nuclear-news

Nuclear weapons, disarmament – nuclear and climate news this week

NUCLEAR.  Articles on weapons and disarmament dominate the nuclear news this week.On Monday 29 August,  an international conference entitled ‘Building a Nuclear Weapons Free World’ will take place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. That day will also be the 25th anniversary of of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site – largest in the world, where 456 weapons tests happened, leaving  a terrible legacy for the people.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for eradication of nuclear weapons.   The nuclear working group at the UN concluded its work in Geneva, and the majority of governments voted to recommended that the UN General Assembly set up a conference in 2017 to negotiate a new treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, despite the Australian government’s best efforts to sabotage this. This is one of those times when I am ashamed to be Australian.

CLIMATE. A new study declares that human-caused climate change began at around 1830.  (I’ve always thought that it was 1801, because of the 1801 painting Coalbrookdale by Night – attached). Research indicates that the difference between 1.5 C and 2C  rise in global  temperatures will be significant, and in only 20 years’ time. Huge volume of Greenland Ice Sheet lost each year, due to global warming.  Again this year, Indonesia’s blanket of smoke is back.  India floods: Over 300 dead, millions affected  Louisiana National Guard Rescues 19,000 in Flood-Affected Areas.

UN Security Council warned on danger of nuclear drone terror attacks.

Global nuclear industry ponders ways to get taxpayers to pay up for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)

USA

• America could take a practical first step towards nuclear disarmament. Stuck in the past – America’s nuclear weapons policy. USA’s National Nuclear Security Administration approves controversial B61-12 nuclear bomb.
• USA pushes India and Pakistan to join nuclear testy ban treaty.
• Groundwater infiltrates turbine building in Vermont Yankee nuclear station. Preparing for hurricane risk to Turkey Point nuclear reactor.
• US Border Patrol Spots EnergyFuels Uranium Mine Fire in Texas. Fire at Vogtle Nuclear Power Station on the Savannah River in Georgia, USA (23 Aug. 2016)?  Three More Fires at the Savannah River Nuclear Site: August 16, 17, 18
• USA govt censoring severity of WIPP nuclear waste problem, $2 Billion Cleanup.
• 3.7 million documents now publicly available on Yucca nuclear waste dump plan.

UK. New report shows that Britain’s Hinkley Point C nuclear station is not essential. UK figuring out how to get out of the Hinkley nuclear power deal.  Britain’s nuclear industry in turmoil over botched contracts. UK Nuclear Submarine HMS Ambush: Smashing Collision With Merchant Vessel.

JAPAN.

• Anti-nuclear activists’ tents forcibly removed from economy ministry premises after years long battle .
• Halt Sendai nuclear reactors says Kagoshima Governor , following nearby earthquakes.
• 10,000 tons of toxic water pools in Fukushima nuclear plant trenches. Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s “frozen wall of earth” failing at Fukushima.   Succession of earthquakes in the Sanriku Oki area (epicenter in the ocean off Fukushima).
•  Tokyo 2020 Games prep beset with problems

NORTH KOREA ‘s submarine – launched missile. North Korea’s ‘Military First’ celebration enhanced by nuclear missile test.

SOUTH KOREA ‘s nuclear weapons advocates are now more vocal since North Korea’s missile test

CHINA. Public opposition threatens China’s grandiose nuclear power plans. China really part of the global nuclear marketing conglomerate.

TAIWAN‘s First Nuclear Decommissioning Project

SOUTH AFRICA nuclear electricity company non compliant with govt rules on advertising. Nuclear is not the cheapest source of electricity for South Africa. African countries are the least compliant in implementing global nuclear security safeguards.

FRANCE   to launch 6 tenders for solar energy projects

GERMANY ‘s green power going strong, with more renewable energy than it ever had nuclear

BULGARIA  Bulgaria seeks solution for costly blowout for Belene nuclear power plant

UKRAINE . Westinghouse puts on hold plans to build nuclear fuel plant in Ukraine

August 27, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes