Poor nations castigate Australia for abandoning global climate fund, Canberra Times, By Nicole Hasham, 24 October 2018 Developing nations say a Morrison government snub of the world’s biggest climate change fund hampers efforts to cut global carbon pollution and erodes Australia’s international reputation……
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia will cease payments to the United Nations-backed Green Climate Fund, a mechanism under the Paris treaty to help poor nations cut emissions and respond to extreme weather and rising seas.
Australia’s high per-capita emissions and coal dependence mean it was expected to be a generous benefactor. However, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has pressured the government to abandon the fund and it is unpopular with conservative Coalition MPs, including Tony Abbott.
Australia contributed $200 million in the first funding round and took a leadership role in 2016 when it co-chaired the fund.
But in a radio interview last month Mr Morrison, when asked if Australia would be bound to its climate targets under the Paris agreement, said: “No, we won’t … nor are we bound to go and tip money into that big climate fund. We’re not going to do that either. I’m not going to spend money on global climate conferences and all that nonsense.”
Fund board member Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, said Australia’s stance was “beyond frustrating”, particularly in the wake of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that this month warned of devastating planetary damage without radical action.
“This backtracking from [the] previous commitment by Australia is disappointing,” he told Fairfax Media.
“Australia is the world’s biggest coal exporter … it has a major responsibility to provide financial support for developing countries to adapt to and mitigate climate change.”
Mr Mpanu-Mpanu suggested abandoning the fund was in contravention of the Paris accord and said commitments by developing nations to lower emissions under the treaty relied on financial support from nations such as Australia.
Parties to the Paris deal will meet in Poland in December to finalise the rules of the treaty and “this decision by Australia will cast a shadow on the process of reaching an agreement”, he said…….
The condemnation from the developing world further cements Australia’s position as a global outlier on climate action after the government indicated it would not ramp up emissions reduction efforts under the Paris treaty and rejected the IPCC’s call for a coal phase-out by 2050.
“I listened with great interest to Ben Heard’s narrative regarding conditions in living areas adjacent to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. The following academic paper which adds to the knowledge available to Australians and the world population regarding the Japanese nuclear event: “Exposure and current health issues in Minamisoma” by M. Tsubokura Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, 2-54-6 Takamicho, Haramachi-ku, Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan; e-mail: tsubokura-tky@umin.ac.jp Full paper here:http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146645316666708
The whole paper needs to be read. The learned author of the paper says, among other things, that : “In September 2011, whole-body counters were installed in the (Minamisoma )hospital and have since been used for screening. In total, some 100,000 people have been screened. For approximately 99% of all children, including elementary and middle school students, in the city, internal exposure levels were below the minimum level for detection (Tsubokura et al., 2015a)…..”
However, the author also states that “More than 5 years since the disaster, internal exposure levels on the order of several thousand or several tens of thousands of becquerels are still being detected in those who regularly consume wild boar, wild birds, wild vegetables, or mushrooms that are highly contaminated, with a frequency of about several persons per 10,000 people (Tsubokura et al., 2014). However, internal exposure levels are not likely to increase for those who consume foods distributed through regular channels.” end partial quotes.
I topped my class in Agricultural Science and was trained by the Australian Army as a Radiological Safety NCO during the Cold War. The matters are complex and the exclusion zones in Japan are valid in my opinion from what I have read from the literature.
I have a question for the 60 minutes team, Ben Heard and viewers: Given the fact of bio-accumulation as proven by the dosimetry of those scanned Japanese people who hunt and collect their own food, including those who eat food obtained not from “official” supply chains, would you be happy to give up hunting, fresh water fishing (many papers on that one) and collecting edible plants and mushrooms as one’s ancestors have done since the dawn of time? Or is this a small matter in the context of the current 10 year window nuclear power has before it is rendered totally redundant in the Australian context. There is no need to panic. It’s all very interesting. Paul Langley.”
Of course Channel 9 Sydney will not be reading the above letter from a viewer during the 60 Minutes feedback segment anytime this side of the next ice age.
Steve Dale Nuclear Fuel Cycle Watch South Australia That poor guy [ 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort]- he has to learn that people can seem very nice and sincere but still be feeding you a load of crap.
Just watched a “60 minutes extra video” where he has an extended interview with Geraldine Thomas. He talks about his Geiger counter on the plane (a Safecast unit that Ben Heard is seen holding in the actual 60 minutes report) and says –
“…the Geiger counter is hovering around 3.5 to 3.6 micro Sieverts – that is about “50 times” the normal exposure you would get in Melbourne or Sydney…”
3.5 is 35 times the average background value 0.1 micro Sieverts. The nuclear propagandists exaggerate the effects of airflight non-contaminating radiation because it suits their agenda. Such dishonesty, such desperation..
It really seems like the nuclear propagandists have thrown everything at this poor unwitting journalist to get this segment – I wonder who actually paid for the airflights (which from the video looked like first/business class)
Oh – and from the display on the Geiger Counter we can say the date of the flight was 23rd of September – and I know Heard was also in Fukushima back in April, so this makes 3+ trips to Fukushima power station.
Steve DaleAccording to the article below, this is referring to “Building 23” – which “operates a nuclear medicine production facility and is responsible for distributing “finished” products”. So it sounds like ANSTO have got their hands out again for more taxpayer money for their messy, high-volume waste producing nuclear medicine factory. ANSTO should be putting all their efforts into finding methods that minimise the waste eg. cyclotrons.
Unsurprisingly the article also mentions –
“A perception of widespread bullying also emerged, with about one in five ANSTO staff interviewed saying they had “experienced bullying” over a six-month period.” Seems like ANSTO is toxic in multiple ways https://www.abc.net.au/…/lucas-heights-nuclear…/10403532
Sydney nuclear facility needs $210m revamp: report, SMH, 22 October 2018 The federal government’s ageing nuclear medical facility in southern Sydney should be replaced or rebuilt due to safety concerns, an independent report says.
The expert report published on Monday found there was a “make do and mend” culture at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation site in Lucas Heights.
The report found the 1950s-era nuclear medical facility failed to meet modern nuclear safety standards.
A replacement facility has been in the pipeline for several years but plans have been hindered because of federal government budget restrictions, the report says.
The organisation’s boss on Monday argued if work started “today” on a new $210 million building, it could be up and running in five years.
While several modifications have been made to the facility, the report found upgrades cannot resolve all of its problems.
In August 2017, a technician at the facility was exposed to radioactive material that contaminated his hands through two pairs of gloves after he dropped a vial, exposing him to an elevated risk of cancer.
The incident was the most serious in the world last year – the only safety failure that was rated a “Level 3” event or above. It was followed by three other less-serious incidents – “near misses” – within the next 10 months.
“It should be noted that Level 3 events are regarded as serious events in the nuclear industry and any additional events at this level may result in loss of confidence in the organisation,” the report says.
Defence breached radiation regulations, THE AUSTRALIAN, By RORY CALLINAN, OCTOBER 22, 2018
The Defence Department has blamed poor record keeping for its failure to properly transport and dispose of small amounts of radioactive material contained in lighting systems accompanying old artillery pieces.
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency found Defence had breached licence conditions in relation to the material in lighting systems associated with the Hamel 105mm towed light howitzers that were phased out of operation in 2018
Defence failed to comply with regulations in regard to disposing of controlled material without prior approval and not following the transport code for radioactive sources, said ARPANSA’s recently released annual report.
……. The spokesman said after investigating the matter, Defence had acted to ensure that similar incidents would not occur.
Liberal moderates concerned at the Coalition’s lack of climate change policy are set to demand Scott Morrison revitalise the ailing direct action policy with a $1 billion injection into the Emissions Reduction Fund.
16 October 2018 ‘A group of Traditional Owners from the Northern Territory are in Sydney this week
to challenge Origin Energy over claims it has consent for controversial gas fracking plans
across some of the Northern Territory’s most pristine
landscapes, waterways and iconic tourism regions.
‘Traditional Owners, the Protect Country Alliance and supporters will address
a press conference prior to the AGM, coinciding with the launch of a national campaign
calling on Origin to drop plans to frack the Northern Territory. …
‘Stuart Nuggett [TraditionalOwner] has travelled from the remote township of Elliott
to attend the AGM on behalf of his community, a region at the heart of Origin’s fracking permit acreage:
‘“Our communities haven’t been given enough information about what Origin is planning for our region.
We are worried about the risks fracking brings.
I have concerns over what the impact could be on water. Water is life.
I want the company to listen to our concerns and act on them.”
‘May August is an Alawa grandmother and Traditional Owner
for land under the Origin exploration permits:
‘“We don’t want fracking to start in our area because we have seen
the damage Origin and other companies have done elsewhere in Australia. … ‘
US House of Representatives lawmakers Eliot Engel (Democrat, New York) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, Florida) of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs have written a letter to Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno urging his government to turn over the co-founder of WikiLeaks.
Talking about the “significant progress” made by Moreno’s administration and hinting at the prospects of the resumption of US development aid, the little reported on letter spoke of the need to “first resolve a significant challenge” created by the president’s predecessor, Rafael Correa.
Expressing “concern” over Assange’s continued presence in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and his receipt of Ecuadorian citizenship last year, the letter charged Assange with repeatedly “compromis[ing] the national security of the United States.”
Assange, the letter claims, harmed US security interests “by publicly releasing classified government documents, along with confidential materials from individuals connected to our country’s 2016 presidential election.” Furthermore, accusing him of using “his standing in the international media to meddle in the affairs of foreign governments,” the letter suggested that it was “clear that Mr. Assange remains a dangerous criminal and a threat to global security, and he should be brought to justice.”
Saying they remained “hopeful” about improving US-Ecuador relations, the lawmakers said that it would be “very difficult for the United States to advance our bilateral relationship until Mr. Assange is handed over to the proper authorities.”
The lawmakers joined a series of other US officials who have demanded that Assange’s asylum be revoked in recent years.
Last week, the whistleblower’s lawyer said he would be filing a case against Ecuador’s government for violating Assange’s “fundamental rights and freedoms” by cutting off his communications to the outside world. During a press conference, Assange attorney Baltasar Garzon also said that there were presently no plans to take Assange to Russia amid rumors that the Ecuadorian Embassy may expel him.
Julian Assange has been trapped in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, fearing arrest by UK authorities for a violation of bail and deportation to the US. The Embassy cut Assange’s internet access in early 2018, but partially restored it last week.
In August, President Moreno raised the issue of terminating Assange’s asylum at the embassy, saying that Ecuador would be “happy” to let Assange go, but only if UK authorities would guarantee his safety.
REneweconomy Giles Parkinson, 22 October 2018The rapidly emerging large scale solar sector achieved a significant milestone on Sunday, October 21, when their combined output in the National Electricity Market broke through the 1GW barrier for what is believed to be the first time.According to this graph below [on original] sent to us by Mike Hudson, using data he sourced from the Australian Energy Market Operator, the 1GW level was first breached in mid morning, and continued until almost 3pm in the afternoon.
That consistency of output is a key point – many solar tractors think that the output of solar farms peaks at around 12pm or 1pm and falls off rapidly after that.Most solar farms, thanks to single axis tracking technology, reach peak output around 9am, and stay around that level for six hours.
Sometimes they do better than that. The AEMO data shows, for instance, that the Bungala solar farm in South Australia reached 105.2MW at 8.05am grid time, (which is the same as Queensland time), and stayed there until 3.20pm.
I was at the meeting where the alleged reported claims from the Department of Industry, Innovation and science, geologist as saying that Hawker is seismically sound for the proposed radioactive dump, and all anyone heard him say to the public was “Hello.” (And yes I know hell is in hello).
However senior seismologist Johnathan Bathgate has reportedly claimed that the Flinders Ranges is the most seismic active area in Australia which maybe throwing doubt at the credibility of the DIIS’s geologist, and if he has any accreditation’s in seismology and why there are media release on the Modified Mercalli scale based at Hawker and yet we hear nothing on the scale of galileo’s, and though S&L-waves come with a guarantee of a seismic record, its known “P-waves” between the angles of 103 and 145 degrees can not be guaranteed on some seismograms. https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/
An independent report has recommended that the federal government’s nuclear medical facility at southern Sydney be replaced or rebuilt due to safety concerns. The federal government’s nuclear medical facility at Lucas Heights in Sydney should be replaced or rebuilt with contributions from the private sector, an independent report says.
The report, to be published on Monday, found there is a “make do and mend” culture at the facility and that it fails nuclear safety standards, The Australian reports.
In August 2017 a technician’s hands were contaminated through two pairs of gloves after he dropped a vial at the Lucas Heights medical facility, putting him at a higher risk of cancer.
The incident was the only safety failure in the world in 2017 that was rated by the International Atomic Energy Agency at a Level 3 or above. It was followed by three more incidents within the next 10 months.
“It should be noted that Level 3 events are regarded as serious events in the nuclear industry and any additional events at this level may result in loss of confidence in the organisation,” the report says.
Wentworth byelection backlash reignites tensions inside the Morrison government over climate policy, Canberra Times, By David Crowe & David Wroe, 21 October 2018A ferocious voter backlash has inflamed the Morrison government’s internal row on climate change as Liberal MPs call for stronger policies to assure voters that Australia can meet the Paris agreement to cut carbon emissions.
The government is reeling from a savage swing in the Wentworth byelection, sparking renewed argument over decisions including a sudden shift in foreign policy on Israel, and deepening fears of a wipeout at the federal election due by May.
As Parliament resumes on Monday, the Liberal Party was on track to lose Wentworth to independent candidate Kerryn Phelps, with an update on Sunday night giving her almost 51 per cent of the vote.
Dr Phelps had a lead of 1626 votes in the update posted by the Australian Electoral Commission at 6.45pm on Sunday. Even the best postal vote scenario for the Liberal Party over coming days would still see the independent win Wentworth.
The result represents an extraordinary 18 per cent swing against the federal government, one of the biggest in Australian history, but the Australian Electoral Commission is yet to count thousands of postal votes that could favour Liberal candidate Dave Sharma.
Government ministers and backbenchers told Fairfax Media they believed one lesson from the Wentworth result was to develop a stronger message on cutting emissions in order to win back voters concerned about climate change.
“I think we will, by the time of the next election, have to have a more credible answer on how we meet our targets,” one minister said.
“I don’t think it’s viable to remain silent on this between now and the next election.”
Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman said the Liberal Party’s own research showed climate change and the removal of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister were the two biggest concerns for Wentworth voters……
The government believes the latest advice from the Energy Security Board is that generation from wind and solar will grow by 256 per cent over the next three years. ……..
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg brushed aside suggestions the Morrison government needed to overhaul its climate policies, saying they were “settled” and were enough to “meet and beat” Australia emissions reduction pledges.
“It’s clearly an important issue for the people of Wentworth, but our policies have been settled for some time,” he told the Sky News.
An exit poll of 985 Wentworth voters commissioned by the left-leaning Australia Institute on Saturday found that climate action and replacing coal with renewable energy was the top issue that decided how they voted.
Government ditches $10m promotion blitz amid Great Barrier Reef furore, Canberra Times, By Nicole Hasham, 21 October 2018 The Morrison government has abandoned plans for a $10 million campaign promoting the Great Barrier Reef’s promising future, after a public backlash over its failure to address climate change and protect the natural wonder.An eminent reef scientist has also slammed as “not scientifically credible” claims by a charity gifted $444 million for reef conservation efforts that it will “climate-proof” the tourism icon.
Fairfax Media has learned the government has scrapped the $10 million reef communication campaign outlined in this year’s federal budget.
The campaign would have sought to give the public hope that the reef can be saved and outlined action being taken to protect it, after devastating back-to-back coral bleaching events brought on by climate change.
In response to questions from Fairfax Media, the department confirmed the campaign “is not going ahead”. ……..
A major report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change this month warned that an average global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees would substantially and irrevocably damage the world’s coral reefs, and a 2 degree rise would virtually destroy them. The world is currently on track for a global temperature rise of 3 to 4 degrees by 2100.
