The week that has been in nuclear and climate news
It’s that crazy time of the year coming on again. so you will be relieved to find this newsletter relatively short. Climate news is just as scary as always, but I haven’t had time to keep up with it.
The most interesting nuclear story is about the radioactive cloud across Europe. First described as a harmless wafting of radioactive isotopes “over recent weeks”, this news seemed to become a bit of a worry, first of all, to air travellers. Then the realisation that even if this airborne plume of radioactive ruthenium 106 is supposed to be harmless, it’s not harmless to those close to the source. Now the source is identified, after weeks of contradictory Russian reports, to be the Mayak Nuclear Production Facility, with Russia still claiming that it is harmless. The locals are not so sure.
New research reveals that space travel permanently changes the human brain.
AUSTRALIA
6 Australian religious anti-war protesters may face 7 years gaol for peaceful Pine Gap protest. Only the ABC News, (and New York Times) covered this.
The Federal parliament is shutting down for a week – seems the best idea for a government in chaos.
Meanwhile the State of Queensland is having its election as we live and breathe. From the climate point of view, this is a pretty important election. It is is critical for solar energy, and for electricity consumers. Also important is the issue of the Adani mega coal mine project. The Liberal National party is all for it, of course. And nobody’s quite sure what the Labor government would do.
Australia needs special laws to protect its independent broadcaster – the ABC.
Australians fear nuclear attacks.
CLIMATE and ENVIRONMENT. Canberra stood out at Bonn climate talks as a progressive city, adopting renewable energy Australian Government’s White Paper warns on climate change dangers in our region.
Adani coal project. Australian government lending to Adani coal megamine? A bad look internationally! Wangan and Jagalingou Aboriginal land – ruthlessly pursued by Indian coal corporation Adani Adani. Farmers and graziers in Norther Queensland worried about environmental impacts of Adani coal mine project.
ENERGY. Turnbull govt’s National Energy Guarantee is inadequate and confusing. Chief Scientist Alan Finkel [that wild left-wing hippie?] says that Renewables could reliably contribute 50% to power grid.
NUCLEAR. Western Australia nuclear waste enthusiast Glenn Baker shows his ignorance of the real purpose of the planned nuclear dump, (to store Lucas Heights very radioactive spent fuel returning from France and UK). Australia’s nuclear propagandist Ben Heard, and “Generation Atomic” , fail at Bonn, so fall back on the “banana” argument.
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1.This month.
The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.
The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.
Antinuclear 
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