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AUSTRALIA
It seems as if nothing is happening in the nuclear and uranium scene in Australia. However, a renewed propaganda effort is going on - in both departments. Articles in national and South Australian media have promoted an old, (but never discarded) idea of the Liberal Party, to make Australia the world's nuclear waste dump. The uranium industry has been strongly promoted by Australia's new Minister for (Nuclear) Energy, Gary Gray, and of course, by the Australian Uranium Association and their faithful business journalists.
The nuclear waste dump idea, (to enrich a few entrepreneurs like John White of Australian Nuclear Fuels Leasing) comes as the world's nuclear waste crisis becomes more apparent, and as the Australian nuclear lobby is tantalised at the thought of a Liberal Coalition win on September 14.
The uranium promotion idea looks more like a desperate effort by the uranium industry to jolly itself up, as uranium prices drop below US$40/lb with no prospect of coming up again. This puts the lid on the Western Australian Wiluna uranium mine project - unless there's a miracle recovery in the market.
Mary Kathleen uranium mine is still a toxically radioactive place, decades after closure. But that hasn't stopped the Queensland government from deciding to assess opportunities for mining at the site, which contains millions of tonnes of ore tailings. The Mary Kathleen mine is under a Restricted Area 232 status, meaning exploration and production are both prohibited.
Wind energy. Front groups for the fossil fuel and nuclear industry will put on an anti wind energy rally, at Federal Parliament on June 18. Prominent anti climate change sceptics will be there, representing front groups Australian Environment Foundation, Lavoisier Foundation, Galileo Movement, Waubra Foundation - and blessed by the right wing Institute of Public Affarirs (IPA) . The Liberal Colaition if elected, will impose new noise monitoring rules on wind farms - a complicated and tedious requirement that is likely to cripple the industry.
Meanwhile King Island continues to agonise over whether or not to allow a feasibility study for a wind farm there. It seems that at least one golf club is opposed - it is possible that fewer golf tourists would come to King Island if there were a wind farm there. In good old Aussie tradition, sport is having a higher priority than clean energy?
Renewable energy powers on. Regional Australia’s Renewables (IRAR) programs- will halve electricity costs in remote areas where settlements and mining projects have no connection to the grid, and which have relied almost entirely on fossil fuels to date. Households in South Australia are increasingly turning to solar power to alleviate or even obliterate energy bill woes.
Former Liberal leader John Hewson praised the (Greens) plan to push Australia's $80+ billion Future Fund to cut global warming risk in their portfolio. Former leader Malcolm Fraser tweeted his Twitter followers to vote Green, after a discussion on global warming
INTERNATIONAL
Iraq. A 2012 World Health Organization study on congenital birth defects in Iraq has still not been released to the public. Why not?
USA. California's San Onofre nuclear power plant to stay closed permanently. The closure of this plant, near to 60 million people, is a landmark event for the (lack of?) future of the nuclear industry. It follows fast on 3 other USA nuclear plants shutting down. The reasons for these closures are economic. But in the case of San Onofre, it is largely the result of a sustained, well organised, and well supported citizen campaign. Huge radioactive waste problems remain at San Onofre. Decommissioning will take 50 years.Also a big challenge to supply electricity by other means - especially renewable energy.
Japan's Prime minister is on a drive to export Japan's nuclear technology, to Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey. Middle East - anybody really. Meanwhile his wife, Akie, has spoken out against nuclear power, and in favour of Japan exporting clean energy technology.
Fukushima. Grim news coming out about shortage of workers for the Fukushima cleanup. Experienced workers are reaching their radiation dose limit. Radiation cleanup workers prefer work elsewhere. If Japan goes ahead with nuclear power, and exporting nuclear technology, the Fukushima shortage will become even more critical. Cleanup will take 50 years at the very minimum.
India. Nuclear power plans for Kovvada and surrounding villages have stalled, due to huge opposition from local villagers.