Antinuclear

Australia this week in nuclear and climate news

Climate change. First the Abbott government was in denial over climate change. They sent, not the (useless anyway) Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, to the Lima Climate Summit, but coal fans Julie Bishop and Andrew Robb (Trade Minister). Clearly they were sent to defend the coal industry and promote the nuclear industry. The Australian government first refused to contribute to the UN Climate Fund to help poor countries, then did  a backflip, contributing $200 million that they are taking away from foreign aid!

Abbott’s motivation is to buy back, (if possible) some international credibility, and to position himself to sabotage the Paris Climate Summit next year, in the interests of his backers, the polluting industries.

Australia well represented at Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, (though not by government)

Nuclear power. It takes a bit of delicate footwork, for Australia’s governments and corporations to switch from climate denialism to ‘need for climate action’. But this was inevitable – they now swing into action, promoting nuclear power as the cure, seeing that the Abbott government has fairly successfully completed the shutdown of renewable energy industries in Australia.  Prolonged uncertainty about the Renewable Energy Target does  that.

South Australia is the hub of pro nuclear lobbysim – in their pseudo climate activism  (Barry Brook), in BHP, business, in academia, (funded by nuclear businesses). Daily, some prominent person, like former Governor Kevin Scarce, jumps on the nuclear propaganda bandwagon.

Uranium. Tony Abbott wants to sell uranium to Ukraine. Terrific idea?  To be part of the largest nuclear power complex in Europe, in  a conflict zone, in a country still not recovered from the radioactive pollution and trauma of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster?

The treaties committee in Parliament now has to assess the safeguards and conditions of Australia’s deal to sell uranium to India. Will they just rubber-stamp it, despite the warnings of John Carlson?

Aboriginal land rights – on the way to being trashed by the Abbott government ?

Renewable energy. Despite all, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) survives and thrives

December 13, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina reviews