To 15 February – the week in nuclear news

Some bits of good news:      The green bucket list When you’re immersed in environmental science and environmental politics, it’s sometimes hard to step back and measure progress. Here are a few gains and victories to charge your batteries .

The stunning recovery of a heavily polluted river in the heart of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.

Nuclear.   Ukraine dominated the news. The map above might help to explain why Russia really doesn’t need another NATO base on its doorstep.

Coronavirus:  COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 14 February

Climate.   Adapting to climate change ‘happening worldwide’, essential. Fixing the Climate: Hopes and Hazards.

AUSTRALIA 

Nuclear.    Practical considerations may hamper Australia’s path to nuclear submarines. South Australian Labor supported Greens. motion opposing SA as nuclear waste dump, but Liberals SA Best and Advance SA blocked it. INVITATION TO WEBINAR – AUKUS WILL COST THE EARTH – 24 February

 Climate.  Climate projections paint a grim future for WA if emissions not cut        Former UK prime minister urges Australia to lift its game on climate change.       People are prepared to vote for stronger climate policies

Labor rules out ‘fringe’ deal in rebuff to Greens on climate Greens to seek moratorium on new fossil fuel projects in any post-election negotiations. Independent regional journalism, brought to you by fossil fuels.

Australian demand for solar goes through the roof, smashing records     The revolution will be electrified – 7am podcast

Tasmania may get cold, but sunburn is still very much a threat .

INTERNATIONAL

Today’s Crisis Over Ukraine.

Ukraine Special – 11 February 22

Conflict resolution – the positive way out of the Ukraine crisis. USA does not have to march into war with Russia over Ukraine. It can choose to keep to the Minsk-Normandy process. Amid Ukraine Tension, US Deploys Nuclear-Ready B-52 Bombers to UK.

Comfortably numb . CounterVortex Episode 110: Nuclear power? No thanks! .

Oceans are better at storing carbon than trees. In a warmer future, ocean carbon sinks could help stabilise our planet

JAPAN. Kenichi Hasegawa, former dairy farmer who continued to tell the truth about the nuclear accident in Fukushima, passes away. PCB waste treatment plan in Fukushima: “Insufficient explanation” and opposition from many people. Robot photos appear to show melted fuel at Fukushima reactor. Zero Contaminated Water” and “Dismantling of Reactor Buildings” Missing from the Plan: The Final Form of Decommissioning the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

RUSSIA.   The goal of Russia is to destroy NATO by exposing its impotence.   Russian Congress of Intellectuals: An Open Letter to the Russian Leadership.

UKRAINE. In Ukraine, USA to finance American companies to sell nuclear technology there, and to other States. USA’s plan – far right Ukrainian militia to attack Russia-speaking Donbass Region – drawing Russian support – USA then to claim Russia aggression.

CANADA. Canadian First Nations do not want small nuclear reactors on their lands.
INDIA. India’s Nuclear Weapons Could Kill Millions Of People- a matter of pride?

UK 

• UK spends over £80m on media in 20 countries around Russia. 
• What to do with dead nuclear submarines? 
• Hinkley nuclear mud.  Judicial review on the dumping of Hinkley Point C radioactive mud. 
• Local Councils are signing up to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 
• Government approval for Bradwell B project does not really give a green light for nuclear reactors to be built. 
• BBC Cons the Public with Reports of “Sadness as Somerset nuclear power station nears closure” Tell us the Truth. The radioactive 
• ‘Cumbrian mud patch’ would be shaken up by a coal mine at the Sellafield site. 
• Fusion delusion – unsafe, too uncertain, too expensive, and too late – even if it worked.

EUROPE. European dispute over the Taxonomy plan to class nuclear power as ”green”, qualifying it for billions of euros in subsidies. Hugely costly venture – nuclear fusion – now going private – but success is as elusive as ever.

FRANCE.    Macron pledged to close down over a dozen nuclear plants, but now he’s done a U-turn . Macron goes for a new nuclear renaissance, despite the industry’s woes in France.    President Macron assures France’s EDF of tens of billions of euros in public financing for new nuclear reactors. Macron promises 52 billion euros for 6 new EPR nuclear reactors – but this ”nuclear renaissance” is far from certain. As presidential elections approach in France, only the far right and communists support nuclear power. 

French government suppressed, postponed, distributing report that recommended no new EPR nuclear reactors. EDF predicts more cuts in nuclear output, as repairs needed for defects in reactors.

USA. 

• The RAND Corporation’s plan for regime change in Moscow. 
• Environmental Working Group (EWG) urges Biden to reject ‘outrageous’ call for more nuclear power subsidies in clean energy agenda. 
• Ahead of regulatory approval the US Dept of Energy wants Govt to grant $4 billion for Small Nuclear Reactors development. 
• Safety concerns as counterfeit parts found in U.S, nuclear reactors. 
• Entergy nuclear plant accused of overcharging ratepayers – customers could now get $millions on refunds. 
• Temporary spent nuclear fuel storage isn’t temporary. South Carolina Bill to compensate the region for federal govt’s failure to clean up plutonium contamination. 
• Space rocket with NASA satellites launched, but now lost in space.

SWEDEN. Reactor at Oskarshamn 3 nuclear power plant in Sweden shut down due to ‘fuel damage.   Sweden takes a chance on Forsmark.

SLOVAKIA. Slovak government plans to tax nuclear power plants, owners threaten bankruptcy.

ASIA. EU plan to call nuclear power ”green”, but for Asia, nuclear’s outlook is poor. 

CHINA. As China tackles plastic pollution at home, it feeds the scourge globally

PHILIPPINES. The case against coal, other fossil fuels and nuclear power/