nuclear-news

It’s nearly Christmas – it’s also nearly crisis – nuclear and climate news to 16 December

I know. It’s just not what you need to hear in the week before Christmas.  Unfortunately, I am reminded by the wonderful Katharine Hayhoe  that even if you ignore, or even disbelieve in scientific findings –  they are still there, still real.

My two big influences this week come from Radio Ecoshock. Firstly – we’ve underestimated global warming. Our current path heads to worst 5 degree warming. And, there’s suppression of climate facts, and some disinformation on global warming.  My second – it’ s the same as last week’s – Future Earth may be home to grass, bugs, and maybe, – maybe – a few humans. It’s a hot radioactive world.

Well – on with the dance –

The Arctic is melting with no turning back. We have been underestimating the amounts of sea level rise due to global warming. For the first time, scientists identify human-driven climate change as the cause of global heat waves in 2016. Explaining Extreme Events from a Climate Perspective – American Meteorological Society

10 December: Nobel Peace Prize awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson changes his mind: now will not talk with North Korea without “conditions”.  U.N.’s Guterres warns against ‘sleepwalking’ into war over North Korea.

USA. 

• Trump’s disturbing willingness to sell nuclear technologies without the usual restrictions, to Saudi Arabia.
• Bill to Help Rescue New Jersey Nuclear Plants Is Unveiled . Revelations that Westinghouse knew of nuclear reactor problems.  
• America’s trillions of dollars militaristic economy.
• Climate change effects intensify – and California burns. America’s EPA removes climate change and renewable energy references from its website.

FRANCE. EDF keen to market nuclear to Asia, demands tax-payer support to build new nuclear reactors.

UK.

• UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation approves nuclear power plans for Wylfa, Anglesey. Now where’s the funding?
• British parliamentarians worried that the UK nuclear industry will suffer as Britain leaves Euratom, in Brexit move. More on the UK EURATOM Boondogle – Brexit woes!
• Wikileaks ruled by UK tribunal to be a media organisation –
•  Scrutiny on Small Modular Nuclear Reactors as UK govt ploughs money into them , despite financial risks. –
• Japanese Embassy Promoting Fukushima Sake in London, UK. Japanese Foreign Minister’s Gimmick to Promote Fukushima Contaminated Produce.

JAPAN. Government and utilities shaken by high court challenge to public trust in Japan’s nuclear authority. One Fukushima Tepco employee’s Leukemia certified, how many of the subcontracted employees ignored? Intensifying the Fukushima denial campaign. Many children diagnosed with thyroid cancer after 3.11 disasters, families still worried.

FRANCE. New defects detected in AREVA’s European Pressurised Nuclear Reactor (EPR). France faces a decade-long struggle to upgrade its nuclear power plants. France’s nuclear corporation EDF to make a massive push into solar energy.

RUSSIA. Russian nuclear plant says it finally emits nuclear isotope #Ruthenium106. Donor nations to pay up for trying to fix Russia’s devilish nuclear waste problem at Andreeva Bay. The unsolved hazard of damaged spent nuclear fuel rods – Andreeva Bay.

NORTH KOREA. The danger of the unsafety of North Korea’s nuclear facilities.

EGYPT. Russia disburses El Dabaa nuclear power plant loan/bribe to Egypt. Egypt to go into big debt to buy Russian nuclear reactors that it doesn’t need.

SAUDI ARABIA. It looks as if Saudi Arabia wants uranium enrichment etc as prelude to nuclear weapons development.

MIDDLE EAST. In Middle East – a heightened risk of attacks on nuclear facilities.

CHINA. Tests reveal crack in key component of Chinese nuclear power plant, 130km west of Hong Kong. China builds refugee camps – prepared for influx should Kim Jong-un’s regime collapse.

NIGERIA. Nigeria: Nuclear Agency Spent N367 Million Illegally – Senate Panel.

December 16, 2017 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes