To 13 January – Climate and Nuclear News Australia
After days of denial from Iran, President Rouhani on Saturday admitted to “human error” in bringing down the Boeing 737, and the Guards’ aerospace commander General Amirali Hajizadeh accepted full responsibility. Rouhani agreed with Qatar and Pakistani leaders on de-escalation and dialogue as ‘only solution’ to solve the crisis with US. As Europe tries to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, Donald Trump is currently a bigger headache for Europe than Iran is.
The global importance of Australia’s bushfires – climate impacts wildfires, and wildfires impact climate. The concentration of climate-heating greenhouse gases is at a record high. Nations are not meeting their already inadequate climate commitments, and if Trump is re-elected in 2020, America will continue to lead the way in sabotage of action on climate.
A bit of good news – Fukushima Japan Vows to Achieve 100% Renewable Energy Use in 20 Years.
AUSTRALIA
INTERNATIONAL
When traditional Aboriginal owners are included in the vote, support for Kimba nuclear waste dump drops to 43%
“Barngarla Speak Out” : vimeo.com/382855709
“SAVE SA Farmland – Kimba, Eyre Peninsula” : vimeo.com/381938156
Climate protests in London, Berlin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Stockholm target Australian government
Climate action protesters angry over Australia’s bushfires rally across Europe https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/scott-morrison-labelled-laughing-stock-europe-climate-protests/11859988 BY EUROPE CORRESPONDENT BRIDGET BRENNAN AND ROSCOE WHALAN IN LONDON
Thousands of people have taken part in demonstrations across Europe, taking aim at what they say is the Australian Government’s lack of action on climate change during the bushfire crisis.
- Demonstrations organised by Extinction Rebellion were held in London, Berlin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Stockholm
- The protesters called for stronger action on climate change in response to the Australian bushfires
- Protesters in London rallied outside Australia House, while protesters chanted outside the Australian embassy in Berlin
Protesters stopped traffic in London and turned out at rallies in Berlin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Stockholm to show their support for victims of the disasters.
At the Strand in London, hundreds gathered outside Australia House, where the High Commission of Australia is located, calling for stronger action on climate change as part of a protest organised by Extinction Rebellion.
Anne Coates travelled from Sheffield, north of London, to attend the rally.
She began to cry when she spoke about watching the effect of the disaster on people who had lost relatives and homes.
“It’s just too much for your heart. You just can’t live with it. It just gets worse and worse every day,” she said.”Absolutely devastating to watch it. It’s like hell. And it seems like governments around the world are in a race to drag us down to hell.”
She said Prime Minister Scott Morrison was “a laughing stock around the world”.
“We’re absolutely furious with him. And I don’t know what’s it going to take. Governments should be listening,” she said.
Many people wore koala hats to represent the massive loss of wildlife in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Fi Radford from Bristol carried a sign which said “koalas not coal”.
“We’re here to say to the Australian people, challenge your Government on the evidence they’re giving you,” she said.
“Australia, you are custodians of precious species that exist nowhere else in the world. Overturn your Government, they’re leading you to destruction.”
Among the protesters were some of the tens of thousands of Australians living in London.
Harley McDonald-Eckersall from Melbourne said she had been watching on in horror at what has been unfolding in Australia.“It’s been so horrible being away … Australians are extraordinarily resilient — like our First Nations people who have survived genocide and are still caring for the environment,” she said.
Australian Dylan Berthier said he believed the catastrophic conditions in Australia were a wake-up call for the world.
“I think a crisis of this magnitude is a global crisis. I think world leaders have a responsibility to call on the Australian Government to enact new policy that will actually prevent this from happening in the future,” he said.
In Germany, protesters chanted outside the Australian embassy in Berlin.
One man carried a sign which read “Aloha from Berlin” in reference to Mr Morrison’s maligned trip to Hawaii when the bushfires were burning in December.
The climate action group Extinction Rebellion organised the protests across Europe.
Bushfires ‘a warning to the whole world’: UK politicians
The bushfire emergency has been front-page news in the UK for weeks — and has forced Tourism Australia to temporarily pull its new $15 million advertising campaign, fronted by Kylie Minogue.
When the UK Parliament returned earlier this week, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said what had been happening in Australia should act as a “wake-up call for the world”.
Last year, the Conservative Government in the United Kingdom passed legislation to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 — one of the most ambitious targets set by a major economy.
But many environmental groups have said 2050 is not soon enough.
Labour leadership contender Clive Lewis told the House of Commons: “So as Australia burns, as millions in African states face climate-driven famine, and floods have swept the north of England, will this Government give a damn about this existential threat and act, not posture?”
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry, who is vying to become the new opposition leader, has criticised the Morrison Government.
“I hope that the horrendous wildfires in Australia, brought on by record temperatures, with such devastating impacts for the human and animal populations in New South Wales, will not just wake up Scott Morrison’s Government to its wilful inaction over climate change, but serve as a warning to the whole world,” she said.
Earlier this week, outspoken British television presenter Piers Morgan cut short an interview with Liberal MP Craig Kelly on Good Morning Britain.
Climate change and global warming are real and Australia is right now showing the entire world just how devastating it is,” he said.
“And for senior politicians in Australia to still pretend there’s no protection is absolutely disgraceful.”
In an address to Vatican diplomats this week, Pope Francis also criticised climate inaction.
“Many young people have become active in calling the attention of political leaders to the issue of climate change. Care for our common home ought to be a concern of everyone,” he said.
“Sadly, the urgency of this ecological conversion seems not to have been grasped by international politics, where the response to the problems raised by global issues such as climate change remains very weak and a source of grave concern.”
Australia should go all-out for renewable energy, not nuclear – Dr Helen Caldicott
“There’s always the risk of a meltdown like Chernobyl, Fukushima or Three Mile Island,” said Dr Caldicott, who once lived at Matcham on the Central Coast.
Despite a strong push towards renewable energy, the nuclear question continues to be asked amid concern that the transition away from fossil fuels isn’t happening fast enough to save the world from catastrophic climate change.
A fortnight before Christmas, the energy committee running the inquiry released its report. It concluded that nuclear energy should be considered as part of Australia’s future energy mix.
“Australia should say a definite ‘No’ to old nuclear technologies but a conditional ‘Yes’ to new and emerging technologies such as small modular reactors,” committee chair and Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien said.
Dr Caldicott said opening the door to nuclear power was “madness”.
She said the so-called “nuclear renaissance” seemed dead and buried after the Fukushima catastrophe.
“One-sixth of the world’s nuclear reactors were closed after the accident,” she said.
She said the corporations that invest in making nuclear plants and radioactive waste had a “new strategy” to develop small modular reactors.
While corporations may claim such reactors could be sold without the dangers inherent in large reactors, she said “there are no safe nuclear power plants”.
If Australia proceeded towards nuclear power, some fear the Hunter could be earmarked as a site for reactors or waste dumps, given its history in the energy sector.
Shortland MP Pat Conroy, who is also Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change, has raised serious concerns about this.
“Several sites in our region have been floated as locations for nuclear power stations. I don’t know anyone who wants to live next door to one,” Mr Conroy said.
The Australian Energy Market Operator found that the cheapest new electricity for Australia was renewable energy – wind and solar – backed up by pumped hydro storage and gas.
“Those arguing for nuclear power are arguing for higher energy prices. Nuclear power just does not add up,” Mr Conroy said.
The committee’s report recommends a partial lift of Australia’s moratorium on nuclear energy.
It urged the federal government to keep its moratorium on Generations I, II and III reactors while lifting it for Generations III+ and IV reactors, so “only the newest and best” were considered.
Mr O’Brien said “the Australian people should be at the centre of any approval process”.
“If we’re serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we can’t simply ignore this zero-emissions baseload technology,” he said.
While nuclear plants don’t release emissions, greenhouse gases are emitted in creating and maintaining the infrastructure for nuclear energy, along with uranium mining and enrichment and nuclear waste disposal.
“We can do 100 per cent renewables,”DCr
“What the government should be doing right now is closing down the coal mines and re-employing those people and thousands of others to cover every house with solar panels.
“We should have electric cars powered by solar, not coal, and windmills everywhere including offshore.”
She said geothermal energy should also be tapped.
“South Australia has an enormous amount of geothermal energy,” she said.
“The solutions are there. They will empower the economy, employ millions of people and save the planet. Australia could become the energy superpower of the world.”……
Mr Conroy said there was clear evidence that nuclear power was “expensive, slow, inflexible and dangerous to the environment and human health”.
“In the absence of a coherent energy policy to lower prices and cut greenhouse emissions, Australians are taking matters into their own hands – installing solar panels and batteries,” he said.
“I doubt that any Australians think nuclear power is the way forward – especially those who might end up with it on their doorstep.”…… Mr Conroy said there was clear evidence that nuclear power was “expensive, slow, inflexible and dangerous to the environment and human health”.
“In the absence of a coherent energy policy to lower prices and cut greenhouse emissions, Australians are taking matters into their own hands – installing solar panels and batteries,” he said.
“I doubt that any Australians think nuclear power is the way forward – especially those who might end up with it on their doorstep.”……https://www.standard.net.au/story/6576818/opening-the-door-to-nuclear-power-madness-says-campaigner/?cs=10264
Dramatic drop in P.M. Scott Morrison’s popularity, over his climate stance
|
Appearing on Insiders on Sunday morning, Mr Morrison said it was his “intention to meet and beat” Australia’s 2030 commitment to cut emissions 26 to 28 per cent on 2005 levels. And he left the door slightly ajar to cut more emissions if needed.
It’s a small but significant step considering just weeks ago Mr Morrison said he saw no need to change his climate policies. In another move to show it is helping the environment, the Morrison government will on Monday announce it is pledging $50 million to help protect wildlife and fauna impacted by bushfires. Could it signal that the bushfire disaster has finally woken the government up to do more to acknowledge and fight manmade climate change? Experts aren’t holding their breath. And now the polls indicate the PM has some work to do to persuade voters amid fury over Mr Morrison’s bushfire response. The latest Newspoll figures show Mr Morrison’s approval rating has plunged and Labor leader Anthony Albanese is now the preferred leader. Mr Albanese leads the Liberal leader 43 to 39 per cent, according to the survey results released on Sunday night. Labor is in front 51-49 on a two-party-preferred basis in the poll conducted for The Australian, a significant turnaround from early December when results showed the coalition led 52-48. Support for the Greens rose one point to 12 per cent, while One Nation lost ground, falling one point to four per cent. Meanwhile, scientists say Mr Morrison’s mea culpa on his holiday and hint on climate policy shift are nowhere near the strong response needed to show the government is going to commit to any meaningful change in their climate response. Lesley Hughes, a professor of biology at Macquarie University and a climate councillor at the Climate Council of Australia, said the government’s targets are so “weak” that it means little when the PM promises to meet or beat them. “It’s like saying I want a 20 per cent pass rate on my exam. So we met those targets because they were so low,” Professor Hughes told The New Daily. Meeting the 2030 Paris targets would rely heavily on including emissions reductions from the previous international agreement, the Kyoto protocol. “The best analogy I’ve heard – and it’s not mine – but it’s like saying I got a really good mark on my kindergarten colouring test and I want to use that to pass my university test now,” Professor Hughes said. On top of the targets being criticised as too low, the UN reported last year that Australia was not even on track to meet them. “There has been no improvement in Australia’s climate policy since 2017 and emission levels for 2030 are projected to be well above the target,” the report found. Central to the government’s climate plan is the Emissions Reduction Fund, which was allocated an additional $2 billion to purchase about 100 million tonnes of emissions from businesses between 2021 and 2030. While the framework of the ERF has been praised, the OECD said in a 2019 report it would need to be scaled up to meet the Paris targets. Australia is part of a growing cohort of G20 countries that are falling short. This will have dire consequences for our environment and economy, Professor Hughes said. If we do meet our 26 per cent reduction, it is not enough if you multiply that on a global scale to stop us from getting to three degrees of warming,” she said. “This fire season has been with just one degree of warming. Just imagine three times – what that means. That’s what we’re talking about.” Coal: Australia’s kingOpposition leader Anthony Albanese has said the government is “refusing to act” on climate change, but he has also backed coal exports……. https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/01/13/scott-morrison-insiders-climate-change/ |
|
Australia’s costly failure to address global warming risk mitigation
Paul Richards 13 Jan 2020, Failing to address global warming risk mitigation was always going be costly.
The sooner there is something started, the less it will cost.
From this perspective, the cost has already been far too high;
• 27 human deaths and
• 2,000 homes have been destroyed across
• 103,000 sq km [10.3 million hectares] burned out where a
• 1 billion wild mammals, birds and reptiles have perished
Bushfires started in late September 2019, and it will go until early April 2020, and that is just one extreme type of climate change event.
Trump is setting up a massive nuclear crisis with Iran
Trump is setting up a massive nuclear crisis with Iran, The Week,
First, the fog of war created by the president’s decision to assassinate Soleimani led to tragedy, as Iran seems to have accidentally shot down a planeload of innocent civilians. While most of the blame goes to whichever incompetent Iranian operator pulled the trigger, the reality is that all 176 of those people, including 63 Canadians, would be alive today if the U.S. had not carried out its hit on Soleimani. For another, we should remember that a month passed between the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the outbreak of WWI.
More importantly, just because both the Trump administration and senior Iranian leadership seem to share an aversion to full-scale war and pulled back from the brink this time doesn’t mean that the Soleimani killing was costless for the U.S.
The day after the Iranian response, the seldom-seen Teleprompter Trump showed up to deliver a short, sober speech. “As long as I’m president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” President Trump said on Wednesday. He said this before saying “good morning” to the assembled crowd. The specter of an Iranian nuke is still, ostensibly, the overriding goal of American policy vis-à-vis Iran. Yet everything that Trump has done since the day he took office has made an Iranian nuclear breakout more likely.
https://theweek.com/articles/888687/trump-setting-massive-nuclear-crisis-iran
Fukushima Japan Vows to Achieve 100% Renewable Energy Use in 20 Years
Impelled by Reactor Meltdown, Fukushima Japan Vows to Achieve 100% Renewable Energy Use in 20 Years, https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/fukushima-moves-towards-100-percent-renewable-energy-production/ By Andy Corbley –
Jan 11, 2020
Nine years ago, an earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Japan
caused one of the most significant nuclear disasters in human history in the area around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where the resulting reactor meltdown led to the evacuation of 150,000 individuals.
Now, the local government has vowed to restructure the grid of the north western prefecture to use entirely renewable energy sources by 2040. Fukushima is the third largest administrative district in the country, and uniquely includes a variety of energy resources like prime spots for solar and wind farms, and also opportunities for geothermal power as well.
Working to achieve these ambitious goals, Fukushima Prefecture signed a memorandum of understanding in the field of renewables with the Ministry of Environment for the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia, the largest energy-producing state in Germany—and Europe as well—in August of 2017.
North-Rhine Westphalia has doubled their renewable energy infrastructure over the last 15 years—growing it to deliver 9% of total energy production.
Since 2012, however, Fukushima has tripled its renewable energy production, with solar, wind, water, thermal, and biofuel resources totaling 1,500 megawatts of electricity, delivering a contribution of nearly 18% of Japan’s total yearly energy consumption.
Additionally, 300 billion yen ($2.75 billion) for the project has already been fronted by sponsors such as the state-owned Japan Development Bank and Mizuho Bank. The funding will be used to construct 11 solar farms and 10 wind farms over the next 4 years. The new projects also include biomass plants, geothermal stations, even fleets of sea-going windmills.
The proposed new grid, spanning 80 kilometers, would reach the Tokyo metropolitan area and contribute 600 megawatts of electricity, replacing much of the power which, up until recently, the city had received from the pair of Fukushima atomic energy plants.
Beyond moving away from its robust infrastructure and dependence on atomic energy, Japan is also the third largest importer of coal and natural gas, and a massive change in energy independence would help Japan reach its ambitious goals set forth in the recent UN climate change panel in Madrid last month.
The country’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, irrespective of the Fukushima Prefecture’s own energy objectives, is targeting 24% total energy from renewables nationally by 2030.
‘Error of judgement’: UK police recall guide which listed Extinction Rebellion among extremist groups
|
‘Error of judgement’: UK police recall guide which listed Extinction Rebellion among extremist groups https://www.sbs.com.au/news/error-of-judgement-uk-police-recall-guide-which-listed-extinction-rebellion-among-extremist-groups
Climate justice group Extinction Rebellion was listed as an extremist ideology by counter-terrorism police in England, in a document officers have since recalled. BY ANTOINETTE RADFORD, 12 Jan 2020
Counter-terrorism police in South-East England say they made an ‘error of judgement’ in adding climate Justice group Extinction Rebellion to a list of extremist ideologies. The Guardian revealed the group was included in a 12-page guide named ‘Safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism’. The document was designed to help educate people working with youth to “recognise when young people or adults may be vulnerable to extreme or violent ideologies”, The guide advises people to look out for young people who “neglect to attend school” or “participate in planned school walkouts” – an apparent reference to the global School Strike for climate movement started by Greta Thunberg this year. It also suggests that young people who engage in non-violent direct action such as writing environmentally-themed graffiti, sit-down protests or banner drops are potentially at risk of radicalisation. The environmental group featured alongside Neo-Nazi terror operations and a pro-terrorist Islam outfit. In a statement to The Guardian, Counter Terrorism Policing South East boss Kath Barnes said the guide is being recalled. “The document was designed for a very specific audience who understand the complexities of the safeguarding environment we work within and who have statutory duties under Prevent. We are in the process of confirming who it has been shared with and recalling it.” Extinction Rebellion was founded in October 2018 and the group maintains a welcoming, non-violent culture is at the core of its beliefs. A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion’s Sydney arm, AJ Tennant, says it was a shock to hear the international movement had made it onto the list in the first place. “It’s very distressing that a peaceful, environmental organisation that’s trying to advocate for the protection of humanity would be treated with such disdain.” He says he understands that people may find the extinction rebellion movement confronting, and even frustrating at times, but argues the movement has always been focused on non-violent methods of drawing attention to the climate debate. “The first word that applies to everything that XR does is non-violent. We talk about being peaceful, we talk about having love in the movement, we talk about apologising to people for any inconvenience we caused, so while we are disruptive, we are always, always peaceful. London-based human rights lawyer and media commentator Shoaib Khan has taken to Twitter to condemn the actions of British authorities. Tens of thousands of Australians took to the streets on Friday to demand stronger action on climate, with some in the large crowds carrying the Extinction Rebellion network’s recognisable logo and flag. |
|
Siemens sticks with Adani contract after intervention from Canavan — RenewEconomy
Siemens decides to honour contract with controversial Adani coal mine, after resources minister Canavan claims 2019 election was referendum on mine. The post Siemens sticks with Adani contract after intervention from Canavan appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Siemens sticks with Adani contract after intervention from Canavan — RenewEconomy
January 12 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “Scott Morrison Can’t Afford To Waste The Bushfire Crisis When Australia Urgently Needs Its Own Green New Deal” • The lies of the climate deniers have to be rejected. This is a time for truth telling, not obfuscation and gaslighting, writes former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. He calls for a Green New […]
‘Korea should take leading role in stopping Japan from discharging radioactive water’ — Fukushima 311 Watchdogs
Chang Mari, a Climate and Energy Campaigner at the Greenpeace East Asia Seoul Office, poses for a picture during the inspection in Fukushima, Japan, in October 2019 January 4, 2020 By Kim Jae-heun “Korea should take a leading role in stopping Japan from discharging radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean,” said Chang Mari, a […]
Wind, solar and batteries to slash emissions and costs in W.A.’s Esperance — RenewEconomy
Wind, solar and battery storage to power nearly half of W.A. town of Esperance, slashing emissions by half and electricity costs by nearly that much. The post Wind, solar and batteries to slash emissions and costs in W.A.’s Esperance appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via Wind, solar and batteries to slash emissions and costs in W.A.’s Esperance — RenewEconomy
The climate science deniers spreading misinformation about Australian bushfires — RenewEconomy
Scott Morrison’s refusal to act on climate is bolstered by a group of fringe climate science deniers pushing conspiracy theories and misinformation. The post The climate science deniers spreading misinformation about Australian bushfires appeared first on RenewEconomy.
via The climate science deniers spreading misinformation about Australian bushfires — RenewEconomy
Things just got worse, again — Beyond Nuclear International
Trump blows up nuclear stepping stone in Iran
via Things just got worse, again — Beyond Nuclear International
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 