As Congress Slashes EPA, Climate Funding, Author Mark Hertsgaard on "Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth"
The budget deal approved by Congress cuts $1.6 billion from the budget of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—a 16 percent decrease; reduces funding for a planned climate desk within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and eliminates the position of assistant to the president for energy and climate change. Ever since taking control of the House, Republican lawmakers have taken a number of steps to curtail the Obama administration’s efforts to deal with climate change. We speak with investigative reporter Mark Hertsgaard, author of the new book, Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth. [includes rush transcript]
- - check out what he has to say about nukes! - the are not a solution, but a crisis!
Democracy NOW!
Democracy Now! on YouTube - Japan in Crisis
EPA's RadNet Monitoring Data
The winners in Japan’s nuclear meltdown
In the wake of all disasters, there are winners and losers. Despite the loss of life, environmental catastrophe and crippling power shortage, in the case of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, there are many winners.
Japan needs much to rebuild its energy security and demolished infrastructure. However, away from these, there are many people, places and companies who will unequivocally win big from Japan’s nuclear demise.
The Anti-nuclear movement
This week, the Japan Atomic Energy Industry, in conjunction with the nation’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, raised the severity level of the incident from 5 to 7 – on par with Chernobyl. Irrespective of this, it seemed the entire nuclear energy industry had become the world’s biggest enemy.
Anti-nuclear movements must surely have been pleased with the millions of passive observers around the world whose opinions prior to the Fukushima incident were non-descript, but whom – post the disaster – became vocal followers of their cause.
Admittedly, this is cynical view. However, with protests spanning the globe, the human flaw of like-mindedness was on full display.
Here in Japan... more
the World Nuclear Association has plans
- is this what we want?
WNA Nuclear Century Outlook
"In meeting global clean-energy need, what is the relationship between nuclear power and renewable energy technologies?"
The WNA’s Nuclear Century Outlook is:
• A conceptualization of nuclear power’s potential worldwide growth in the 21st Century; and
• An evaluation of nuclear energy’s environmental contribution.
The Outlook is unique in nature and scope. Many nuclear projections extend just to 2030 and assume business-as-usual behaviour. The Outlook encompasses these scenarios but looks further into the future - with both optimistic and pessimistic assumptions.
In gauging nuclear energy’s potential growth and environmental role, the Nuclear Century Outlook also offers perspective on two questions:
• Will nuclear energy’s contribution depend heavily on introducing nuclear power into new nations?
• In meeting global clean-energy need, what is the relationship between nuclear power and renewable energy technologies?
The Outlook is built on country-by-country assessments of the growth potential of national nuclear programmes, based on estimates of need and capability, with projected population a key factor. For each country, the Outlook posits upper and lower growth trajectories, with the low reflecting the minimum nuclear capacity expected and the high assuming a full policy commitment to nuclear power . When summed globally, these trajectories yield boundaries within which the future is likely to fall.
wow. we need to get this viewpoint smashed. we would be looking at a chernobyl or fukushima every few years.
the trend - any notion of a nuclear renaissance - needs to be reversed toward global nuclear decommissioning and the banning of nuclear power. it is going to take vast resources and commitment to deal with the mess which has already been created - that will unfortunately be a gigantic shackle upon future generations for centuries to come. all planned development needs to be stopped now, and every effort made to insure a livable and positive future for our descendants and the rest of the ecosphere.
See also:
• previous Fukushima updates for background info and links -
Deepak Chopra homebase: Fukushima ~ Indian Point, NY
Fukushima a "Ticking Time Bomb"
Nuclear Catastrophe in Japan “Not Equal to Chernobyl, But Way Worse”
Nuclear Power = Crime Against Humanity
Obama: No Money for Nukes!
Pacifica Nuclear Teach-in | The Code Killers by Ace Hoffman
Nuclear Obama, Radioactive Boars & Frogs of Fukushima
fukushima plutonium
Fukushima still fuming - nuclear catastrophe update
March archive
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• more news feeds below
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