Japan: nationwide network to sue government and TEPCO over Fukushima nuclear disaster
Plaintiffs suing over Fukushima nuclear disaster form nationwide network, Asahi Shimbun, May 26, 2015 By MASAKAZU HONDA/ Staff Writer NIHONMATSU, Fukushima Prefecture–Ten groups of plaintiffs in lawsuits and other legal actions over the Fukushima nuclear disaster have joined forces to demand compensation and accountability from the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co.
The groups held a liaison conference, called Hidanren (coalition of nuclear accident victims), to mark its establishment in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, on May 24. The network comprises 20,000 people.
Ruiko Muto, who heads a group pursuing criminal responsibility of TEPCO and government officials, expressed frustration over the developments since the nation’s worst nuclear accident unfolded in March 2011 at TEPCO’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
She called on the groups to work together to press their demands.
“So far, no one has been charged with criminal responsibility,” Muto said. “Few (of the affected) are receiving compensation that they agree with, and few have a clear vision of how to rebuild their lives.”
She also said evacuees are under growing pressure to return to their homes soon amid a government campaign to label their hometowns as safe. The goals set by the conference include: having authorities and TEPCO offer an apology and full compensation to the victims; restore the victims’ livelihoods and lifestyles; provide medical service coverage; and introduce measures to reduce radiation exposure among residents………http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201505260003
Thorium and uranium contamination scourge in St Louis
This week, internationally recognized physician Dr. Helen Caldicott reviewed documents and reports concerning the West Lake landfill. She stated in no uncertain terms that the health records and data clearly show that contaminants have been causing cancers in the affected region at elevated levels.
As the recipient of 21 honorary doctoral degrees for her work on the health consequences of exposure to nuclear material including the disasters at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, Caldicott is one of the world’s most-respected experts on the topic. With regard to the West Lake site, she concluded that ongoing health dangers demand that, “the [West Lake] site needs to be dealt with immediately. It needs to be cleaned-up this year.”
Radioactive site continues to plague St. Louis residents and region http://www.examiner.com/article/radioactive-site-continues-to-plague-st-louis-residents-and-region, 29 May 15 In North Saint Louis County, Missouri, in the City of Bridgeton, there is a ticking time bomb in the form of several contiguous landfills which contain radioactive waste and all the “daughter products” associated with weapons-grade uranium processing. Most notably, the site in question, the West Lake landfill, has the largest concentration in the nation of one of these highly dangerous daughter products.
In a 2013 report entitled, The West Lake Landfill: A Radioactive Legacy of the Nuclear Arms Race, Robert Alvarez states, “Of significance is the fact that the largest estimated amount of Thorium-230, a long-lived, highly radiotoxic element, is present at West Lake — more than any other U.S. nuclear weapons storage or disposal site.” Continue reading
Australian Renewable Energy Agency sets out conditions for large scale solar
Establishing the social licence to operate large scale solar facilities in Australia: insights from social research for industry http://apo.org.au/research/establishing-social-licence-operate-large-scale-solar-facilities-australia-insights-social
Introduction
The main objective of the research was to identify the preconditions necessary for utility-scale solar installations to have a social licence to operate in Australia. Specifically, the research set out to understand general attitudes towards solar energy and the acceptability of large scale solar energy facilities with a view to creating this report.
The research consisted of three key components:
• Quantitative phase: a survey of a representative sample of 1,197 Australians.
• Qualitative phase: a series of 15 group discussions held in capital cities, regional centres and communities near large scale solar facilities. Research to investigate perceptions of the desirability of utility-scale solar facilities.
• Review phase: a review of the factors that influence social licence to operate solar facilities, conducted via in-depth interviews and covered in the group discussions with stakeholders in communities living near large scale solar facilities.
The quantitative survey included testing the impact of exposure to two sets of stimuli (consisting of images and information about large scale solar facilities) through asking survey participants about their attitudes towards large scale solar facilities relating to land use; efficiency; reliability; visual impacts; economic impacts; environmental impacts; health impacts and the cost of electricity before and after seeing the stimulus materials.
Senator moves to punish Greenpeace for its international Great Barrier Reef campaign
THE campaign over the Great Barrier Reef has erupted into all-out war between the Federal Government and Greenpeace,
Coalition Senator Matt Canavan yesterday moved for punitive action to be taken against Greenpeace over its Reef campaign in which it sought to have the World Heritage area listed by UNESCO as “in danger”.
Senator Canavan has written to Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt, urging him to investigate whether Greenpeace’s registration as a tax-deductible organisation can be withdrawn.
Perth wave energy project producing power and fresh water
Carnegie Wave Energy based in Perth is a world leader in wave energy technology. In 2014 the company began deployment of three wave energy converters at the Garden Island naval base off the coast near Perth. Large buoys rise and fall with passing waves. Each is tied by rope to the sea floor. As waves pass, the buoys rise, the ropes tighten and extremely high pressure is created in a water-based fluid. This is piped to shore where the pressure powers water desalination and the production of electricity. This technology, known as CETO, has application for small coastal towns and remote islands where oil or diesel is often used in generators. The Perth project is the first demonstration of a complete grid-connected CETO system anywhere in the world.
Western Australian gas company planning to sell solar panels and batteries
Alinta’s solar plan to cut bills, The West Australian Daniel Mercer June 1, 2015 Gas giant Alinta is hatching a plan to sell solar panels and batteries to households, allowing them to slash power bills by reducing reliance on the electricity grid.
Alinta is also weighing the idea of offering micro gas generators, which could pave the way for households to disconnect from the grid altogether.
The plan looms as a direct challenge to taxpayer-owned electricity provider Synergy, which has been losing millions of dollars as customers switch to solar en masse.
There are about 170,000 households in the South West grid alone which have photovoltaic cells on their roofs, and this figure is expected to soar by the end of the decade.
Under Alinta’s plan, tipped to start this year, it would lease solar panels to residential customers, who would then provide any power they did not use back to Alinta to sell into the market.
The Sydney-based company would also offer batteries to store surplus solar power and small gas-fired generators that could be used as a backup in the event it was cloudy for days.
Efficient and affordable battery storage has long been regarded as the holy grail of renewable energy and US firm Tesla announced last month it was on the verge of being able to produce it………https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/28289418/alintas-solar-plan-to-cut-bills/
Effects of extreme heat in USA – and what about Australia?
Anthony M Horton: Extreme heat – ‘Business as usual’ life to end in less than 30 years in the U.S.
A new study projects that the United States will have a four to six-fold increase in extreme heat exposure by 2070 — and even earlier in the South. Unfortunately, no similar study has been conducted in Australia…
As a scientist, I am concerned that research into a range of climate related issues are seemingly not on the agenda in Australia and stellar pillars such as the world renowned Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) are suffering increasingly deep staff cuts at a time when they are needed the most.
It also appears that the long held “without fear or favour” bastion of these pillars has also seemingly ended. If this is really the case, it is a truly sad day for Australia-especially given the many world leading breakthroughs achieved by the former and the proud record of the latter. …
I fear for the future of Australia if this trend becomes entrenched as, by the time the Government realises they have made a tactical error, there won’t be enough trained people left to pick up the slack, as they will have retired, retrained or will be employed elsewhere in the world.
Graham Readfearn: Bjorn Lomborg’s ‘seven Nobel laureates’ not all what they seem — or even alive
The ‘seven Nobel laureates’ Bjorn Lomborg claims are waiting to collaborate with any other university willing to give his ‘Consensus Centre’ a home are not all what they seem — or even breathing. …
AS OFTEN turns out to be the case with matters of detail involving Bjorn Lomborg, not all is as it seems.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/bjorn-lomborgs-seven-nobel-laureates-not-all-what-they-seem–or-even-alive-,7763
Matthew Rose: Climate must be a factor in assessing coal mine ‘benefits’
Here in Australia, as well as elsewhere, polluters are being subsidised to pollute, giving them no incentive to clean up their acts.
The Government not only wants this situation to continue, it wants it to grow.
Renewable energy – India and Indonesia
Renewable energy: The green light is finally on
- Anirudh Bhattacharyya, Hindustan Times
| May 29, 2015 http://www.hindustantimes.com/anirudhbhattacharyya/renewable-energy-the-green-light-is-finally-on/article1-1352832.aspx
Cheap solar lights up poor Indonesian communities
Kopernik is an Indonesian-based non-profit organisation introducing cheap and clean solar lighting to poor communities.
Petition: Restore Funding Needed for SA Aboriginal Communities’ Survival
Sisters of Saint Joseph: http://www.sosj.org.au/news-events/view_article.cfm?id=2413&loadref=7
Change.org: https://www.change.org/p/mr-nigel-scullion-minister-for-indigenous-affairs-restore-ias-funding-that-sa-aboriginal-communities-need-to-stay-open-and-sustainable
14 May 15: “How can SA Aboriginal Communities remain open
with 90% slashed off the required funding? This is the
question that needs asking of the Federal Minister for
Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion who has repeatedly said
of late that he ‘has no intention of closing Aboriginal
Communities.’
No organisation, no small business and certainly no
Community can stay open when it loses most of its income!
SA Aboriginal Communities have been successfully running
essential and effective programs for years providing
opportunities for training, support, activities for
children and youth, employment for local people, and many
other types of community programs designed and run for the
Communities by the Communities. With no funds for programs
and administration /governance, how can Communities remain
open? …
Sign the petition below to restore
the IAS [Indigenous Advancement Strategy] funding that
South Australian Aboriginal communities require to stay
open and sustainable. … ”
Sr Michele Madigan,
Chairperson Kaurna/ Narungga Elder Dr Alitya Rigney &
Josephite SA Reconciliation Circle
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 