Australia leads the world in global warming – with the 15 hottest sites
The world’s 15 hottest sites on Tuesday were all in Australia, Brisbane Times, By Peter Hannam16 January 2019 Australia was home to all 15 of the world’s hottest temperatures on Tuesday, a feat it may well repeat on Wednesday and beyond as a huge swath of the nation bakes in 45-degree-plus heat.A slew of records have already fallen during the current heatwave and more are likely to be broken before a cool change breaks up the furnace later this week.
According to the El Dorado Weather site, the warmest 15 places on the planet in the past 24 hours were all in Australia. These ranged from Tarcoola in inland South Australia, which reached 49.1 degrees, to Yulara in the Northern Territory at 46.1 degrees in 15th slot.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the 49.1 degrees at Tarcoola was a record reading for that site.
Australia often dominates heat temperatures in summer, given that rival southern hemisphere sites are mostly in South America and South Africa where readings above 40 degrees are not so common.
The world’s hottest places in the 24 hours to 11am (AEDT) on January 16:
- Tarcoola (Australia) 49.1°C
- Port Augusta Aws (Australia) 49°C
- Woomera Aerodrome (Australia) 48°C
- Olympic Dam Aerodrome (Australia) 47.9°C
- Hay Airport Aws (Australia) 47.8°C
- Oodnadatta Airport (Australia) 47.7°C
- Marree Aero (Australia) 47.6°C
- Coober Pedy Aws (Australia) 47.5°C
- Warburton Airfield (Australia) 47.3°C
- Ivanhoe Aerodrome Aws (Australia) 46.9°C
- Wilcannia Aerodrome Aws (Australia) 46.6°C
- Leigh Creek Airport (Australia) 46.3°C
- Wulungurru (Australia) 46.2°C
- Moomba Airport (Australia) 46.1°C
- Yulara Aws (Australia) 46.1°C
50 degrees?
Jacob Cronje, a senior meteorologist with Weatherzone, said he “wouldn’t be shocked” by a 50-degree reading during the current spell, given the scale and intensity of the heat.
Certainly the duration of this event and the spatial extent of the heatwave across the southern half of Australia seems to be quite significant,” he said.
“By the end of the week, we should see many records broken across NSW,” Mr Cronje said, adding that northern Victoria might have to rewrite the records too…….
For Canberra, temperatures may reach 40 degrees for four days in a row, a series not recorded before for the nation’s capital. No days of 40 degrees were recorded in Canberra between 1973 and 1998, the bureau said. The city reached 41.6 degrees on Wednesday…….
Hot years
The Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO’s State of the Climate report identified rising temperatures as among the clearest indications of climate change in Australia.
Globally, last year was the world’s fourth-hottest year, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. All of the five warmest years on record have happened since 2014, the agency reported this week. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/weather/the-world-s-15-hottest-sites-were-all-in-australia-amid-significant-heatwave-20190116-p50rmr.html
ANSTO nuclear waste will compromise safety and security in South Australia
ANSTO nuclear waste to compromise safety and security in SA, https://www.foe.org.au/ansto_nuclear_waste_to_compromise_safety_and_security_in_s
a David Noonan, 17 Jan 19 The federal government intends shipments of irradiated nuclear fuel waste to be imposed through Whyalla or Port Pirie to go onto indefinite above-ground storage at a nuclear dump site at either Kimba or Hawker ‒ all of which is illegal under state law in South Australia.
Two shipments of reprocessed nuclear waste ‒ arising from the 
reprocessing of fuel irradiated in research reactors operated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) ‒ are intended in the first two years of nuclear store operations in SA. A shipment is due from Sellafield in UK in the early 2020s, and ANSTO plans a shipment of nuclear waste that was reprocessed in France then shipped to ANSTO’s Lucas Heights site (south of Sydney) in 2015.
Some 100 B-Double truckloads of federal government Intermediate Level Wastes (ILW) ‒ predominantly ANSTO waste from Lucas Heights ‒ are also to be trucked into SA in the first four years of nuclear store operations in SA.
SA communities face decades of potential accident and terrorist risks and impacts from ongoing ANSTO nuclear waste transports, with all of the next 40 years of ANSTO reactor waste also to be shipped and trucked to SA for indefinite above-ground storage.
The federal nuclear regulator, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), states that nuclear fuel wastes and other ILW require radiation shielding and require isolation from the environment for over 10,000 years. Yet the current plan is to store this waste in SA in a fancy shed for indefinite storage described as “interim” and as “long term above-ground storage (approximately 100 years)”.
After 60 years, ANSTO still has no nuclear waste disposal capacity, while ANSTO’s nuclear waste production is set to increase to more than double waste stockpiles over the next 40 years.
The government’s April 2018 ‘Australian Radioactive Waste Management Framework’1 reports total ILW at 1,770 cubic metres (m3), with 95% by volume arising as federal government wastes.
The federal government plans to produce a further 1,960 m3 of ILW over next 40 years, with 95% (1,850 m3) arising from ANSTO’s reactor operations – all to be trucked into SA for indefinite above-ground storage at either Kimba or Hawker.
All of these federal government nuclear waste plans face serious obstacles and community opposition. They are illegal under state law in SA; are in breach of formal advice of the Nuclear Safety Committee to the federal regulator ARPANSA2; and do not represent International Best Practice.
The import, transport, storage and disposal of ANSTO nuclear fuel wastes were prohibited by the SA Liberal government in 2000; then in 2002‒03 the incoming SA Labor government extended the legislation to cover other radioactive wastes. Yet the federal Coalition government intends to override state law to impose nuclear wastes onto SA.
Advice provided to the CEO of ARPANSA by ARPANSA’s ‘Nuclear Safety Committee’ in Nov. 2013 states that:
“International best practice points to the need to have in place a policy and infrastructure for final management and ultimate disposal of waste before activities generating waste commence.”
“[T]he dual handling and transport process associated with interim storage does not represent international best practice”
“Dual handling also has implications for security.”
More recently, in Nov. 2016, the Nuclear Safety Committee advised the CEO of ARPANSA on the “ongoing requirement to clearly and effectively engage all stakeholders, including those along transport routes” and the Committee said that such engagement is “essential”.3
However, in an arrogant, flawed process, the federal government named port cities in SA as required ports to take shipments of nuclear waste in a report4 posted on the internet but failed to even inform the targeted communities and their local councils.
The story broke on Southern Cross TV on Aug. 6. The next day the ABC quoted Port Pirie’s Mayor saying Council was “blind-sided” by the federal government position to potentially require Port Pirie as a nuclear waste port. On Aug. 9 the story ran on p.1 of the Whyalla News, with the Whyalla Mayor saying Council won’t accept this.
Communities in Whyalla or Port Pirie ‒ and in Port Augusta which was named on a number of potential required nuclear waste transport routes ‒ face “complete shutdown” in transport of nuclear wastes through their cities but have been excluded from having a say by this federal government.
The federal Coalition government must stop this untenable nuclear waste threat to compromise safety and security in SA and accept extended storage of ANSTO nuclear fuel waste and ILW at Lucas Heights.
As the alternate federal government, the ALP is yet to say what they may do if elected in 2019.
More information: www.nuclear.foe.org.au/noonan
References:….
- www.radioactivewaste.gov.au/sites/prod.radioactivewaste/files/files/Australian%20Radioactive%20Waste%20Management%20Framework.pdf
- www.arpansa.gov.au/sites/default/files/legacy/pubs/nsc/nsc_iwsadvice.pdf
- www.arpansa.gov.au/sites/default/files/legacy/pubs/nsc/nrwmf-stakeholder-engagement.rtf
- https://prod-radioactivewaste.industry.slicedtech.com.au/sites/prod.radioactivewaste/files/60565376_NRWMF%20Site%20Characterisation%20Technical%20Report_Wallerberdina_20.07.2018_FINAL_Optimized.pdf
Published in Chain Reaction #134, December 2018. National magazine of Friends of the Earth Australia. www.foe.org.au/chain_reaction
Heat records smashed across Australia
SBS News 16 Jan 19, Scorching summer temperatures have seen some regions reaching close to 50C with records crumbling as the week long heatwave continues. Summer heat records have been smashed with South Australia’s Port Augusta hitting a scorching 48.9C, as the rest of the country sweltered though a heatwave.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast daytime temperatures of up to 12C above average and 10C higher than usual at night from Monday to Friday…….https://www.sbs.com.au/news/heat-records-smashed-across-australia
Crisis in Australia’s one great river system: climate change a factor
Drought, climate change and mismanagement’: What experts think caused the death of a million Menindee fish, ABC Science, By environment reporter Nick Kilvert, – 16 Jan 19
Britain’s nuclear energy future in jeopardy.
The Week, Jan 15, 2019
The company has already ploughed nearly £2 billion into the project, yet has struggled to attract investors, “even though (the) UK government may have promised as much as two thirds of the build cost” says Unearthed, a “generous largesse on behalf of UK taxpayers, not offered to any other energy projects”.
Stop Going Nuclear: Nuclear power is too dangerous for use as an energy source
Stop Going Nuclear
Nuclear power is too dangerous for use as an energy source. Take it from the guy who chaired a nuclear commission under Obama. Slate By Listen to The Gist via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.
January 16 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “One Simple – But Really Hard – Solution to Stop Climate Change” • The time to act on climate change and limit its human causes is now, as many studies have shown. A report in the journal Nature Communications maps out what it may take to get there. It is to phase out […]
South Australia’s second big battery goes live, charges up — RenewEconomy
The 30 MW/8MWh big battery installed at the Dalrymple substation on SA’s Yorke Peninsula is live, connected to the national grid, and charging up, says ARENA. The post South Australia’s second big battery goes live, charges up appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via South Australia’s second big battery goes live, charges up — RenewEconomy
35°C days make blackouts more likely, but new coal power stations won’t help — RenewEconomy
As temperatures soar around Australia, a reminder that power outages are much more likely to be caused by problems in your local network. And new coal plants won’t help at all. The post 35°C days make blackouts more likely, but new coal power stations won’t help appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via 35°C days make blackouts more likely, but new coal power stations won’t help — RenewEconomy
Vestas passes 1GW mark for wind orders in Australia in 2018, with 184MW WA project — RenewEconomy
Vestas wins contract to build 184MW wind farm in WA, taking the global giant to a total of 1GW of orders in Australia for 2018 alone. The post Vestas passes 1GW mark for wind orders in Australia in 2018, with 184MW WA project appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Vestas passes 1GW mark for wind orders in Australia in 2018, with 184MW WA project — RenewEconomy
Windscale/Sellefield Pt. 5. Research for a book length study — Nuclear Exhaust
Full text pdf of the Black Report, 1984: https://pdf.library.soton.ac.uk/BOPCRIS/22690/pdf/22690_1.pdf AND https://pdf.library.soton.ac.uk/BOPCRIS/22690/pdf/22690_2.pdf
via Windscale/Sellefield Pt. 5. Research for a book length study — Nuclear Exhaust
Windscale/Sellefield Pt. 4. Research for a book length study — Nuclear Exhaust
Abstract of the Black report, 1984. https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:15069846 which reads: “Investigation of the possible increased incidence of cancer in West Cumbria Black, D. 1984. OHMS. The Group’s task was: a) to establish cancer incidence in the area adjacent to Sellafield, and compare it with cancer incidence in other areas in the U.K. and Cumbria; b) to […]
via Windscale/Sellefield Pt. 4. Research for a book length study — Nuclear Exhaust
Duck! Solar charge puts energy market transition on the fast-track — RenewEconomy
Australia’s record-breaking solar uptake, and the “duck curve” effect it is having on the NEM, will cause the “next major inflection” in the energy market, Morgan Stanley warns, and likely sooner than investors and industry players are expecting. The post Duck! Solar charge puts energy market transition on the fast-track appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Duck! Solar charge puts energy market transition on the fast-track — RenewEconomy
Know your NEM: Looking forward, after looking back — RenewEconomy
The worm is starting to turn, as wind and solar power become widely acknowledged as the forthcoming mainstream suppliers of energy into the NEM. But can governments and regulators keep pace? The post Know your NEM: Looking forward, after looking back appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Know your NEM: Looking forward, after looking back — RenewEconomy
Canadian Solar buys up S.A. solar farm, confirms PPA with Flow Power — RenewEconomy
30MW solar and battery-ready Mannum Solar Farm set to be built by Canadian Solar, help power Mid-Murray region agribusinesses, including major wine maker Pernod Ricard. The post Canadian Solar buys up S.A. solar farm, confirms PPA with Flow Power appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Canadian Solar buys up S.A. solar farm, confirms PPA with Flow Power — RenewEconomy
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 