To 28 August nuclear and climate news

Stop Nukes

Articles on weapons and disarmament dominate the nuclear news this week. On Monday 29 August, an international conference entitled ‘Building a Nuclear Weapons Free World’ will take place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. That day will also be the 25th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site - largest in the world, where 456 weapons tests happened, leaving a terrible legacy for the people.   


UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
calls for eradication of nuclear weapons. The nuclear working group at the UN concluded its work in Geneva, and the majority of governments voted to recommended that the UN General Assembly set up a conference in 2017 to negotiate a new treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, despite the Australian government's best efforts to sabotage this. This is one of those times when I am ashamed to be Australian.


CLIMATE

A new study declares that human-caused climate change began at around 1830. (I've always thought that it was 1801, because of the 1801 painting Coalbrookdale by Night.) Research indicates that the difference between 1.5 C and 2C rise in global temperatures will be significant, and in only 20 years' time. Huge volume of Greenland Ice Sheet lost each year, due to global warming. Again this year, Indonesia's blanket of smoke is back.

 

India floods: Over 300 dead, millions affected Louisiana National Guard Rescues 19,000 in Flood-Affected Areas.

AUSTRALIA

NUCLEAR.
 
Details on Australia's disgraceful performance at UN in Geneva can be read here and here.

It was pretty stupid and counter-productive, too - made Australia unpopular, and cemented the resolve of other countries for a disarmament conference in 2017. Secretive Pine Gap remains an integral part of USA's nuclear 'star wars' plans (an old newspaper article, still relevant, but now removed from their website).

SOUTH AUSTRALIA's nuclear waste dump plan not economically viable?
The
global nuclear lobby doesn't care. Roger Cross: Reasons to Reject a Medium and High Level Radioactive Waste Dump in South Australia. SA govt going all out with pro nuclear propaganda forums.

Energy Resources of Australia
unable to meet costs of cleaning up Ranger uranium mine. (What a surprise - *not*)

In Greenland,
Indigenous people oppose Australian company's plan for massive uranium mine in Greenland.

CLIMATE CHANGE

154 scientists press Australian government for urgent action on climate change.

Australia in grave danger if global warming exceeds 2 C. Adaptation - South Australia in the lead. Australian Government quietly removes Clive Hamilton's page that listed climate deniers. Adani court decision: Traditional Owners say fight to stop QLD’s Carmichael mine continues.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

South Australia: Future Business Council calls for National smart energy grid.

 Canberra heads to 100% renewable energy, helped by wind power from South Australia.

Community solar fund shares sold out in nine minutes!

Landmark payout for Aboriginal custodians
who have lost their native title rights. BUT Suppression of native title for the Mirarr people= extinguishment of rights?

INTERNATIONAL

UN Security Council warned on
danger of nuclear drone terror attacks.

Global nuclear industry
ponders ways to get taxpayers to pay up for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs).

USA

- America
could take a practical first step towards nuclear disarmament. America's nuclear weapons policy remains dangerously stuck in the past.

USA's National Nuclear Security Administration approves
controversial B61-12 nuclear bomb.

USA pushes India and Pakistan
to join nuclear testy ban treaty.

Groundwater infiltrates turbine building in Vermont Yankee nuclear station.

Preparing for hurricane risk to Turkey Point nuclear reactor.

US Border Patrol Spots EnergyFuels
Uranium Mine Fire in Texas. Fire at Vogtle Nuclear Power Station on the Savannah River in Georgia, USA (23 Aug. 2016)? Three More Fires at the Savannah River Nuclear Site: August 16, 17, 18

USA govt censoring severity of WIPP nuclear waste problem $2 Billion Cleanup. 3.7 million documents now publicly available on Yucca nuclear waste dump plan.

UK


New report shows that Britain's Hinkley Point C nuclear station is not essential.  UK figuring out how to get out of the Hinkley nuclear power deal. Britain's nuclear industry in turmoil over botched contracts.

Nuclear Submarine HMS Ambush:
Smashing Collision With Merchant Vessel

JAPAN

Anti-nuclear activists’
tents forcibly removed from economy ministry premises after years long battle.

Halt Sendai nuclear reactors says Kagoshima Governor, following nearby earthquakes.

 10,000 tons of toxic water pools in Fukushima nuclear plant trenches.

Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s “frozen wall of earth” failing at Fukushima. Succession
of earthquakes
in the Sanriku Oki area (epicenter in the ocean off Fukushima).

Tokyo 2020 Games prep beset with problems.

NORTH KOREA's submarine -
launched missile. North Korea's 'Military First' celebration enhanced by nuclear missile test.

SOUTH KOREA's nuclear weapons advocates are
now more vocal since North Korea's missile test.

CHINA

Public opposition threatens China's grandiose nuclear power plans. China really part of the global nuclear marketing conglomerate.


TAIWAN's
first nuclear decommissioning project

SOUTH AFRICA’s nuclear electricity company
non-compliant with govt rules on advertising. Nuclear is not the cheapest source of electricity for South Africa. African countries are the least compliant in implementing global nuclear security safeguards.

FRANCE
to launch 6 tenders for solar energy projects

GERMANY's green power going strong, with
more renewable energy than it ever had nuclear.

BULGARIA seeks solution for
costly blowout for Belene nuclear power plant.

UKRAINE: Westinghouse
puts on hold plans to build nuclear fuel plant in Ukraine



Following items posted by "Libby"

Dimity Hawkins & Julie Kimber: Australia's stance on nuclear deterrence leaves it on the wrong side of history
August 26, 2016. Is Australia's reliance on nuclear defence agreements
keeping us on the wrong side of history?


Hamish McDonald:
People's tribunal finds Australia guilty over nuclear weapons
Weasel words at UN working group.