Home/Posts Tagged ‘nuclear’
Posts Tagged ‘nuclear’
Climate Change, Politics, Pollution, May 23rd, 2012,
Since the earthquake and tsunami-induced meltdowns in Japan last year, nuclear power has experienced a significant dip in global popularity. In parts of the globe, anyway. Japan itself is currently nuclear-free in terms of energy production, with an ambitious plan to clean up its air and water as well as increase the development of renewable power sources. The East Asian economic powerhouse is home to 54 nuclear reactors, not one of which is online. Public outcry in Germany following the events at Fukushima immediately resulted in 8 plant closures, with all remaining nuclear facilities to be closed by 2022. This…
Tags: energy, Fukushima, Germany, japan, nuclear, power
Climate Change, Politics, Pollution, May 8th, 2012,
The chairman of the UK’s environment agency, Lord Smith, has voiced public support for the controversial natural gas and petroleum technique known as hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ with the argument that it will provide a secure and domestic source of energy. Fracking was linked to minor earthquakes when shale gas extraction was tried in the area around Blackpool, England. There are also concerns about groundwater contamination, methane leaks and the industrialization of the countryside, as has been experienced in large parts of the US, including government protected, publicly owned lands. From The Ecologist: Lord Smith’s backing follows pressure on the…
Tags: fracking, hydraulic fracturing, lord smith, nuclear
Politics, Pollution, Mar 14th, 2012,
The government of Australia, led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard (Labor), recently passed a law called ‘Stronger Futures’, an extension of the previous governments ‘NT Intervention’ laws. Both laws have received criticism because they treat Aboriginal Australians differently then the rest of the country. Stronger Futures has drawn comparisons between Apartheid era South Africa and segregation policies in America’s Southern States before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. According to the AAP, 27 ‘prominent’ Australians have written a letter to the leaders of the major parties in Australia’s Parliament in protest of the legislation, claiming it violates the Racial…
Tags: Aboriginal, australia, law, Muckati, NT Intervention, nuclear, racist, Stronger Futures
Politics, Pollution, Videos & Documentaries, Feb 29th, 2012,
An independent report on the level 7 nuclear incident at Fukushima, Japan, following the tsunami on March 11, 2011, reveals bad communication between authorities and irresponsible behavior by Japanese government officials. The report was carried out by the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation, who interviewed some 300 politicians, bureaucrats and workers who were involved in the Fukushima disaster. Lies about the level of risk, a lack of information provided to the public and general incompetence reflect poorly on Japan’s government, energy industry and nuclear energy as a whole. From Japan Times: The panel’s report reveals that although the public was being…
Tags: disaster, Fukushima, nuclear, report
Climate Change, Politics, Pollution, Nov 2nd, 2011,
Growing anti-nuclear sentiment in Europe has reached another milestone. Following Germany’s move to close all of its nuclear power plants by 2022, Belgium has decided to shut its own starting in 2015 and completing by 2025, according to a Reuters report. Much like the companies that run Germany’s nuclear stations, Belgium’s energy operator, Electrabel, warned of blackouts, environmental pollution and a decrease in energy independence as a result of the imminent shut down of the country’s 7 atomic power plants. From AFP: Already a net importer of electricity, Belgium could become increasingly dependent on its neighbours, increase its carbon footprint…
Tags: atomic, Belgium, Climate change, coal, energy, Europe, Fukushima, Lynas, nuclear, plant, power
Natural disasters, Nature, Aug 29th, 2011,
Tropical storms are battering two parts of the world at present: the east coast of the United States and parts of East Asia. Hurricane Irene raged up from the Bahamas through North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and into New York, where it was downgraded to a tropical storm yesterday. According to the Associated Press Irene has claimed at least 21 lives in 8 US states. Two nuclear power plants in the US were shut down due to the hurricane, one in New Jersey (purely as a precautionary measure) and one in Maryland, which suffered minor damage. From the Guardian: A reactor…
Tags: Asia, hurricane, Irene, Maryland, New York, nuclear, tropical storm, typhoon, US
Green living, Aug 23rd, 2011,
Power failures caused by the incident at Fukushima nuclear plant following the earthquake and tsunami last March have sparked a new energy saving trend in Japan. Setsuden or ‘power saving’ is catching on in Japan in a big way. As far as public opinion goes, clean energy is in, nuclear and fossil fuels are out. From the Guardian: Tokyo, a bustling capital famous for its neon lights, has now turned into a city of darkened buildings and slower running trains. Billboards at major crossings flash daily rates of power consumption that tell whether the city has conserved sufficient energy to…
Tags: CFL, energy, japan, LED, light bulbs, nuclear, power, saving, setsuden
Nature, Weird Stuff, Jul 1st, 2011,
Are the jellyfish really taking over? They’re outcompeting “real” fish and multiplying in enormous “blooms” as oceans warm from the effects of climate change. In fact, jellyfish may be the only species worth fishing in European waters by 2048 if trends in overfishing are allowed to continue. But jellies are not content with that. Now they’ve gone and shut down two reactors at a nuclear power station in Scotland. Too many jellyfish were been found in the seawater filters at Torness power station in East Lothian, Scotland on Tuesday; causing officials at the plant to shut down two reactors as…
Tags: EDF, jellies, jellyfish, nuclear, power plant, reactor, Scotland, shut down
Climate Change, Politics, May 31st, 2011,
Climate change is back in the news and on the global political agenda. Sort of. It isn’t trumping nuclear power, but these two issues are related. Germany is planning to phase out its nuclear plants and ramp up its already strong renewable energy sector, though this has much more to do with the disaster in Fukushima than with climate change. Across the Atlantic, however, German support is crucial to a fund that seeks to preserve Ecuadoran rainforest land rather than exploiting the area for oil and pushing off indigenous peoples. From Deutsche Welle: Chief negotiator Yvonne Baki and a delegation…
Tags: australia, carbon tax, Climate change, Ecuador, emissions, Germany, nuclear
Politics, Pollution, May 24th, 2011,
Four major power companies warned that the post-Fukujima backlash against nuclear power in Germany country could result in future winter blackouts. These blackouts would ostensibly occur if Germany decides to decommission all its nuclear power stations. The companies claim that solar and wind power could not meet demand in the case of insufficiently windy or sunny weather. Chancellor Angela Merkel recently signaled she would support closing all of Germany’s 17 nuclear power stations by 2022. Seven nuclear power stations have been off-grid ever since Merkel announced in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima disaster a “three-month moratorium” on her controversial…
Tags: blackouts, earthquake, Fukushima, Germany, Green Party, japan, Merkel, nuclear, plants, power, reactors, tsunami
Politics, Pollution, Videos & Documentaries, Mar 28th, 2011,
In an election many consider to be a referendum on the German government’s nuclear energy policy, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union experienced a significant loss over the weekend. The CDU was defeated in the traditionally conservative state of Baden-Württemberg by the Green-Social Democratic Party (SPD) coalition, making way for a likely Green state premier. This would be the first time in Germany for a state to have a premier from the Green Party. From Deutsche Welle: The Social Democrats (SPD) polled 23.1 percent, and gives a “green-red” coalition of the Greens and the SPD a majority. As predicted, the…
Tags: Baden-Württemberg, CDU, Germany, Green Party, Merkel, nuclear, SPD
Nature, Pollution, Mar 16th, 2011,
Japan is struggling to cope with a difficult tsunami/earthquake relief effort in the face of cold temperatures, food shortages, power outages and nuclear crisis. Please refer to this post for a list of links for aid agencies to donate to the relief effort. From the Guardian’s previous live blog (no longer being updated): The country faces an increasingly desperate humanitarian crisis caused by the direct effects of Friday’s huge earthquake and resultant tsunami, one made worse by freezing weather. The official death toll has now hit 4,255 deaths, with 8,194 people registered as unaccounted for. Survivors, many of them homeless,…
Tags: cold, disaster, earthquake, Fukushima, japan, nuclear, relief effort, tsunami
Pollution, Videos & Documentaries, Mar 15th, 2011,
Japan has suffered greatly in recent days after a 9.0 earthquake struck the north of the country and triggered a tsunami which destroyed countless homes and likely killed over 10,000 people. Millions have been left without electricity, while food and water scarcity as well as lack of heat are threatening parts of northern Japan. Most of the media, however, has been gripped by the explosions and resultant radiation leaks at three reactors at a Japanese nuclear power plant called Fukushima Daiichi in Fukushima prefecture. The nuclear safety crisis that Japan now finds itself in the grip of is perhaps the…
Tags: Daiichi, diaster, earthquake, explosion, Fukushima, japan, nuclear, plant, radiation, tsunami
Pollution, Science & Technology, Feb 28th, 2011,
25 years after the worst nuclear accident in history, hundreds of millions of euros are needed to encase Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine amid fears of another potentially disastrous radiation leak. European and Ukrainian officials are trying to drum up hundreds of millions of euros to complete the project of encasing the site in steel. According to the Independent, the EU has contributed around €500m so far, but another €740 is needed: In recent years, the structure has become extremely unstable, with experts warning that if it collapses, a catastrophic amount of radiation could be released into the atmosphere….
Tags: accident, chernobyl, disaster, Europe, nuclear, plant, reactor
Climate Change, Politics, Pollution, Oct 2nd, 2010,
Germany’s cabinet has voted to extend nuclear power use in the country by an average of 12 years. According to legislation passed in 2002 by the Social Democratic-Green Party coalition, all nuclear power stations in Germany were to be decommissioned by 2022. Not any more. German Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Party, which rules as part of a center right coalition, sees the extension as a way to generate tax income, while meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and transitioning to renewable energy sources. But nuclear energy is not popular in Germany and the decision to extend the…
Tags: atomic, energy, extension, German, Germany, Green, Greenpeace, Merkel, nuclear, power, protest
Politics, Videos & Documentaries, Sep 28th, 2010,
Nuclear power is a hot issue in Germany. Only last month German chancellor Angela Merkel decided to delay the nuclear phase out legislation passed by the preceding Social Democratic-Green coalition government, extending the deadline by another 10-15 years. Merkel cited the country’s energy needs while undergoing a transition to renewable power sources and reducing greenhouse gases. But what about nuclear weapons? Old arguments of nukes as a deterrent are still alive and well in some German defense circles, though anti nuke sentiments run strong amongst Germany’s public. From Deutsche Welle: Almost a year ago, US President Barack Obama pledged to…
Tags: German, Germany, Merkel, nuclear, nuke, power, weapons
Politics, Pollution, Sep 13th, 2010,
Greenpeace Austria’s virtual campaign to stop the nuclear ambitions of the Italian Prime Minister has begun. Through a dedicated website, stop-berlusconi, the Austrian people are being requested to sign an online petition asking Berlusconi to keep Italy – like Austria – ”nuclear free” . Many Austrians are concerned above all because one of the most likely nuclear sites in Italy, Chioggia, is close to their borders, particularly the two Austrian provinces Carinthia and Styria. A reactor in Chioggia, 30 km from Venice, near the popular beaches of the Adriatic, would be a major risk for people that live in this area, but it is also…
Tags: Berlusconi, Greenpeace, Italy, nuclear, web
Politics, Pollution, Aug 31st, 2010,
According to legislation passed in 2002 by the Social Democratic-Green Party coalition, all nuclear power stations in Germany are to be decommissioned by 2022. However, according to a recent television interview, current German Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Union plans to extend this deadline by another 10-15 years. From a report in Deutsche Welle: The chancellor, citing an independent consultants’ report set to be published this week, said such a time frame would ensure Germany’s energy needs are met as the country transitions to renewable energy sources. Energy prices would remain under control and goals for reducing greenhouse…
Tags: Angela, Chancellor, energy, German, Germany, Merkel, nuclear, plants, power
Green living, Politics, Aug 6th, 2010,
If the unusually hot weather in Europe this summer is an environmental ‘cloud’ of bad news – forest fires in Russia, algal blooms in the Baltic, etc. – then an increase in capacity for renewable energy in Germany is the ‘silver lining’. A new report by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy Systems Technology shows progress in German solar power passing expectations. Along with wind, hydro and biomass, solar is expected to cover all of Germany’s energy needs – and ahead of schedule. From a Deutsche Welle report: Theoretically, because things have developed much faster than expected one…
Tags: energy, German, Germany, nuclear, power, renewable, Solar, wind
Pollution, Wildlife & Flora, Aug 3rd, 2010,
A survey of wildlife around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine – site of the worst nuclear accident in history – has shown that biodiversity there is declining. On April 26, 1986 explosions at the Chernobyl plant sent radioactive fallout into the atmosphere, which spread over much of Europe, eventually killing thousands. 24 years later, the downwind city of Pripyat is still off limits, though some have returned there illegally to farm. The wildlife around Chernobyl has been the stuff of legends. Highly irradiated, rumors of mutated wolves and moose abound, but the reality – as usual –…
Tags: accident, animals, biodiversity, chernobyl, contamination, nuclear, Pripyat, radiation, Ukraine, wildlife
