nuclear-news

The past week in climate and nuclear news

On CLIMATE the situation is eerie. Technogeeks are exploring geoengineering ways to cool the planet. Some journalists – New York’s David Wallace Wells, Slate’s Tommy Lynch, predict an uninhabitable Earth, and warn that we are not alarmed enough.

The general media inform us of greatly increased wildfires, (Europe),  (USA), floods, (India)(Germany), droughts, (USA), (Italy) . These news items whisk away under the relentless hurricane news of celebrities, sport, and Trump’s latest absurdities.

On NUCLEAR it would seem few immediate events are happening. However,important issues are being explored. Investigative journalism lives!

• Sick nuclear workers die as USA Labor Department delays compensation as long as possible.
• Nuclear danger as Trump government guts science removes Department of Energy’s skilled personnel
• and this beautifully written story on the continuing danger of the underground fire and nuclear waste at St Louis, Missouri.

Catholic Church organising to support UN nuclear weapons ban.  Cybersecurity researchers warn that nuclear power stations are vulnerable to hackers and terrorists.

Impact of Environmental Change on Human Security  – climate refugees.   NASA monitors Arctic sea ice loss. Plans for technology to remove CO2 from air.  Artificially cooling planet Earth by thinning cirrus clouds. 100 Fossil Fuel Companies Responsible for 71 Percent of Carbon Emissions Since 1988 — And They’re Being Sued For it.

EUROPE. European Heat, Drought, Fires Bite Deep as 1 Million Impacted by Water Rationing in Rome. European Commission wants Czech Republic to deal with its nuclear waste backlog.

JAPAN.

• Increases in perinatal mortality in prefectures contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan.  Radioactive cesium detected in the urine of 100 children after the catastrophic accident of TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
• Government selects hundreds of coastal sites as potentially suitable for radioactive trash dumps
•  Tokyo 2020 Olympic Fukushima fallacies and fallout. Likely Melted Fuel Heap Found Inside Fukushima Daiichi’s Reactor 3 Shows Future Removing Difficulties.  Tepco not likely to meet the estimated $192.5 Billion cost of the Fukushima nuclear clean-up.

RUSSIA.  Russia decides to fuel floating nuclear plant in Murmansk, following pressure from Norway. Russia provides $70 billions to countries in its nuclear marketing drive.

USA.

• American new sanctions against Iran – designed to kill off the nuclear agreement.
• Trump picks an advocate of pre-emptive nuclear strike for his defense team.  Hawaii’s preparations for a North Korea nuclear attack.  USA’s Land-Based Nuclear Missiles simply not financially or politically sustainable.
• USA government in confusion over funding of MOX plutonium nuclear facility. Lawsuit aims to stop construction of the problem-plagued Uranium Processing Facility (UPF).
• New York’s nuclear power subsidies upheld by judge.
•  USA’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) OK’s Storage of Nuclear Waste Below Miami’s Drinking Water.
•  Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) won’t save the industry.
• Donald Trump’s attack on science and public health.
• Dopey U.S. energy secretary
• Rick Perry fooled by Russian comedians.Legal cases – suing fossil fuel firms over rising sea levels.

IRAN. Iran refrains from being drawn into a row, by USA’s new sanctions slapped on Iran.

IRAQ. In Mosul, ISIS nearly had the means to make a radioactive “dirty bomb”.

UK. Serious doubts about UK’s Trident nuclear plan – problems not “manageable or resolvable.”  Inquiry into Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)’s spending, held behind closed doors.  Unexpected release from gaol of 2 UK peace campaigners.

GREENLAND. Greenland ice sheet might start to melt “faster and faster”.

UKRAINE. Ukraine’s dangerous nuclear industry: theft of 100s of containers with radioactive materials.

SOUTH KOREA. South Korea to move away from nuclear power – but still wants to sell nukes overseas!

CHINA. China’s marketing strategy – Poland and Britain as springboards for China’s nuclear marketing.

INDIA. Indian State Government hands over land for nuclear development, displacing 2,200 families.

ISRAEL.  Israel STILL punishing nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu.

July 29, 2017 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes