To 20 October – coronavirus, climate and yes, NUCLEAR, news

Covid-19 cases across the globe hit 40 million Monday with the United States leading the world with the highest numbers of infections and deaths.  World round-up of coronavirus. cases and restrictions.

Climate change just keeps on – cycloone, floods and landslides.– Vietnam, India.  It becomes important to devlop strategies to adapt to global heating.

Nuclear news items stress the need for international agreements on arms control.

But , on the ”peaceful nukes” scene, it is quite extraordinary that propaganda has ramped up enormously, even while the pandemic has actually slowed down nuclear building and other activities, as well as the demand for electricty.

What we’re seeing is a frenzy of  small nuclear reactor (SMR) propaganda handouts masquerading as real journalism. In English language news, it’s all about America selling these uneconomic and pretty useless gimmicks to their own population and to overseas countries. The most often praised model, NuScam’s reactor, is even now being touted as ”foreign development aid”.   No doubt the global industry is doing the same confidence trick in Russian and Chinese. They need a global burst of tax-payer funded SMR building,  to stave off the collapse of the industry.

Some bits of good news –We’ve had so many wins’: why the green movement can overcome climate crisis. International Monetary Fund recommends a carbon price, for the economy as well as for the climate.  Solar energy is here with a vengeance – look at South Australia.

 

The attack on journalism – launched with the persecution of Julian Assange.

On climate: instead of denial or despair, there’s determined resolve.  Carbon emissions are deeply embedded in our lifestyle – the challenge post-pandemic.  Climate disasters – Earth is becoming uninhabitable for millions of humans.

Elimination of nuclear weapons is vital to the “survival of life on this planet”.

Nuclear waste – a danger for countless generations to come.

Resisting nuclear colonialism on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Offshore Wind Energy, Not Nuclear, Is the Future.  Study shows that renewable energy is clearly better that nuclear at cutting greenhouse emissions.

Book review: GAMBLING WITH ARMAGEDDON.

Thorium not likely to revive the nuclear energy industry.

NEW ZEALAND. Climate and clean energy leaders win big in New Zealand, ACT elections.

ARCTIC.  Global heating is unravelling the Arctic, much faster than expected.  Climate change: Arctic Circle teens call for help to save their homes.  Reopening of a Cold-War era submarine base, as USA struggles to beat Russia to control the Arctic.

JAPAN.  Japan’s government is appealing the landmark ruling about its responsibility for Fukushima nuclear accident. Japan’s government planning to dump into the sea, the radioactive water from Fukushima No. 1 nuclear reactor.  Fukushima ‘blank spaces’ in limbo, left out of decontamination plan.

Struggling Japanese towns look to nuclear waste storing and the money associated. Mansion without a toilet: Towns in Japan seek to house, store nuclear waste out of necessity.  800-meter-long seawall being constructed, as Japan plans to reopen damaged Onagawa nuclear complex.

Japan’s government ignores U.N. nuclear ban treaty, puts out feeble anti-nuclear weapons resolution.

SOUTH ASIA. Neighbouring countries oppose Japan’s plan to release nuclear waste water into the Pacific.

RUSSIA. Putin suggests extending the START nuclear weapons control treaty for another year.

USA.

• Anti-science in America – climate denial to coronavirus denial.  USA spends taxpayers’ money on weapons, endless wars, not health – coronavirus chaos is the result.
• Donald Trump’s erratic behaviour revives the debate on the President’s unchecked nuclear authority.   What to do about the USA President’s sole authority to launch a nuclear pre-emptive strike? Donald Trump’s pre-election plan for nuclear deal with Russia has fizzled out badly.  US rejects Putin’s proposal on nuclear disarmament treaty as ‘nonstarter’.
• ‘Fracking’ with its environmental harms, now acceptable to U.S. Democrats, to help win the election?
• Ohio lawmakers likely to repeal the tainted nuclear bailout law, after November 3. Bribery probe into a nuclear plant bailout examines facilities’ owner. Ask pro-HB 6 lawmakers seeking reelection what they plan to do about the nuclear bailout bill .
• Exelon to offload its nuclear power stations?
•  Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear waste is potentially explosive.
• Groups urge New Mexico governor to take stand against nuclear waste plan.  Bankrupt Mallinckrodt company faces large liabilities in radioactive trash cleanup.
• USA starts off $3.2 billion subsidy program with $80 million each for “next generation” nuclear reactors. Washington State touted for ”new generation” nuclear power – (some time in the distant future)   Inadequate Emergency Planning Zones for small modular nuclear reactors.  USA marketing NuScam small nuclear reactors to Africa.  Hypocrisy prize to U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), for pretending that NuScam’s Small Nuclear Reactors are ”foreign aid”.   Small Nuclear Reactors on the moon– desperate hope for the failing nuclear industry.
• The biggest radioactive spill in US history.

UK.

• 35 crew on secretive HMS Vigilant £3billion nuclear submarine tested positive for Covid.
• UK: consultation with 2300 people about low level radioactive waste dump – only 13 people supported it.
• In Scotland, UK’s old nuclear submarines are left to rot.
• Dangerous radiation levels from fracking.
• Sizewell nuclear project: EDF messes Suffolk communities about, with yet another public consultation, after 1200 responses already.  French nuclear company EDF disdains the Suffolk community with its cavalier change of plans.

CANADA. Nuclear industry stagnates, renewables thrive- small nuclear reactors will be a terrible mistake for Canada. Small modular nuclear reactors create intensely radioactive wastes. Divisive nuclear waste programme mapped out in South Bruce, Ontario.  Canada’s government caught up in the Small Nuclear Reactor Ponzi Scheme.

NORTH KOREA.  North Korea, with its new intercontinental-range ballistic missile makes it clear that it is a nuclear weapons nation. New North Korean missile will prove a big diplomatic headache for US, expert warns.

SOUTH KOREA. After 23 yearrs and huge expense, South Korea is to close down its efoort to develop nuclear spent fuel reprocessing .

MIDDLE EAST. Policy of no uranium enrichment, no reprocessing, essential for Middle East to prevent nuclear arms proliferation.

FRANCE. France has more nuclear waste than shown in official inventory, reports the nuclear regulator. France’s nuclear company EDF promises a new design pressurised water nuclear reactor (EPR).

INDIA. India’s young anti-nuclear protestors still in trouble, police cases pending, 10 years after teir demonstration.  Cybersecurity concerns about India’s nuclear reactors.

BULGARIA. USA to market nuclear reactor to Bulgaria.

TUVALU. Tuvalu – the 47th nation to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

SOUTH AFRICA.  South Africa the first sucker to get American experimental nuclear reactor + $billions

AUSTRALIA.  USA election result, and Australia’s response– the world’s climate in the balance. Australia a leader in the worst sense – biodiversity loss and risk of ecosystem collapse.  Morrison government’s devastating cuts to Environmental research and teaching.

October 19, 2020 - Posted by Christina MacPherson | Christina's notes