Despite overwhelming evidence, Australia’s government in denial about climate change
Canberra fiddles while Australia burns January 20, 2015 by: The AIM Network Despite the overwhelming evidence that the effects of climate change are having a devastating impact on present and future Australia, Kirsten Tona reports that the Abbott Government continues to ignore the evidence.
By 2070, Australia’s average temperature will rise by anything up to five degrees Celsius, our rainfall will be significantly lower and our sea levels higher. This data comes from the CSIRO, not from the-sky-is-falling conspiracy theorists, so …. why is the Australian Government not preparing?
It is a sometimes uncomfortable paradox of democracy that while governments—elected—come and go, much of the real work of the state is done behind the scenes by unelected bureaucrats and institutions.
But, there are times we have reason to be grateful for that.
While the current Prime Minister of Australia is on record as saying that the arguments behind climate change are “absolute crap”, Australia’s premier scientific body, the CSIRO, has been quietly beavering away, using proven scientific methodologies to produce realistic models of what climate change may look like in our country.
And the news is: hotter, and drier……..
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REALSPEAK
The CSIRO do not think there is no consensus on the science of climate change. The CSIRO think climate change is already happening. So do the Bureau of Meteorology, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and the Australian Climate Change Science Program………..http://theaimn.com/canberra-fiddles-australia-burns/
The Nuclear “Renaissance” over before it ever began
But like the old man in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the nuclear industry continues to claim that it is “not dead” yet and actually “getting better.”
Consequently, in a last ditch attempt to belie reality, the nuclear industry endeavors to reinvent itself with a steady parade of better nuclear mouse-traps. One day it’s the Small Modular Reactor! Then it’s the Answer to Climate Change! Or it’s got to be the Fast Integral Reactor!
But the nuclear industry is none of those things. It’s just over. It won’t go slowly and it won’t go quietly, and it won’t go without trying to suck up a whole lot more of our tax dollars. But go it will. And according to the venerable international investment bank, UBS, that exit will come sooner rather than later.
The bank is even telling its clients “it’s time to join the revolution,” reports REneweconomy, an Australian energy publication. The renewable energy revolution, that is. No mention of any “renaissance.”……. http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/01/22/the-nuclear-renaissance-is-over/
Queensland: McKinlay Shire plans solar panels for business and Council buildings
McKinlay Shire solar levy to help businesses cut power bills ABC News, By Kate Stephens 22 Jan 2015, A north-west Queensland council says it is moving ahead with an innovate plan to help local businesses reduce their power bills.
The McKinlay Shire has put out an expression of interest for a renewable energy company to install solar panels on 14 local businesses and some council building…..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-22/outback-qld-council-sheds-light-on-solar-panels/6034296
Victorian health report supports wind farms
Support for wind farm report
A STUDY of health impacts from low-frequency noise at Cape Bridgewater wind farm in Victoria is “groundbreaking”, a noise and health expert says .[subscribers only]
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/noise-specialist-cheers-wind-farm-report/story-e6frg8y6-1227193746908
Japan’s government OK’s draining Fukushima nuclear waste into Pacific Ocean
TV: Gov’t approves plan to ‘drain’ Fukushima nuclear waste into ocean — Professor: Monitoring necessary to detect ‘worrisome signals’ — Expert: “It’s completely unsafe… impossible to remove 100s of radioactive materials” — 1,200 radionuclides, only 62 reduced — Fisherman: “We can’t trust Tepco” (VIDEO)…….
Dr. Gordon Edwards, court-certified nuclear expert, Aug 8, 2014 (50:00 in): It can’t be dumped into the ocean, because it’s completely unsafe because of these fission products. They have built over 1,000 large tanks, huge tanks… that contain this very, very radioactively contaminated water. At the moment they’re trying to filter out these fission products… It’s impossible for them to remove all those hundreds of radioactive materials. They know how to remove about 62 of them, but there’s other ones that they cannot.
Watch NHK’s broadcast here http://enenews.com/tv-govt-approves-plant-drain-fukushima-nuclear-waste-ocean-fisherman-trust-tepco-expert-completely-unsafe-impossible-remove-all-hundreds-radioactive-materials-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Russia, France, Canada, desperate to flog off unpopular nuclear technology to China
Global nuclear majors target China By LYU CHANG(China Daily) As nuclear power plants continue to be phased out by many countries, foreign energy giants are pinning their hopes on China’s nuclear market, and its huge potential for growth.
International energy companies including Russia’s state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, French energy giant EDF and Candu Energy Inc, a subsidiary of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Inc, are all scrambling to invest in the country……http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2015-01/22/content_19377415.htm
France now realising that nuclear power facilities are targets for terrorism
Paris Terror Spurs Plan for Military Zones Around Nuclear Plants Bloomberg, By Tara Patel January 20, 2015 Lawmakers in France want to create military zones around its 58 atomic reactors to boost security after this month’s Paris terror attacks and almost two dozen mystery drone flights over nuclear plants that have baffled authorities……..
To contact the reporter on this story: Tara Patel in Paris at tpatel2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Will Kennedy at wkennedy3@bloomberg.net Tony Barrett, Alex Devine
Precedent-setting Aboriginal native title grant over large area of SA Eyre Peninsula
AUDIO: Barngarla people granted partial native title over large area of SA Eyre Peninsula
The Barngarla people filed a native title claim for the area in April 1996.
Justice John Mansfield delivered his judgment on their right to the land on Thursday.
The group’s claim covered 44,500 square kilometres, an area almost triangular in shape and encompassing the coast between Port Augusta and Port Lincoln and the surrounding land and sea……..
Judgment could set precedent for claims in SA, interstate
Solicitor Philip Teitzel said the case was one of the first in the nation to go over densely settled areas and could have broad implications…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-22/barngarla-people-granted-partial-native-title-in-eyre-peninsula/6033826
Tony Abbott ignores the chance to benefit Australia by using the low 10-year bond rates
Peter Martin: Low 10-year bond rates are the deal of the century but Abbott’s not at the table, The Age, 20 Jan 15
With 10-year bond rates at an all-time low, the time is ripe to get some visionary projects off the drawing board….
If we are prepared to grasp it, there’s no shortage of projects that would set us up for decades to come. In education, in health, in the delivery to railway lines into suburbs that are at present barely accessible – in all of these areas there are projects whose benefits would exceed their costs and exceed them by more than enough to pay the minimal rate of interest being demanded.
Some are visionary. Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Saul Eslake says if Australia was to get serious about reducing its dependence on coal it would consider paying coal producers to close, and speeding up the commercialisation of battery technologies that would allow Australians with the next wave of solar panels to live off the grid.
Between politicians and mining lobby , Australia wasted the mining boom
How Australia squandered the mining boom, The New Daily Jan 15, 2015 JAMES FERNYHOUGH Money Editor Australia failed to capitalise on a once-in-a-lifetime mining boom because politicians put short-term vote-winning policies ahead of the long-term interest of the nation, economists say.
The private interests of the powerful mining lobby were equally to blame for the squandering of a golden opportunity to strengthen Australia’s economic future.
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Why Australia is ending its historic mining boom little better off than when it started……http://thenewdaily.com.au/money/2015/01/15/australia-squandered-mining-boom/
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 