nuclear-news

The past week in climate and nuclear news

Everything’s quieter, as we all batten down the hatches, and wait for that Covid 19 curve to flatten ….

The planet needs a green recovery. But are governments up for this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1e7zXAGMKQ

Some bits of good news –   Optimistic COVID Updates  – Himalayan Mountaintops Visible for the First Time in 30 Years as Air Pollution Continues to Plummet in India.

2020 predicted to be Earth’s warmest year on record.   Climate Change Multiplies the Threats of Infectious Diseases.  To tackle the climate crisis, the world cannot return to normal after Covid-19.  Changes for a low carbon economy are possible: we must advocate for this.

Artificial Intelligence in nuclear weapons and military systems.

UKRAINE. Smoke from Chernobyl area wildfires made Ukraine’s capital have the worst air pollution in the world.  With dry and windy conditions, new areas of ‘smoldering’ reported near Chernobyl nuclear plant.  Heavy winds fan new fires breaking out in Chernobyl exclusion zone.  Criirad final report on Chernobyl Fires – Recommendations and findings.  Abandoned Chernobyl nuclear plant is threatened by approaching wildfires.

USA.

• Coronavirus doubters follow climate denial playbook .  Georgia’s Nuclear Plant Vogtle, workforce cut due to coronavirus, costs increase, and costs flow through community. Impacts of coronavirus on the technical, financial and legal mess that is the Vogtle nuclear project in Georgia, USA.  Will nuclear refuelling workers at Limerick nuclear station spread Coronavirus to each other, and to the wider community? Coronavirus cases at Hanford nuclear waste site and at Nuclear Fuel Services.  Multiple COVID 19 cases confirmed among Nuclear Fuel Services employees in Erwin.
• Outcry as uranium industry exploits Covid 19 to call for financial bailout.
• Increased tensions between USA and China, as U.S. accuses China of secret nuclear tests. President Trump ‘talked about nuclear weapons’ with Vladimir Putin in a call to the Kremlin over the weekend as START Treaty’s expiration looms.
• A warning to Idaho residents on the danger of Hanford’s nuclear wastes. America’s eternal nuclear waste problem.
• COVID-19 Lessons from Three Mile Island #2 — the NRC .  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection wants delay to license for moving radioactive Nuclear reactor 2 at Three Mile Island.
• Global heating dries up vast areas of the American West, could bring long-lasting megadroughts.  Climate change will bring regular major floods to USA – no longer “once in a lifetime” floods.

UK.  UK’s plutonium problem as it shuts down its last nuclear reprocessing facility.    Environmental rules governing radioactive waste, fish farming, recycling and other sectors are being weakened due to Covid 19.   For UK’s new Labour leader, climate action and Green New Deal will be key goals

FRANCE.  Covid 19 outbreak causes EDF to extend outages of nuclear reactors for several months.  EDF cutting back on its nuclear energy goals.

RUSSIA.  Opening the lid on Russia’s super-secretive nuclear industry.    No easy fix for Russia’s troubled Arktica ice-breaker – delivery delayed for at least a year.

BELARUS. Belarus to get a new nuclear reactor along with $10 billion debt to Russia.

PACIFIC ISLANDS. With the threat of Covid 9, nuclear test affected Pacific Islanders need Medicaid restored.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. United Arab Emirates’ new ‘cheap and cheerful’ Barakah nuclear reactor adds to danger and Middle East tensions.

SAUDI ARABIA.  Saudi Arabia’s nuclear reactor will eventually lead to a Saudi nuclear weapon, and to its use.

AUSTRALIA. Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is critical of Government propaganda on Kimba nuclear waste dump plan.  Parliamentary committee finds that Kimba nuclear waste dump law may breach Indigenous human rights. 1

April 20, 2020 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes