To April 23 Australia in nuclear and climate news
It’s getting monotonous, as well as scary, – news reports on all the sabre rattling going on, mainly about North Korea, but also about Syria and Iran. The upshot of all this: – risk of ‘catastrophic’ nuclear accident increases. – communities fearful of nuclear war, especially in South Korea, and luxury bunkers in high demand by the filthy rich.
Spin for “new nukes” – Generation IV nuclear reactors – ramps up.
AUSTRALIA
Effusive (?nauseating) meeting as Trump’s Vice President visits Australia, seeks support for potential attack on North Korea. Australia all too ready to join America in fighting World War 3. North Korea warns of nuclear strike against Australia: Turnbull tight-lipped about joining any USA military action.
Marches For Science held in Australia yesterday, in cities including in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, Brisbane and Townsville.
NUCLEAR. Stop Australia signing up to develop new nuclear reactors -submissions by 28 April. Australia quietly joins international forum to develop new Gen IV nuclear reactors.
A March on Anzac Day: 6 years of FRONTIER WARS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmVAxy59WVI
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY We are about to choose Adani or Australia. Adani coal mine just does not make economic sense. John Hewson says $1bn loan to Adani the ‘last thing’ Coalition should be doing. There’s An Army Of Indian Twitter Accounts Pushing Suspiciously Identical Pro-Mining Tweets.
The great gas con: There are cheaper, cleaner alternatives.
Bid for rare earths mining and processing in Australia.
- South Australia. 19 big South Australian industrial users join to buy electricity in bulk: a path to more wind and solar projects? Opposition in South Australia to $500 million solar and wind farm.
- Queensland. Queensland govt calls for large scale renewables hub near near major coal port
- Tasmania. Switch from coal to gas – still polluting. Turnbull also touts hydro-power
- Victoria. Victoria’s 132MW Mt Gellibrand wind farm set to be developed. Victoria’s Ararat Wind Farm now supplying power to Victoria and ACT.
- Western Australia. Carnegie raises $18m for Northam solar farm and micro-grids . Western Australia’s State-owned regional power provider Horizon encourages off-peak electricity use.
- New South Wales. NSW becoming a quiet achiever in renewable energy. Gladys Berejiklian government taking on a green tinge on energy and climate change.
To 15 April- Australian nuclear and climate news
Once again – weapons, and with the Syria conflict, the threat of nuclear war are in the news this week. South Korea tries to reassure citizens that U.S. won’t strike North Korea pre-emptively. Meanwhile cautious and problematic negotiations at at U.N. nuclear weapons ban treaty meeting.
The other big nuclear story is the dismal nuclear power industry prospects, after Westinghouse bankruptcy. Toshiba corporation might not survive its nuclear financial crisis.
For Australia, the big issue of the week was, and still is, the Queensland Adani coal mine expansion project – a foolish use of tax-payers’ money. Prime Minister Turnbull actively lobbying for Adani and the coal industry, not without attracting criticism. Adani coal mine could become a massive stranded asset, lawyers warn. Turnbull offers to sacrifice Aboriginal rights to Adani in an act of national betrayal. Adani faces strong Indigenous fight despite court outcome Labor resists pressure for $900 million Adani coal mine loan. Satellite images showed black water flowing to wetlands from Abbot Point Coal Terminal. Big Nobs at Westpac dinner interrupted for 90 minutes by anti Adani protestors. #StopAdani National Week of Action.
Pine Gap critically involved in USA – North Korea antagonism.
NUCLEAR. Australian government about to secretly sign up to participate in developing new “Generation IV” nuclear reactors. Kimba South Australia: Neighbours still opposed to nominated nuclear waste facility sites. ERA boss pushes nuclear power as energy source for Australia.
CLIMATE Australia’s “CATASTROPHIC collapse of life”in some areas, if we don’t change policies on climate change. Insurance companies want big increase in govt disaster mitigation spending. Unprecedented Harm to Great Barrier Reef From Back-to-Back Bleaching.
Farmers For Climate gives a voice for rural Australians. Senate Committee Report recommends market-based carbon trading scheme, but shows idealogical divisions between political parties. Young Nationals split from party policy, now to back emissions trading. Liberal COALition’s answer to global warming – more coal is needed!! Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) backing shonky climate denial book.
ENERGY.
- Port Augusta highlights the energy transformation now happening in Australia. Huge 300MW solar farm begins construction near Port Augusta.
- Record renewable energy production in South Australia: will Liberal opposition support govt legislation to regulate electricity market?
- Broken Hill’s giant leap – from mining hub to solar centre. Rooftop solar now Queensland’s biggest power station
- Huge surge in household solar panel installations. New rules flag big switch in energy markets to cheaper, smarter grid .
- Strong support for renewable energy, by Victorian government.
- Telecommunications company joins Click energy to challenge coal electricity utilities. EnergyLab: Program to accelerate creation of renewable energy start-ups launches in Sydney.
- Turnbull govt in for a shock, with new CEO of Australian Energy Market Operator, Audrey Zibelman.
- New poll shows very high public support for renewable energy. Australia’s Liberal Coalition supporters want quicker shift to renewable energy.
- People self-diagnosing “windfarm diseases” ?
Nuclear news this week: Australia
Weapons and war are in the news this week – well, even more than they usually are. US President Trump sent a missile strike attack on a Syrian military airfield, in the first direct American assault on the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The reverberations of this continue around the world, and USA warns that there could be further attacks. Trump did act without Congressional approval. There is debate about this – some say he violated the US Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. Others say that Trump had legal authority to attack Syria. My own opinion – it is a worrying precedent.
The United Nations held the global summit for a treaty on banning nuclear weapons . 1st round of nuclear weapons ban treaty talks ends, aims to draft treaty next month. North Korea remains a worry, as US President Trump and China’s President Xi begin an uneasy meeting. Meanwhile, Donald Trump expands the power of the President to declare war.
AUSTRALIA
Trump administration informed Turnbull in advance, of USA strike on Syria. Will Australia be drawn into a fresh conflict in the Middle East? Well, we hope not. Turnbull critical of Russia’s support of Syrian govt, but will not be drawn on Australia’s response.
Nuclear waste issues simmer on – South Australia is the focus. South Australian Liberal Party to launch advertising campaign against Nuclear Royal Commission plan to import nuclear wastes. Does Australia REALLY need a radioactive waste facility in outback South Australia? ANSTO admits that Federal waste plan is for reactor generated wastes, (not just “medical” ) and that no long-term disposal plan exists. Some enthusiasts for nuclear waste dump at Kimba, but many opponents.
Victorian Liberal Party rejects nuclear power, also rejects climate denialism.
CLIMATE. Australia’s security, like America’s, is threatened in unexpected ways, by climate change. While coal mining contributes to climate change, climate change is wiping out coal mining revenue! Adani coal mine granted UNLIMITED ACCESS TO GROUNDWATER. Adani coal railway line plan in breach of Australian government policy. While the Australian government slumbers on, business takes lead on climate disasters.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Despite the blindness of Australian govt and vested interests, the switch from ‘base load’ to smart grid energy is underway. With big solar, Australia can meet renewable energy target of 33,000GWh by 2020. New Queensland homes can have Solar + Tesla battery storage. A cautionary tale about going off grid with solar energy.
The week that was in nuclear and climate news in Australia
The United Nations has just held the first of two global summits to negotiate “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. This was sponsored by 57 nations, and with 125 nations represented, but the nuclear weapons-dependent nations did not participate.
Does this mean that the conference is meaningless? Perhaps. Yet, increasingly, public opinion supports nuclear disarmament, and those governments are being challenged, to explain their support for nuclear weapons.
As for the “peaceful” nuclear industry – it is having a financial meltdown. Westinghouse’s bankruptcy, and Toshiba’s record loss, shed doubt on new nuclear build in America and Britain.
Globally, the Paris climate agreement will continue, while Trump Trashes U.S. Climate Policy.
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR. Australia – America’s Deputy Sheriff again, as USA opposes nuclear-weapons-ban talks. Radioactive soil dumped at Mary Kathleen mine.
CLIMATE.
- Insurance catastrophe, with severe floods in Queensland and New South Wales, but of course, nobody is mentioning that nasty left-wing phrase “Climate Change”.
- Energy Minister Frydenberg says that Australia will not dump the Paris climate deal, even if America does. Australian government releases rather unsatisfactory climate review, amid resignations of key advisors.
- Resources Minister Matt Canavan wants $1b for Adani coal, and to cut environmental groups’ charity status. Anti-Adani activists vow ‘direct action’ against mine contractor Downer. Australian Liberals seeking Asian investment for new coal-fired power stations. Fossil fuel industry screwed Australians: mainstream media helped them.
- Need for forward planning for climate change – shown by Hazelwood coal closure.
- Second year of widespread bleaching underway on the Great Barrier Reef.
RENEWABLE ENERGY Australian Energy Market Operator new boss Audrey Zibelman will reform Australia’s energy vision. Success of Australia’s Clean Energy Program.
As costs tumble, Australia poised for large-scale solar boom. Canberra’s shining example of renewable energy development. $1billion battery and solar farm for South Australia’s Riverland. Giles Parkinson explains need for battery storage to be configured properly
Indigenous. Success of Indigenous rangers program: calls for it to be expanded
Environment. Western Australia: Uranium mining OR the rare and beautiful Night Parrot?
Canberra’s Beyond Uranium Campaign Launched.
AUSTRALIA: climate and nuclear news this week
CLIMATE. The worrying thing about climate change is not only that it’s happening so fast, but that it could now be seen as “normal”. The World Meteorological Organisation is telling us that the world climate is now in ‘uncharted territory’.
This month, my websites have focused on MEDIA. And that scene is worrying, too, as mainstream media has trivialised or ignored climate change. . However, that might now be changing.
NUCLEAR. As climate change risks becoming “normalised”, so, too, does the Fukushima situation. As if the 6th anniversary is over – now we can all ‘move on’? Deadly nuclear radiation levels detected in Fukushima. 80% of families not going back to Fukushima after housing aid ends. Fukushima fishermen fight release of tainted water as tritium standoff continues. Yakuza gangsters thriving. And lots more…
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. Leaders of Australian Climate Change Authority quit over government’s inaction
This week, it’s all about Adani’s planned mega coal mine. The Stop Adani Alliance is being lainched by former Greens leader Bob Brown. Adani investors misled? Money shifted to tax haven as Australian govt subsidises loan. Immense coal mine “good for the environment” says fossil fuel lackey Resources Minister Matt Canavan. Australian cricketing great Ian Chappell wants Adani solar, but NOT Adani coal mine. 73% of Australians want investment in solar, not coal.
RENEWABLES and MEDIA. Australian media distorts facts on renewable energy: 1. ABC’s Chris Uhlmann. Media distortion 2. THE AUSTRALIAN. Media distortion 3. Fairfax.
“Small” rooftop solar is driving Australia’s solar energy boom: rooftop solar the unsung hero in recent South Australia blackouts. Victoria and South Australia embrace grid-scale storage for power reliability. First Nations Renewable Energy Alliance- a formidable lobby group takes off.
NUCLEAR. Radioactive Repeat: federal radioactive waste Groundhog Day increases uncertainty. Govt advances 2 sites at Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula for assessment as radioactive waste dumps.
Aboriginal issues. Senate Inquiry report tabled: Labor support for Native Title Bill profoundly disappointing.
The week that has been in nuclear and climate news- Australia
I scratch around for good news. There is plenty, on the renewable energy scene. And this: CO2 emissions from energy remain flat for third year running. Total number of global nuclear weapons has dropped.
Not so good news. Disaster looms over North Korea: how could this be stopped? US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, rejects negotiation with North Korea, and keeps journalists out. Tillerson considers a pre-emptive strike against North Korea.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY The week has been a bewildering cascade of news, views, and squabbles about energy. Best news – THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper, longtime mouthpiece of the right-wing and fossil fuel lobbies – today pronounced Australia’s unstoppable transition to renewable energy. ! That came after: South Australia announcing a new energy plan, a huge kerfuffle about gas, heaps of news about solar battery storage, and, finally, a desperate Snow job by Malcolm Turnbull.
The Turnbull magic trick is his plan for Snowy River pumped hydro power. That could work, in the longer term, a decade or so. However it smells more like Turnbull scrambling to cover up government failure to address immediate energy problems, and also to distract attention from Elon Musk’s offer to fix South Australia’s energy by solar and storage, within 100 days.
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) could require financial institutions to test climate risks’
Adani coal mine expansion plans. Queensland Premier backs this, despite strong opposition from Aboriginal landowners, and a delegation of other prominent Australians.
NUCLEAR.
- A pack of Liberals want nuclear power for Australia. PM Turnbull comes out in his true pro nuclear colours. However, South Australian Liberal Party condemns the plan to import nuclear wastes.
- Sydney Morning Herald on radioactive waste dumping – ignores Lucas’ Heights’ high level nuclear reactor waste.
- Labour’s win in Western Australia means more gloom for the uranium industry.
- UNDEMOCRATIC NUCLEAR WASTE LAW DISEMPOWERS COMMUNITIES AND TRADITIONAL OWNERS
Aboriginal issues. Senate Inquiry told Native Title amendments will disenfranchise Traditional Owners.
Fukushima nuclear disaster anniversary, and news this week
Japan and the sporting world are cheerfully preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It will bring in 32.3 trillion yen. And goody – they’re going to have trans gender toilets! Forget about Fukushima. That’s all fixed up. But, actually, – No! Fukushima remains a lurking global catastrophe. Despite the propaganda, Fukushima nuclear clean-up is not under control.
- Attempts to use robots to find and assess the melted fuel within the reactors have failed: the robots died of heat and radiation.
- Over 1000 tanks around the nuclear station hold 900,000 tons of radioactive water, with the quantity soon expected to reach 1m tons.
- The costly “ice wall” around the No 1 reactor has not really worked, to prevent radioactive water getting into the groundwater.
- Fukushima laden with piles of radioactive soil that can’t be moved into storage
- 32,000 workers at Fukushima No. 1 got high radiation dose, Tepco data show.
Fukushima nuclear disaster evacuees pressured to return to contaminated homes. About 40 percent of 42 local leaders along the coasts of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures doubt their areas will recover by the time of the 2020 Tokyo Games due to the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis. Link between the Fukushima nuclear meltdown and thyroid cancer in children?. Roaming, radioactive boars slow the return of Japan’s nuclear refugees. Financial crunch time looms for Fukushima’s ‘voluntary evacuees’.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE and RENEWABLE ENERGY (I’ve left out heaps here) State of the Environment report says climate change impact on Australia may be irreversible. Australia’s record-breaking summer heat linked directly to climate change. Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (Apra) could require financial institutions to test climate risks. Australia’s peak farming group asks govt to consider emissions trading scheme.
In 2017, Australia has already 43% increase in solar rooftop installations. Already cheaper than grid: – Solar and Storage.
NUCLEAR South Australian Liberal Party condemns the plan to import nuclear wastes.
To 5 March – Nuclear and Climate News Australia
The most significant article of the week comes from 3 very distinguished writers, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, in explaining how the USA’s military upgrade means a vast expansion of the killing power of the most numerous warhead in the US nuclear arsenal, with the ability to launch a”first strike”. Consequently, the Russians are gravely concerned, and are developing new sea-based weapons.
President Trump’s rather sweet and antiseptic speech to Congress, avoided his previous bellicose promises, but did mention a big increase in defense spending, though not how he would pay for that.
AUSTRALIA
Historic discussions in South Australia towards a Treaty with Aboriginal Nations. Call to Block Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017.
CLIMATE an ENERGY . Issues surrounding coal mining dominated the news:
- A Federal Court case about Adani’s plan for Carmichael megamine has just reserved its decision.
- Ian Dunlop, formerly an international oil, gas and coal industry executive and Australian Coal Association chair, calls for an emergency taskforce for clean, renewable energy, and says “the game is up” for coal”.
- Coal power now “univestable”, but Australian government is keen to subsidise it. Turnbull govt appoints coal and uranium boss, Vanessa Guthrie, to the ABC board. Also appoints Sid Marris, a former analyst with the Minerals Council of Australia.
- Industry request for Clean Energy Finance Corporation funds for new coal-mining!
- Conflict of interest: Queensland govt appoints Adani director to oversee coal port!
- Medical profession warns on Adani coal mine as a public health catastrophe.
More Bleaching on Great Barrier Reef. New South Wales is set to experience many more hot summers, with extreme heat days.
Economist Prof John Quiggan puts convincing case for public-owned Australian power grid.
Murdoch media wages war on renewable energy.
Solar farms to benefit farmers in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo areas. Victorian government more than doubles solar-feed-in tariff. Clean Energy Finance Corporation to repeat its solar success in battery storage. National Australia Bank now investing in renewable energy in Europe, US and UK. Plan for solar panels accessible to flat dwellers.
NUCLEAR. A renewed push for South Australia to import nuclear waste, with a letter to politicians from 43 citizens, turns out to emanate from Australia’s most talented nuclear propagandist, Ben Heard. With his nuclear front “group”, Bright New World, Heard is pretty much a one man nuclear band, on the international, as well as the national, pro nuclear scene, and is seeking charity status. Next week he is off to help the South African nuclear lobby, in their very troubled cause.
Radioactive cows buried in Werribee, Victoria.
Media spin about “new nuclear” and importing nuclear waste
While it’s true that Australia’s mainstream media pretty much ignores nuclear issues at present, the exception is the Adelaide Advertiser, which seems to have a hotline to the nuclear lobby. I should mention also the Whyalla News.
It’s a different story with social media. Australia’s nuclear lobby is active on Facebook and Twitter, and fortunately, Australia’s nuclear critics are, too.
Currently, that very talented pro nuke publicist Ben Heard is leading the pack.
- Heard has put in a submission to the Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s Energy Review, in which he advocates new nuclear reactors , especially small ones:
energy-announces-appointment-of-internationally-recognized-authority-on-sustainability-to-international-advisory-board/members are in that organisation:
Nuclear news a bit flat in Australia. Any better in South Africa?
I know that this site is dedicated to matters nuclear – but right now, very short on nuclear news for Australia. Well, that’s because nothing much is happening, not on the surface anyway. No doubt the federal government is working on softening up the South Australian public, and indeed, the public in other states, on the idea of transporting Lucas Heights’ nuclear reactor’s highly toxic radioactive poo f or 1000s of miles to Barndioota, SA. They keep up the pretense that it’s just “medical wastes”
Anyway, nuclear in Australia has all gone a bit quiet since the debacle of the shonky South Australia Nuclear Fuel Chain Royal Commission.
However, Australia’s nuclear lobby crusades on. Crusader Ben Heard is off to South Africa, to give their failing nuclear lobby a boost that they so desperately need. He’s prettied up the logo of his pro nuclear front group, with a leafy background -( probably not enough to convince the punters that nuclear is green.)
Recent days in nuclear and climate news
Blissfully away from news, and from all matters digital, – I returned to find that the climate and environment politics are worse than ever in USA and Australia.
Meanwhile, on the nuclear scene, things would be farcical, if they were not so dangerous. Donald Trump wants to expand US nuclear arsenal, make it ‘top of the pack’. Australia’s own Dr Helen Caldicott set out all too clearly the grim situation at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex.
The farcical part is in the nuclear lobby’s pretense that theirs is a viable industry. As the giant Toshiba corporation nears bankruptcy, and nuclear power stations go down like dominoes in USA, it’s really only China where the industry still might save itself. And that’s dubious, too.
And -sorry- this newsletter is too long today!
NUCLEAR Australia stands out- in self-imposed exile from global summit on treaty to ban nuclear weapons. Pine Gap protestors to be prosecuted: may be gaoled for 7 years.
South Australia No place for nuclear enthusiasts in South Australia’s Liberal Party. Department of Industry, Innovation and Science avoids hard questions on nuclear waste. Will the nuclear waste of Sydney’s dead HIFAR nuclear reactor be sent to South Australia?
CLIMATE
- Victoria’s ground-breaking climate change bill passed into law on 24 February.
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority dropped a climate bombshell – ignored by Government!
- Australia’s Minister For Coal Josh Frydenberg blackens the name of wind and solar power. Josh Frydenberg aims to have coal mining subsidised by Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Coal-dependent states had power bills rising more than in renewables-powered South Australia. Money intended for research was diverted to coal advertising. Mining lobby tries to stifle environmental activism. Australian Conservation Foundation summarises the background of Adani’s Carmichael coal mine and rail project.
- Seed- Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network.
RENEWABLE ENERGY. There’s heaps of news on this: World-first digital energy marketplace for rooftop solar launched by Australian consortium. South Australia’s Spencer Gulf ideal for pumped hydro energy storage. Global battery storage industry to fight Australia home bans. Shorten speaks out f or Labor’s 50% renewable energy target. Poll shows that majority of Australians support Labor’s renewable energy goal.
Australian news this week – climate and nuclear
I don’t know which is the worst news this week – climate or nuclear. But I am going away for a week on a boat, WITH NO ACCESS TO ANYTHING DIGITAL. I can’t wait. I’m taking one of those old things we all used to use – A BOOK.
But I digress:
CLIMATE. I hardly know where to start. I think that the worst thing is connected with the collapse of journalism – as articles appear denouncing climate scientists as “frauds”. This, despite the 97 percent scientific consensus on climate change.
NUCLEAR. Remarkable apathy prevails, as nuclear weapons tensions hot up.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE and ENERGY
- Climate change report: Australia’s heatwaves to be hotter, longer and more frequent.
- Chief Scientist Alan Finkel warns of Trump’s Stalin-like attack on science.
- Cory Bernardi spouts the climate denialism of American right-wing “think tanks”. “Alternative facts” form the basis of Trump and Turnbull’s energy policies.
- Attack on both climate and tax-payers’ money – subsidies to coal power. Taxpayers would put up 21 times more subsidy for Carmichael coal mine, than they would for renewables. Traditional Owners act to defeat Adani’s invalid Indigenous Land Use Agreement.
Fossil fuel generators, not renewables, are to blame for high electricity prices. Australian Energy Council warns on likely electricity problems in New South Wales. Australian Energy Market Operator now confident of wind power security in South Australia. Queensland govt will back renewable energy, not new coal-fired power stations.
Powershop electricity customers funding community renewable energy.
Western Australian Greens propose solar battery rebate scheme.
NUCLEAR A responsible global citizen would not sell uranium to Ukraine.
South Australia
- On nuclear waste dumping: America’s Dept of Energy more truthful than South Australia’s Nuclear Royal Commission.
- High Level Nuclear Waste IS planned for South Australia’s Federal Dump.
- France’s ANDRA waste company propagandising rural South Australia, but their French nuclear waste dump leaked radioactivity into wine growing area.
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) propagandising to Aborigines.
- Jeff Baldock could make $$$s from #nuclear waste dump, but poses as community benefactor.
- ENuFF SA (Everyone for a Nuclear Free Future SA) made a real nuisance of themselves, and asked some very hard questions of Australia’s nuclear authorities.
- South Australia’s Liberal leader Steven Marshall wants nuclear power.
Western Australia.Ruling in favour of challenge against Noongar Indigenous land use agreement may lead to amendment of Native Title Act.
To February 4 – Australia in Nuclear and Climate News
How good it would be to be able to ignore Donald Trump! But he sees to it that this is pretty much impossible, in any current affairs media. On the nuclear scene, many worry a lot:
- about his choice of Steve Bannon on the National Security Council – “Unsupervised by people who know what they’re doing. Trump and Bannon could bring the world closer to a nuclear holocaust.“
- Pentagon urges Trump to expand nuclear weapons, ready for “limited” atomic war.
- Thanks to Trump’s comments on climate change and nuclear arms we are once again close to nuclear war.
- USA intelligence agencies to study whether the Russian and Chinese leadership could survive a nuclear attack
- Dangerous steps by Russia and Trump on nuclear arms control
Meanwhile the global nuclear industry is in financial crisis. And Fukushima nuclear reactor radiation at highest level since 2011 meltdown.
Trump is having his impact on climate change news and action, too.
Joint Statements on Climate Change from National Academies of Science Around the World.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. Well, Prime Minister Turnbull and Resources Minister Matt Canavan have flung themselves well and truly into the embrace of the coal industry. They have set up a task force to promote coal. They are setting up a $5 billion fund for ‘clean-coal’ power stations, and plan to use the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to fund “clean coal”, seeing that no private investor would take that risk. New “clean” coal plants would cost $billions in taxpayer subsidies, and not clean anyway.
However, there is one clear, intelligent and influential voice for Australia’s energy future – Chief Scientist Alan Finkel Finkel says ‘clean coal’ has to stack up.
Australia’s national government falters on climate policy. Victoria races ahead.
South Australia is in position to be renewable leader, stabilise Australia’s energy system with supergrid. Snowy Hydro turns to solar
Solar power now taking off in a big way in Western Australia.
NUCLEAR
Federal nuclear waste dump plan ( This is not just a South Australian issue – it’s national.) Extracts from Hansard show how the Australian government seeks to deceive the public on the definition of “High Level Nuclear Wastes”
Kimba Mayor wants a referendum first, before any decision on nuclear waste dump. South Australian property owners offer land for nuclear waste – at Napandee and Lyndhurst, near Kimba. Community survey shows strong local opposition to Federal nuclear waste dump at Barndioota, South Australia. Nuclear propaganda group to visit Port Augusta.
Ben Heard, of nuclear front group “Bright New World” in unfair attack on S Aust Liberals. Response to Ben Heard’s misinformation on the proposed nuclear waste importing plan.
Federal govt embarrassed over backlash to its plan to expand Shoalwater Bay military training area.
To January 27 – climate and nuclear anxieties.
Much as I hate joining the throng paying attention to that global narcissist, I must admit the fact that Donald Trump’s statements and actions are provoking reactions in America and around the world. On many important issues, such as torture, and religious discrimination, people are responding with alarm. Equally worrying are his policies on climate and nuclear matters, and his attacks on science and journalism.
I am reminded of a kindergarten teacher, explaining the real message of a child’s bad behaviour “How bad to I have to be before somebody stops me”
I did get some macabre amusement from this news item- Under Trump, nuclear lobby to dump the argument about climate change.
AUSTRALIA
NUCLEAR. Federal nuclear propaganda group to visit proposed nuclear dump towns in South Australia. Federal govt announces bribes to these communities. Dishonest spin from ANSTO and government, about Spain’s nuclear waste program. Good riddance to the Trans Pacific Partnership: it could have furthered nuclear waste import plans.
CLIMATE Malcolm Turnbull’s doublespeak on climate change. So-called “Environment Minister” Josh Frydenberg approves coal mine expansion. Climate Change has stalled Australian Wheat Yields.
ENERGY
- Victoria is a world leader in energy efficiency.
- Australian conservative MPs, Cory Bernardi etc, urge Turnbull to scrap the Renewable Energy Target.
- Renewable energy groups mobilise as ERM’s RET shortfall looms as major test – this is a complex story, but points to the way in which the Turnbull government is undermining renewable energy.
- A new, intelligent renewable energy culture for Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), with new leader ?
To 19 January – climate and nuclear news
As I write, there’s a sort of an anxious lull in climate and nuclear news. Indeed, in other news, too. The media world seems to be waiting for the next event, on January 20, concerning a certain narcissistic American. I’ve decided to leave him out of this week’s newsletter, except, perhaps, for a picture (attached).
The exception in all this is Fukushima. Not that you find anything about this in the mainstream media. However, the news is getting out in alternative, and some Japanese media: workers’ cancers: Thyroid Cancer Patient Group : Designation of radioactive waste lifted: Fukushima ‘voluntary’ evacuees: Fukushima foodstuffs.
AUSTRALIA
CLIMATE. 90% of rural Australians say their lives are already affected by climate change. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation picks climate sceptic for Western Australian election. Australian Resources Minister Matt Canavan’s fantasy about “low emission” coal.
RENEWABLE ENERGY. Some considerations about Australia’s clean transition to renewable energy. Tony Abbott calls for ditching Renewable Energy Target: PM Turnbull disagrees. Smarter, cheaper solar plants are halving Australian solar farm capital intensity. Utility scale investment marks the surge in wind and solar power in Australia. Potential of Queensland solar farm– to make this State the energy capital of Australia. Melbourne trams to be powered by solar energy by end of 2018.
NUCLEAR.
South Australia.
Federal waste dump plan. Scrutiny on Hansard reveals the Australian government’s confusion about nuclear wastes.Australian government’s pro nuclear propaganda to South Australia’s Barndioota residents. Flinders Ranges Community survey – 79% do NOT want the Federal nuclear waste dump.
State nuclear waste import plan. Ben Heard and Barry Brook spruik for nuclear reprocessing at Port Augusta. Old nuclear spruikers never give up – Bob Hawke, Ron Walker, Hugh Morgan. South Australian Liberal leader stresses that the Royal Commission nuclear waste import plan was economically risky.Derek Abbott explodes the Royal Commission proposal for a nuclear waste dump.
Western Australia. In an act of ?religious faith, Western Australian govt backs uneconomic uranium industry. Aboriginal Traditional Owners speak out against Yeelirrie uranium mining approval.
Tasmania. Tasmania’s Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom speaks out for nuclear weapons ban.
1 This month
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
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Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 