nuclear-news

Climate and nuclear news to 13 February

The discussion on climate change is subtly switching from warnings, and debates on, climate change impacts, to adaptation, preparation for those impacts.  What prevents us from thinking ‘meaningfully‘ about climate change.

While all seems quiet on the nuclear front, the nuclear arms race is now grimmer than ever.  Meanwhile angst over nuclear waste continues on both sides of the Atlantic. And I really wish that there were news from secretive Russia and China, about their waste problems.

Global warming temperatures to rise by 1.5 Celsius in 5 years – India to get knocked out. Climate change increasingly ranks as the world’s most pressing security threat – Pew Poll. Climate chaos ahead, as Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets melt?

Increasing danger of the radioactive by-products from the nuclear industry.

Growing cancer rates: the focus must be on prevention, on researching environmental causes.

CENTRAL AMERICA. Central American immigration driven by climate change, but this fact is being ignored.

JAPAN. TEPCO firmly at fault for balking at payouts to disaster victims.  The State of Medical Nuclear Emergency Declared after the Fukushima Meltdown is Still On Today!  Japan’s Reconstruction Agency to air ad for Fukushima products on TV, online and at cinemas. Fire extinguisher system at nuclear plant freezes.

UK.

• British school children in their thousands will strike for climate action.
• Suddenly no public access to Scotland’s nuclear history.
• Likely areas of Wales to be targeted for nuclear waste dumping. UK radioactive trash for Northern Ireland? Newry is being considered. Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein warns about UK considering nuclear waste dumping in Northern Ireland. ‘Plutonium-fuelled ‘madness” – the idea of Britain’s nuclear waste transported for burial in Northern Ireland.
•  Scotland represented at Global Peace Forum, calling for Scotland as nuclear-free zone. Scottish Energy Minister pressed to back closure of Hunterston B nuclear power plant in favour of renewable energy.
• Calls to make Calder Hall the first nuclear reactor in the UK to be decommissioned.

BRAZIL. Brazil prosecutor calls for emergency safety measures at tailings dam at former Poços de Caldas uranium mine. Brazil moving towards nuclear-powered submarine.

BELGIUM. Google refuses to blur its satellite images of nuclear facilities. Belgium heading for a nuclear-free future.

RUSSIA. Russia is open to considering new proposals for a broader nuclear weapons treaty.  Russia’s very threatening new 100-megaton underwater nuclear doomsday device.

NETHERLANDS.  Red Cross urges Netherlands to sign UN nuclear weapons ban treaty.

USA.

• What is USA willing to offer to North Korea at Vietnam Summit?
• Investors in Northrop, Boeing, etc rejoice! USA to spend $500 billion on nuclear weapons.
• U.S. Congress needs to look hard at this – Are Washington’s ‘Advanced’ Reactors a Nuclear Waste?. Call for taxpayers not to fund Bill Gates’ small modular nuclear reactor folly.     Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project an example of the folly of nuclear reprocessing.
•  Potentially criminal activity in Trump campaign – a nuclear connection.
• Reclassifying nuclear wastes: Mayor of Richland, and Tri-City Development Council argue in favour of this.
• Economist doubts the need for New Jersey to subsidise nuclear power stations.
• U.S. Dept of Justice suing Hanford contractor for fraud.  Cost of USA’s cold war nuclear weapons waste clean-up now estimated at $377 Billion.  California disapproves of Federal Dept of Energy’s plan for cleaning up radioactive Santa Susana Field Lab.
•  California’s Dangerous Diablo Nuke Hangs in Gov. Newsom’s Hands.  Denver Federal Center nuclear reactor violations lead to fine, short shutdown.
•  Radioactive dust from nuclear work found in workers’ homes and beyond.
• Nuclear commission overrules judge, upholds license for company to mine uranium in southwest South Dakota.
• The Green New Deal goes to Washington. Controversy over nuclear power, as Green New Deal is unveiled.  Yes, the Green New Deal is expensive,but nothing to compare with the nuclear boondoggle.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea’s moves to hide its nuclear missiles from US strikes.

FRANCE. France to build hypersonic nuclear weapons.

ARCTIC. Secret USA nuclear base in Greenland revealed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a328G8sxoQ

AFRICA. Is nuclear power REALLY a clean-power fix for Africa – as Russia and China push it.

UGANDA. Despite the severe disadvantages to Uganda, of nuclear power, Uganda’s govt succumbs

February 13, 2019 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes