BP takes 40% stake in vast $30bn Australian renewables project.
| BP takes 40% stake in vast $30bn Australian renewables project. BP has made one of its greatest renewable bets buying the biggest stake in a vast photo voltaic, wind and hydrogen project in Western Australia. FT 14th June 2022 https://www.ft.com/content/78361493-4ed9-4f63-8f36-1334e44a90dc |
Pope Francis again says that the West provoked or failed to prevent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Pope Doubles Down On NATO-Ukraine Comments: Russian Invasion Was “Provoked”https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pope-doubles-down-ukraine-war-comments-russian-invasion-was-provoked
BY TYLER DURDEN, WEDNESDAY, JUN 15, 2022 –Pope Francis has doubled down on prior controversial statements suggesting the Russia-Ukraine conflict is largely NATO’s fault, asserting also that “war cannot be reduced to distinction between good guys and bad guys” – as the Vatican’s own headline to the interview reads.
In statements published Tuesday by the Jesuit magazine La Civiltà Cattolica, the Roman Catholic leaders said that the Russian invasion was “perhaps somehow provoked” while again saying there were signs that NATO had been “barking at the gates of Russia” in the run-up.
The pontiff still condemned what he called the “ferocity and cruelty of the Russian troops” while warning against a pure ‘good vs. evil’ fairytale narrative of the conflict.
Just like with his initial similar comments made at the start of May, these latest statements have triggered outrage among Western pundits who’ve called for escalating military support to Ukraine at the expense of dialogue with Moscow toward negotiating a settlement to end the war:
“We need to move away from the usual Little Red Riding Hood pattern, in that Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was the bad one,” Francis said. “Something global is emerging and the elements are very much entwined.”
That’s when in the interview he provided more context to his early May statements on the war. He said that a couple months prior to the Feb.24 invasion, he met with a “wise” head of state – though Francis didn’t name him or her:
“…a wise man who speaks little, a very wise man indeed … He told me that he was very worried about how Nato was moving. I asked him why, and he replied: ‘They are barking at the gates of Russia. They don’t understand that the Russians are imperial and can’t have any foreign power getting close to them.'”
“He concluded, ‘The situation could lead to war.’ This was his opinion. On 24 February, the war began. That head of state was able to read the signs of what was happening.”
He added: “We do not see the whole drama unfolding behind this war, which was, perhaps, somehow either provoked or not prevented.”
The Pope also reiterated that the arms industry in the West is benefitting from the bloodshed: “I also note the interest in testing and selling weapons. It is very sad, but at the end of the day that is what is at stake,” he said in the interview.
“Someone may say to me at this point: but you are pro-Putin! No, I am not. It would be simplistic and erroneous to say such a thing. I am simply against turning a complex situation into a distinction between good guys and bad guys, without considering the roots and self-interests, which are very complex. While we witness the ferocity and cruelty of Russian troops, we should not forget the problems, and seek to solve them,” he explained.
According to Vatican News, the pontiff additionally described that even beyond Ukraine-Russian, “the world is at war…
“We see what is happening now in Ukraine in a certain way because it is closer to us and pricks our sensibilities more. But there are other countries far away—think of some parts of Africa, northern Nigeria, northern Congo—where war is ongoing and nobody cares. Think of Myanmar and the Rohingya. The world is at war. Today, for me, World War III has been declared.”
The last time he suggested the West is at least equally to blame for the unfolding Ukraine war, an avalanche of op-eds and condemnations were issued by US and Western officials suggesting that somehow liberal Pope Francis too has been ‘compromised’ by Putin (ironically a smear typically reserved for Trump or Republicans in general).
Many of UK’s coastal buildings may soon need to be abandoned due to sea level rise, and what about the nuclear reactors?
Sea level rise threatens many coastal buildings in UK.
Is the UK government completely stupid? Not only are existing nuclear reactors at risk of flooding, but they plan new ones in the same threatened coastal areas?
Nearly 200,000 properties in England may have to be abandoned due to rising sea levels by 2050, a report says. It looks at where water will cause most damage and whether defences are technically and financially feasible.
There is consensus among scientists that decades of sea level rise are inevitable and the government has said that not all properties can be saved.
About a third of England’s coast will be put under pressure by sea level rise, the report says. “It just won’t be possible to hold the line all around the coast,” says the report’s author Paul Sayers, an expert on flood and coastal risks, adding that tough decisions will have to be made about what it is realistic to protect.
BBC 15th June 2022
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61795783
The estimate of nearly 200,000 homes and businesses at risk of abandonment comes from researchers at the Tyndall Centre, in the University of East Anglia, published in the peer-review journal Oceans and Coastal Management.
Guardian 15th June 2022
Two key committees of the European Parliament strike down EU plans to label nuclear and gas as green investment .
MEPs strike down EU plans to label nuclear and gas as green investment.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/06/14/meps-strike-down-eu-plans-to-label-nuclear-and-gas-as-green-investment By Jorge Liboreiro & Alice Tidey • Updated: 14/06/2022
The European Commission’s highly controversial plan to label gas and nuclear as sustainable energy sources was on Tuesday struck down by two key parliamentary committees.
The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee rejected the proposal on Tuesday, with 76 MEPs voting to object and 62 voting in favour.
In a statement, MEPs on the committees said they “recognise the role of nuclear and fossil gas in guaranteeing stable energy supply during the transition to a sustainable economy.”
“But, they consider that the technical screening standards proposed by the Commission, in its delegated regulation, to support their inclusion do not respect the criteria for environmentally sustainable economic activities as set out in Article 3 of the Taxonomy Regulation,” the statement added.
They also requested that any new or amended delegated acts be subject to public consultation and impact assessments.
The objection will be put before the whole plenary in the first week of July. If the hemicycle replicates the outcome of the committees, the Commission’s plan will be officially scrapped.
The move pits lawmakers against a majority of member states, led by France, who had supported the inclusion of both gas and nuclear in the EU taxonomy.
A smaller group comprising Luxembourg, Spain, Austria and Denmark was vehemently opposed to the label, while Germany, which is highly dependent on gas, objected to the inclusion of nuclear as sustainable.
The committees’ rejection was welcomed by climate activists. Greenpeace EU sustainable finance campaigner Ariadna Rodrigo said in a statement that “MEPs stood with Ukraine today by voting to stop feeding Putin’s war machine with more money and inflaming the climate and nature crisis.”
“After more than 100 days of this devastating war, the European Parliament must now once and for all reject the greenwashing of fossil gas and nuclear energy in July. Do not give this shameful gift to Putin and his lobbyists,” she also said.
Mariana López Dávila, Programme Manager on Sustainable Finance, Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) also commented, saying the vote “shows the Parliament’s willingness to stay true to science, and gives us hope that the EU can still lead the world into a truly sustainable future.”
“However, the veto is not yet a done deal. Members of the European Parliament stand a unique chance to walk the talk, and avoid greenwashing well-meaning investments into environmentally-harming projects,” she added.
Adopted in 2021, the taxonomy is a catalogue that helps private and public investors make informed choices about climate-conscious investments.
It covers a long list of projects that make a “substantial contribution” to at least one environmental objective of the EU’s climate policy while avoiding significant harm to any of the others.
Sectors already labelled as green under the taxonomy include solar energy, geothermal, hydrogen, wind power, hydropower and bioenergy.
The Commission later proposed to add gas and nuclear, arguing the two sources could be used as a temporary bridge to wean the EU off coal and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Vast Solar and 1414 team up for new attempt at Port Augusta solar storage hub — RenewEconomy
Vast Solar and thermal storage hopeful 1414 Degrees to join forces to try and finally deliver long awaited solar thermal project near Port Augusta. The post Vast Solar and 1414 team up for new attempt at Port Augusta solar storage hub appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Vast Solar and 1414 team up for new attempt at Port Augusta solar storage hub — RenewEconomy
June 14 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “Conservatives Do Want A Clean Energy Transition” • The future of clean energy can pivot with the nod of conservative political elites. Until recently, they promoted policies friendly to fossil fuels and resisted climate change efforts, but a new breed of conservatives is slowly taking hold, and a clean energy transition is patiently […]
June 14 Energy News — geoharvey
WA to close state-owned coal generators by 2030 in big switch to renewables — RenewEconomy
WA government to close state-owned coal generators before 2030, and commit $3.8 billion in wind and storage in move it says will pay for itself within years. The post WA to close state-owned coal generators by 2030 in big switch to renewables appeared first on RenewEconomy.
WA to close state-owned coal generators by 2030 in big switch to renewables — RenewEconomy
Australia’s “largest grid forming battery” to go ahead after landing finance deal — RenewEconomy
Edify locks in finance to start building 150MW/300MWh Tesla Megapack big battery featuring a “new vintage” of grid forming inverter controls. The post Australia’s “largest grid forming battery” to go ahead after landing finance deal appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Australia’s “largest grid forming battery” to go ahead after landing finance deal — RenewEconomy
The day the fossil fuel industry lost all perspective, and threw away its social licence — RenewEconomy
Fossil fuel generators want more market support to ensure the lights stay on. But their actions this week show they care more about profits than providing an essential service. The post The day the fossil fuel industry lost all perspective, and threw away its social licence appeared first on RenewEconomy.
The day the fossil fuel industry lost all perspective, and threw away its social licence — RenewEconomy
Just a lick of paint: CEFC backs Aussie coating innovation to slash transport emissions — RenewEconomy
An Australian invented “shark skin” coating, which can reduce drag for planes and ships, gets an investment boost from the CEFC. The post Just a lick of paint: CEFC backs Aussie coating innovation to slash transport emissions appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Just a lick of paint: CEFC backs Aussie coating innovation to slash transport emissions — RenewEconomy
EnergyLab joins forces with New Energy Nexus to “set loose” Australian innovation — RenewEconomy
After change in Australia’s political tide, Australian cleantech startup incubator EnergyLab joins forces with New Energy Nexus to supercharge innovation. The post EnergyLab joins forces with New Energy Nexus to “set loose” Australian innovation appeared first on RenewEconomy.
EnergyLab joins forces with New Energy Nexus to “set loose” Australian innovation — RenewEconomy
This week Australian and overseas nuclear news
Some bits of good news Two key committees of the European Parliament strike down EU plans to label nuclear and gas as green investment . – G7 countries to stop funding fossil fuel development overseas. Canada Introduced Sweeping Gun Law Reforms.
AUSTRALIA.
Julian Assange is still in jail, but the new Australian government has the power to act to help him. Assange: Albanese must act where the Coalition failed. Julian Assange’s wife Stella Moris reveals how they raise children together while he is in jail waiting an extradition decision. Another episode in the unlawful spying and harassment of Julian Assange and his legal team, by the UK and USA governments.
Nuclear Waste Dispute in Court Wednesday 15 June.
Australia’s Energy Minister rejects nuclear power push. Nuclear energy does not stack up economically– Labor Senator Tony Sheldon . The National Party is getting whackier and whackier in pushing for nuclear power. Opposition leader Peter Dutton hints at controversial shift towards nuclear power. The Liberal National Coalition’s flirtation with nuclear energy will not be well received by the electorate, especially in Gilmore on the NSW South Coast. Chasing unicorns’: NSW Liberal minister rejects federal opposition push for nuclear power. Disgraced Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith – quitting politics – backs Dutton’s call for nuclear power. Kerry Schott: why new coal or nuclear plants are a dumb idea.
Defence faces budget blowout with Aukus nuclear submarines to cost more than scrapped French project. Peter Dutton’s claim he planned to buy US nuclear subs is ‘political point-scoring’, defence experts say. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull labels Peter Dutton a ‘belligerent blusterer‘ over nuclear submarines claim.
A huge Atlantic current is slowing down. If it collapses, La Niña could become the norm for Australia.
Australian warming outpacing global average by 35pc: IEA . Australia to update UN climate submission.
Sky News Australia is a global hub for climate misinformation, report saysForgotten fuel: Australia’s failure on energy efficiency is a global embarrassment
INTERNATIONAL.
The unpalatable truth in Ukraine.
Geo-political readings on the Russia / Ukraine conflict 8.6.22 —. Global nuclear arsenal could grow for the first time in decades, think-tank SIPRI warns.
Non-carbon emissions could ‘bump’ global temperatures above 1.5C within seven years, research warns.
Human-made heatwaves are getting hotter
Climate action is going in the right direction, but what now? What is a realistic aim? ‘‘Climatenomics” – new book -climate crisis is the REAL economic worry. Carbon dioxide levels are now 50% higher than during the pre-industrial era. World can make massive energy savings, reduce emissions through energy conservation measures. International Energy Agency stresses that energy efficiency must be at the forefront of energy and climate policies.
Mother Nature: Economic growth is sending her bankrupt.
UKRAINE. Ukraine’s high casualty rate could bring war to tipping point, Ukraine bars IAEA nuclear regulator from visiting Russian-occupied power plant ! Ukraine slams planned IAEA mission to Russian-occupied nuclear plant.
Nuclear Waste Dispute in Court Wednesday 15 June
Kimba Radioactive Waste Facility Judicial Review in Federal Court. Wednesday 15 June 2022:
initial directions hearing and hearing on discovery
Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC ICN 8603
• The first directions hearing will occur in the Federal Court of Australia this Wednesday at
9:00am in Adelaide, with some solicitors and counsel attending by MS Teams.
• The directions hearing will start off the long process of judicial review on the facility.
• An immediate issue is that the former Minister Pitt would not provide the Barngarla
documents Barngarla needed for the judicial review. It is not clear what the new Labor
Minister’s position is now that they have won Government.
• The dispute on discovery includes records of all of the commitments Minister Pitt and
Minister Canavan made that a facility would not be placed on an unwilling community.
Minister Pitt abandoned this requirement in his reasons when he made the declaration to
select Napandee.
The Government is refusing to provide these records and the matter may now need to be
argued as a contested discovery application.
• Any dispute on discovery is likely to take several months.
• Barngarla, Indigenous leaders around Australia, and the environmental movement have all
called for the declaration to be withdrawn now that Labor has won Government.
Barngarla spokesperson quote:
“There were serious failings when the National Party selected Napandee, too many to outline of the area, trying to legislate away judicial review, breaching UNDRIP and abandoning the test ofbroad community support at the last minute without any warning to anyone. The former Ministerwouldn’t provide us the material we need to run our case. Leaving aside these tricks and theseefforts to exhaust us, we remain confident that we will win this if we have to go to Court. However,because of the terrible mishandling by the National Party, we again call upon the new Labor Ministerto quash the declaration. We do not want to spend the next two years in Court against the LaborGovernment. They know what the National Party did and they should do the right thing andwithdraw the declaration.”
For further comment, please contact: barngarlamedia@gmail.comhere.They included, denying the First Peoples the right to vote, not conducting a proper heritage survey
Julian Assange’s wife Stella Moris reveals how they raise children together while he is in jail waiting an extradition decision
In court, Julian has not been permitted to sit with his lawyers. And despite many applications since January 21, he has not been allowed to attend his own court hearings in person. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-08/stella-moris-my-life-with-julian-assange-extradition/101132624, My Australian husband Julian Assange is fighting for his life from within the confines of a three-by-two-metre cell in Britain’s harshest prison, Belmarsh.
The US has accused him of espionage as a result of his work with WikiLeaks in 2010-2011 and wants to extradite him to face court.
If his extradition goes ahead, Julian faces a maximum 175-year prison sentence. As his wife, I fear he will be buried in the deepest, darkest corner of the US prison system until he dies.
During another extradition hearing last year a UK magistrate blocked Julian’s transfer to the US over fears of “oppressive” conditions that could drive him to take his life.
On July 3, Julian turns 51. It will be the fourth year he has spent his birthday alone in a cell, without conviction.
Is our time together running out?
When Julian is taken from his cell to the prison yard he tilts his head up so his eyes can focus on the distance. If he narrows his eyes, the double razor wire above becomes a blur. Beyond is the open sky.
Julian recently discovered a family of nesting magpies. He spotted their home subversively nestled between the razor wire. I think our family is like those magpies.
When we are together, we are always a few metres from their nest. Our children — Gabriel, who is five, and Max, three — only have memories of their father within the brutal surroundings of Belmarsh prison.
We don’t know how long our children have left with their father. We don’t know if we can visit him or even talk to him on the phone. If the extradition goes ahead, US authorities retain the right to put Julian in conditions so cruel that no one in his position is likely to survive.
It is impossible for Julian and me to escape a feeling that he is on death row. Our weekly visits may be the only time we have left together. But for how much longer? A few months more, a few weeks, a few days and then only a few hours? I fear in the end we will count the minutes and the seconds.
Guards search inside my children’s mouths
Were it not for our children, this approaching catastrophe would be all-consuming. But Julian and I know these may be the only memories that our children will have of their father. We make our visits as joyous as possible.
I don’t need to explain to Gabriel and Max the reality of this place where we go to visit their father. They live it. The children walk under razor wire and past layers and layers of security to reach their daddy.
Guards search inside their mouths, behind their ears and under their feet. The prison dogs sniff them head to toe, front and back.
Last week, Gabriel slipped some daisies he had picked by the prison walls into his pocket to give to his father. After he passed through the metal detector his daisies were confiscated during the pat-down search by one of the guards, albeit reluctantly.
During visits, our family is allowed to embrace at the beginning and end. We can hold each others’ hands across the table. Julian and I are not allowed to kiss. But Julian would rather kiss his wife and be penalised than have that taken away from him too. So, we kiss.
Precious moments for life lessons
The children love visiting their daddy. Julian reads them stories. Gabriel shares his father’s fascination with numbers. Julian teaches them nifty tricks: the best way to peel an orange, how to open chips without losing any of the contents.
These things may sound small to most people, but they are our precious moments together. A canteen selling chips and oranges and the prison’s collection of children’s books are all that is on offer in the visitor’s hall we share with 30-or-so prisoners and their families once or twice a week.
On March 23, we were married in Belmarsh. The prison – normally filled with tragedy and isolation – was turned on its head for a few hours to celebrate our love and commitment. Our nest in the razor wire.
The last time the media photographed Julian was in 2019, through the scratched windows of a prison van. The UK Authorities insist that our wedding photos not be made public ‘on security grounds’. In court, Julian has not been permitted to sit with his lawyers. And despite many applications since January 21, he has not been allowed to attend his own court hearings in person.
Australia’s Energy Minister rejects nuclear power push
Hawkesbury Gazette By Paul Osborne and Dominic Giannini June 9 2022
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has attacked the Nationals for suggesting nuclear power be considered in Australia’s energy mix, saying the party had no credibility after nine years in government.
Mr Bowen says nuclear would be the most expensive form of energy when Australians are already facing rising costs and inflationary pressures.
“Seriously? Nine years in office and then coming up with bright ideas on the other side of the election is point one. No credibility,” he said on Thursday.
“Nuclear is the most expensive form of energy. We have a cost of living crisis, energy prices going through the roof and what’s their big bright idea? Let’s have the most expensive form of energy we can possibly think of.”
………………….. Labor has rejected the technology as too expensive and not a serious solution to reducing power costs or cutting emissions. https://www.hawkesburygazette.com.au/story/7773300/energy-minister-rejects-nuclear-power-push/
1 This month.
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
19 May – Webinar- Webinar: No Nuclear Weapons in Australia
Start: 2026-05-19 18:00:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
End: 2026-05-19 19:30:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 