The week in nuclear and climate news

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…

New Study: Rapid Transition to Renewable Energy Helps Global Economy, Prevents Worst Climate Impacts

USA.

March Climate Madness — Wildfires, Scorching Summer Heat Strike Central and Southwestern U.S. By Winter’s End
North Korea nuclear program is ‘imminent’ threat says Rex Tillerson. Trump govt to review decades-old US aim of world without nuclear weapons. Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017 introduced into US Congress. Sound reasons for USA not to replace Land-Based Nuclear Missiles.
New York State lawmakers push for details on nuclear plant subsidies. Nearly 70 locally elected officials in New York call to stop pro nuclear subsidies. American electricity consumers in Eastern States stand to lose $3.9 Billion because of aid to nuclear industry.
Some US Republicans are worried about President Trump’s mental state.

JAPAN. Japan stages mass evacuation drills, following North Korean missile launches. Toshiba’s financial meltdown set off by nuclear power plans. Govt plans A Campaign to Tackle “Misinformation” about Radioactive Contamination. Japanese companies exploit refugees for Fukushima radioactive clean-up work.

NORTH KOREA. North Korea’s Capability Has Entered A ‘New Phase’ – warns U.N. Nuclear Inspector Yukiya Amano.

INDIA. India could launch ‘preemptive’ nuclear strike against Pakistan, says expert.India Already Facing Water Shortages Ahead of Dry Season

UK. Request by UN to Britain: Pause Hinkley Nuclear Plant Work for Environmental Assessment. As Toshiba’s $500m nuclear bankruptcy looms, Britain’s Moorside project could be doubtful. Campaign groups mobilise against UK’s Bradwell nuclear power project.

NORWAY. At Svanhovd another tiny measurement of radioactive iodine – ongoing release?

RUSSIA. Russia developing Major Naval Base for Nuclear Warships in Syria.

PERU. Signals of Climate Change Visible as Record Fires Give Way to Massive Floods in Peru

SOUTH AFRICA. South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) organising anti nuclear petition

1.This Month

United Nations: demasking the Torture of Julian Assange. Rico Brouwer and Nils Melzer

Three Mile Island (& Fukushima) Lies & Cover-Ups w/ Gundersen & Wasserman

Energy efficiency – theme for July 2019

Energy efficiency represents the single largest potential contributor to global emissions reduction, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA 2017). It should be a key part of the global energy strategy, for several reasons:

It could reduce global electric demand by more than 20 per cent, based on current rates in the U.S. power sector, while maintaining high levels of services such as heating and lighting.
It avoids the need for increased energy, capacity and grid services, making it the least expensive way to decarbonise at scale.
It can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by billions of tonnes.

A dramatic example of the power of energy efficiency is lighting. In 2017 the United States passed the milestone of 1 billion LED and CFL lights installed, avoiding 142 million tonnes a year of carbon dioxide emissions, at a cost of about $7 per ton of avoided carbon dioxide. In contrast, the cumulative installed capacity of rooftop solar reached 8,000 MW in 2017, saving 8 million tonnes a year of carbon dioxide, at a cost of $360 per ton. Lighting efficiency thus yielded almost 18 times the avoided carbon dioxide, at about 2 per cent the cost per ton of rooftop solar.

Google provides another example of the power of energy efficiency. Its data centers now use 50 per cent less energy than the average data center, according to the company. Google also developed an improved chip, the TPU, which performs 83 times better than standard CPUs. The new chip allowed Google to reduce power consumption at its data centers by a factor of 30—far exceeding the effect on Google’s carbon footprint of all of the company’s renewable energy purchases. ” – John Woolard, Eco Business, 10 June 2019

nuclear-news

The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope