Australia and beyond- Climate and Nuclear News This Week

Climate change is, as always, the big news this week. Some climate models now predict unexpected , unprecedented spike in global temperatures.  Can the insurance industry afford the rising flood risk?

  Giant iceberg ‘calves’ from Antarctic ice shelf.

The nuclear connection is significant for the UK, too, as sea level rise threatens its new nuclear projects, at Sizewell, Hinkley Point C, as well as existing nuclear reactors and waste facilities at Sellafield and Drigg.

There are many organisations worldwide, that are pushing for, and working on, action to slow or stall global warming.  Global Optimism is the latest example, in which Christiana Figueres features, with her new book “The Future We Choose”

AUSTRALIA

MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen to UK to help free Julian Assange.

CLIMATE. For Australia “business as usual” on climate change will cost many $billions. Climate change extreme weather making parts of Australia uninsurable. Reserve Bank says climate change already having profound impact on Australian economy.

New Resources Minister Keith Pitt ignores renewables, pushes for more coal, gas and uranium exports.  Australia has done little on emissions, and is not planning much in next decade. #ScottyFromMarketing ‘s bushfire inquiry studiously ‘ignores’ carbon emissions.   Coal miners given free ride under Morrison government emissions “caps”. Zali Steggall’s climate Bill, Labor’s befuddlement on coal.

NUCLEAR.

• 143 Anti-Nuclear, 10 Pro Nuclear Submissions (published) to Victorian Parliament.  Due by 28 February 2020- Submissions to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Nuclear Prohibition.
• Risk that Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act could be changed to promote nuclear power.
• Greens’call for Australia as nuclear-free zone is defeated in the Senate.  Labor stays strongly against nuclear power, despite pro nuke push from one union.
• Australian public unaware of the dangers of small nuclear reactors.
• Nuclear waste dumping: as the Baldock family sells farming land, is the agricultural market for Kimba now stuffed up?   Australian government pushes on with nuclear dump, tramples on indigenous rights .  South Australia’s grain exports could be at risk, if Kimba nuclear waste dump goes ahead.
• Media coverage of Kimba nuclear waste dump is found wanting. Controversial legislation for Kimba nuclear waste dump is tabled in Federal parliament. Whyalla is targeted for nuclear waste shipments and should have a right to refuse untenable plans. History of Australia’s govt move towards importing nuclear waste.
• NukeMap – what if Australian cities were hit by a nuclear bomb.

RENEWABLE ENERGY Australia’s global opportunity to lead on solar power.  Senate backs Greens call for ARENA funding extension as money dries up.  #ScottyFromMarketing and his crew – blind to the economics of renewable energy.

Australia must learn to mine rare earths responsibly.  Greens leader Adam Bandt seeks new deal with “renewable mining and manufacturing” sector.   Holden brand killed off as GM switches focus to electric vehicles.

South Australia’s renewable energy future hampered by lack of electricity infrastructure.  Queensland researchers smash solar efficiency record for ‘quantum dot’ solar cells.  How rooftop and big solar are pushing coal out of daytime energy market. Wind and batteries saved the day when storm cut South Australia adrift.   Australian ‘Solar Skin’ invention could power cities and vehicles of the future.

INTERNATIONAL

#WETOOARE PROTESTERS   FREE JULIAN ASSANGE

189 nuclear and radioactive material incidents in 2019.

Radioactive material ‘a magnet for groups with malicious intent’, warns UN nuclear watchdog chief.

Hysteria isn’t killing nuclear power. – It’s the very real dangers and catastrophic costs.  Uranium prices at rock bottom- doesn’t help the struggling nuclear industry.

ANTARCTICA. Giant iceberg ‘calves’ from Antarctic ice shelf.

JAPAN. Tokyo protesting against South Korea’s Tokyo 2020 radioactive Olympics posters. Britain’s trade deal with Japan could lead to Fukushima food restrictions being dropped.

Japan wants cruise ship infected separated from country’s total over economy fears.

Fogwater deposition of radiocesium in the forested mountains of East Japan during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: A key process in regional radioactive contamination. 5.2-magnitude earthquake near Fukushima.

FRANCE.  European  Pressurised Reactor at Flamanville: nuclear is expensive and it doesn’t work. French govt considers a “0% ” nuclear energy plan: with problems in existing nukes

UK. Climate change to continue hitting UK with bigger storms. The plutonium dilemma –  UK and Japan.  Decline and uncertainty in UK nuclear construction.   Tortuous progress, ever-increasing costs for UK’s Sizewell and Hinkley Point C nuclear projects.  Rolls Royce plans small nuclear reactors near Snowdonia National Park in Wales.  Few permanent jobs in small modular nuclear reactors?

RUSSIA. Ultimate Doomsday Weapon: Missiles Powered By Nuclear Reactors.  Excess radiation level recorded in Moscow.  Anti-terrorism exercises for Russia’s nuclear-powered ice-breakers.

BELARUS.  Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania oppose energy imports from a Belarusian nuclear power plant.

USA. Cuts to public benefit programs,$billions to nuclear weapons – Trump’s 2021 budget .  Trump’s 2021 budget boosts nuclear energy.   Plutonium-affected U.S. airmen, cancers, deaths, a new legal ruling.

Radioactive leaks and other problems at Westinghouse nuclear  fuel factory near Columbia. Three South Carolina lawmakers Pressed Trump for More Nuclear Funding.

IRAN. Iran would return to 2015 nuclear agreement if Europe would provides “meaningful” economic benefits.

INDONESIA. High levels of radioactivity in housing complex, Jakarta National Nuclear Energy Agency urges calm.

ALGERIA.  Algeria’s radioactive legacy from France’s nuclear bomb tests.

INDIA. India’s problematic nuclear security.