate change bill to parliament .  Government blocks crossbench motion to declare a climate change emergency.  Morrison’s flimsy climate plan laid bare in strained Senate hearings.

Scott Morrison on the drought (“Climate” is a dirty word). Morrison government’s drought policy mess.  Building dams and praying for rain is not a drought policy.  Australian government’s “entrenched” anti-climate attitude – John Hewson. Barkindji people have title to Darling River area – but  their river is dying, killed by drought, and whiteys’ mismanagement. Severe fire danger for northern New South Wales.

RENEWABLE ENERGY.   AEMO provides glimpse of future grid: Not much fossil fuel, even less “base-load”. Wind and solar output beat brown coal in Australia for first time in September quarter.  Victoria bill to lock in 50% renewable target passes through upper house.   Huge wind and solar pipeline could make coal power ‘extinct’ in Australia by 2040.   Meralli rolls out another “small but smart” solar farm in South Australia.

INTERNATIONAL

2019 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor report.

JAPAN. note. Apologies and correction re last week’s story – Hurricane Hagibis Spreads Fukushima Radiation (But No, 2,667 Bags of Decontaminated Waste were NOT Washed Away!)

Women make up 80 percent of cancer patients aged 20-39 in Japan, study shows. Distribution of highly radioactive microparticles in Fukushima revealed.  At Least 14 levees broke in Fukushima Prefecture.  Lies dominates typhoon Hagibis Diet debate response.

SOUTH KOREA. South Korea Brings Fukushima Radioactive Water Sea Dumping Issue at International London Convention and Protocol of Marine Pollution. Activists urge Japan to avoid Fukushima in Tokyo Olympics.

USA.

• Kings Bay Plowshares 7 face criminal charges and long jail sentences. Interview with legendary whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg following his 89th arrest for resisting nuclear weapons, nuclear war and government secrecy.USA campaign in Count the Nuclear Weapons Money global movement. A single bird grounds America’s Navy ‘Doomsday’ plane.  Anti nuclear activism revival in Washington.
• US Energy Secretary Rick Perry turns New Nuclear Salesman to Europe.
• The U.S. Supreme Court has shut down South Carolina’s attempt to complete a nuclear fuel facility.  Facing a nasty pro nuclear campaign, Ohio’s anti nuclear group hopes for a federal court decision to delay nuclear bailout.  Missouri Commission Wants Legislators To Scrap Nuclear Plant-Funding Law.
• 8-10 years for Southern California Edison to demolish San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
• Major media bury groundbreaking studies of Pentagon’s massive carbon bootprint.
• High levels of uranium in some Navajo women and infants near old uranium mining sites.

INDIA.  Determined opposition to nuclear expansion in India’s iconic tiger reserve. India keeps increasing its nuclear weaponry – aimed at Pakistan and China.

IRAN. Iranians losing trust that Western countries would keep faith with a nuclear deal.

RUSSIA. Russian nuclear submarine aborts ballistic missile test.

UK. More evidence of safety risks: Hunterston B nuclear reactors should be closed. Safety concerns over Berkshire nuclear weapons factories. Removal of highly radioactive material from 60 year old Dounreay Fast Nuclear Reactor (DFR).

TURKEY. Erdogan’s Ambitions Go Beyond Syria. He Says He Wants Nuclear Weapons. Turkey isn’t “holding 50 US nuclear weapons ‘hostage”. Removing a nuclear arsenal from Turkish soil is a necessary step in reducing a global danger.

ANTARCTICA. Radioactive chlorine from nuclear bomb tests still present in Antarctica.