2019 February 17 « Antinuclear

Attacks on scientists by News Corp – bias in supporting Adani coal mine

News Corp attacks scientists assessing Adani coalmine – and ignores science, Guardian, Sarah Bekessy Hugh Possingham, James Watson, Georgia Garrard and Alex Kusmanoff, 16 Feb 19 Damaging the credibility of scientists when we need their fearless advice more than ever is socially irresponsible and morally reprehensible.

Scientists unite against Adani attack on report into endangered finch The relentless, sustained, needlessly personal attacks on the scientists analysing the impacts of the Adani coalmine undermines the role of science – and scientists – in important decisions that affect our future.Mediawatch last week called out the Courier Mail’s bias in reporting on the proposed Adani coalmine in northern Queensland, including blatantly false statements. One example is a claim that the “endangered black-throated finch faces extinction if the Adani coal mine does not go ahead”, when mining is the very thing threatening the future of the species.

What Mediawatch did not report is the pointed attacks on the scientists engaged to critically assess the likely impact of the mine. The following sentence in the Courier Mail on 27 January is just one example: “If you were in the bunny hugging business and were hiring you’d look at Prof Wintle’s resume and say “impeccable”.In the past month, there have been numerous News Corp articles published about the review under way regarding the impacts of the Adani coalmine on the critically endangered southern black-throated finch. Most have attacked the scientists behind the review or quoted statements undermining the scientist’s integrity. We could find none that have critically discussed the science, apart from one article that cites an anonymous ecologist who claims that the mine is the only way to conserve the species. No evidence is provided to support this claim.

The attacks have consisted of unsubstantiated efforts to smear people instead of addressing the substantive issues. Wintle’s comical tweet of school children protesting (“I’ll stop farting if you stop burning coal”) is the only evidence provided that he is indeed a “self-proclaimed anti-coal activist”, as claimed in the Queensland Times on 21 January and again on Friday mentioned in the Australian. Yet, apparently“questions still loom as to whether Professor Wintle, an open anti-coal activist, would be able to carry out the review with impartiality”.In addition to seeking to degrade political debate and balanced decision making on important topics, this kind of journalism also seeks to damage the credibility of science and scientists in the eyes of the general public. This is arguably socially irresponsible and morally reprehensible, but importantly may also discourage scientists from engaging in policy and planning processes where their expertise is essential………https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/16/news-corp-attacks-scientists-assessing-adani-coalmine-and-ignores-science

The future of humanity hangs in the balance’: Why the world could not handle a nuclear attack

What would you choose? Live or die?

The future of humanity hangs in the balance’: Why the world could not handle a nuclear attack . The Journal I.e. Órla Ryan @orlaryan, orla@thejournal.ie, 17 Feb 19

An expert explains how we could be “headed for a nuclear arms race”. NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE probably talked about more nowadays that at any stage since the Cold War.

There are about 14,500 such weapons in the world, with nine countries owning them. The vast majority of the weapons are owned by the US (about 6,500) and Russia (about 6,800).

Tense relations between these two countries, as well as North Korea trying to increase its nuclear capability, has increased fears about a potential nuclear race.

During the week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched a campaign calling for a global ban on nuclear weapons………. https://www.thejournal.ie/global-ban-on-nuclear-weapons-4495766-Feb2019/

What would a nuclear war look like? And how would anyone be able to help?

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | General News | Leave a comment

Legal advice: Government cannot fund new coal plants without parliamentary approval

Government cannot fund new coal plants without parliamentary approval, advice says
New legal advice sought by the Australia Institute contradicts what government has been telling stakeholders, Guardian, Katharine Murphy Political editor @murpharoo, 17 Feb 19

A new legal opinion suggests the Morrison government will not have the ability to roll out taxpayer support to its controversial plan to underwrite new coal plants unless it enacts supporting legislation or amends existing legislation.The advice, sought by the progressive thinktank the Australia Institute, argues assistance for new generation projects will require “some form of supporting legislation”, either new or existing, to operate and fund the program, otherwise the arrangements would be open to a high court challenge.

Federal parliament resumes on Monday for one of the last sitting periods before the May election, and the Morrison government has already pulled its much-vaunted “big stick” energy legislation because of concerns it would have to cop an amendment from the Greens and Labor, preventing the government from funding new coal projects……. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/18/government-cannot-fund-new-coal-plants-without-parliamentary-approval-advice-says

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, politics | Leave a comment

Australia’s Minister for Coal, Melissa Price, – but supposed to be Minister for Environment

The invisible minister’: Melissa Price accused of going missing on the environment, Guardian, Lisa Cox, 16 Feb 2019

The criticism comes during a summer of disasters, including the mass fish kill, Townsville floods and fires in Tasmania

She is being called the “invisible minister”, the cabinet member responsible for the environment who is accused of “disinterest” during Australia’s summer of natural disasters and record-breaking heatwaves.

Melissa Price has been criticised by three of the country’s biggest environment groups who say they have been unable to meet with her since her appointment last year. A fourth is accusing her office of being in breach of its responsibilities on threatened species.

The criticism comes during a summer that has brought numerous environmental catastrophes, including the mass fish kill in Menindee in far-west New South Wales, fires in Tasmania’s world heritage area, a record-breaking January heatwave, and floods in Townsville that Queensland’s premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described as unprecedented.

While the prime minister Scott Morrison and other senior members of the government including Michael McCormack and David Littleproud have made public appearances in towns affected by the disasters, Price has been absent…….

The government’s key independent committee for the assessment of threatened species, the threatened species scientific committee, also currently has five vacancies including its chair. …… https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/16/the-invisible-minister-melissa-price-accused-of-going-missing-on-the-environment

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, environment, politics | Leave a comment

The uranium map in our bodies — Beyond Nuclear International

Uranium and decay products litter the landscape — and our bodies

via The uranium map in our bodies — Beyond Nuclear International

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Radioactive sea spray is dosing communities — Beyond Nuclear International

Governments want to cover it up

via Radioactive sea spray is dosing communities — Beyond Nuclear International

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

February 17 Energy News — geoharvey

Opinion: ¶ “In Alberta, Solar Energy Is At A Tipping Point” • In 2017, the paradigm for wind energy in Alberta shifted when the Alberta Electric System Operator contracted for wind energy for about C3.7¢/kWh (2.8¢/kWh), which is less than any residential fixed price retail electricity contract available in the province. Now it has shifted […]

via February 17 Energy News — geoharvey

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

US Constitutional Experts Express Concerns After Trump Declares State Of Emergency — Mining Awareness +

“The important point is that the generals are going to have to decide immediately: Are they going to follow the law of the United States or are they going to follow the commander in chief?” (Bruce Ackerman, Sterling professor of law and political science at Yale University) From Cronkite News/Arizona PBS: “Constitutional experts express concerns […]

via US Constitutional Experts Express Concerns After Trump Declares State Of Emergency — Mining Awareness +

February 17, 2019 Posted by Christina MacPherson | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Education on nuclear matters? Don’t let the nuclear industry be in charge of this! – theme for February 19

Would you go to British Tobacco for education on how to have healthy lungs?

Would you trust the Sugar Industry for education on healthy teeth?

So why on earth are we letting the nuclear industry run the education on the most important aspects of nuclear power – the ones that affect humans, all species, and the environment?

The nuclear experts are big on their technical stuff, how to build a new reactor etc, (but very quiet on how to get rid of its radioactive trash)

But don’t let them be the education authorities on ionising radiation – a cause of cancer, birth defects, genetic effects, environmental effects.

Don’t let them be the education authorities on dealing with climate change.

Don’t let them be the education authorities on prevention of war.

Don’t let them be the education authorities on the supposed economic benefits of nuclear power.

Above all, don’t let the nuclear industry control education about HISTORY – about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, atomic testing, about Urals disaster 1957, Mayak, Three Mile Island, Church Rock, Chernobyl, Fukushima…….