Antinuclear

Looking back: the week in climate and nuclear news in Australia

Media delight.  The Australian media had a beaut time with William and Kate, and little Prince George (yes he WAS cute with the Bilby). And after that they had an even beauter time with the ANZAC festivities, (yes, I AM  sad for all those young lives destroyed).

Late on Anzac eve, hidden between all this fun, Australia’s Minister Against the Environment, Greg Hunt, put out the trash –  revealed the government’s policy white paper on climate change, with  Direct Action, and the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). Clive Palmer and other right-wingers oppose it. As Paula Matthewson, corporate adviser said ,  if the legislation looks like not passing,  Tony Abbott will be thinking –  “Please don’t throw me in the briar patch” (e.g No action whatsoever on climate change)

Also ignored  midst the fun, the panel to Review the Renewable Energy Target  was announced.  As I reel from the discovery that Abbott’s top adviser, Maurice Newman is both a Climate Denialist, and a believer in Intelligent Design (Creation Science) I was pretty much numbed by learning of who’s been appointed to this panel –  ACIL Allen, Brian Fisher, Shirley In’t Veld  all straight from fossil fuel lobbying. The panel is headed by Dick Warburton, climate sceptic and nuclear advocate.  That rampant left wing radical, Bernie Fraser, former governor of the Reserve Bank is very disappointed in the government’s attack on renewable energy.

Nuclear power.  Don’t let’s forget, beneath the hype about Royals and ANZAC Day, and even the  pre-Budget discussions, the pro nuclear lobbying goes on.  A pity when Westinghouse, which wanted to export 81,000 Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, pulled right out of this plan. But that doesn’t deter Australian enthusiasts, including our new Governor General Peter Cosgrovel.

Uranium  mining. Toro Energy ‘s quarterly report shows the continued fall in uranium prices.  Tio Tinto might be bailing out the cash-trapped ERA with its closed Ranger mine, but as yet I do not have a definite source to confirm this deal. (USA mines are stockpiling uranium due to the abysmal prices. )

Climate Change.  Aboriginal ‘climate ambassadors’ are  assessing  impacts of climate change on the natural environment and traditional communities. They are coming up with important findings about plants and animals in local areas across Australia

May 2, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina reviews