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kristopher
kristopher's Journal
kristopher's Journal
February 21, 2012
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20120221p2a00m0na018000c.html
Japanese Gov't emergency headquarters refused to conduct additional thyroid testing on children
Gov't emergency headquarters refused to conduct additional thyroid testing on children
...Between March 26 and March 30 last year, the emergency headquarters used simple radiation sensors to test thyroid radiation exposure among 1,080 children between the ages of 0 and 15. The children were living in areas outside the 30-kilometer radius from the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant where high levels of radiation exposure were likely.
None of the children registered radiation exposure levels exceeding 0.2 microsieverts per hour, the figure set by the NSC as one above which children would be required to undergo a more thorough examination. However, one child from the Fukushima Prefecture city of Iwaki registered 0.1 microsieverts per hour, whose accumulated thyroid exposure to radiation was calculated to be around or above 30 millisieverts.
On March 30, after the NSC was informed of the results from the government's nuclear emergency headquarters, NSC asked that additional tests be conducted on the child with a thyroid monitor, which is capable of taking more precise measurements.
...On April 1, 2011, however, the government's emergency headquarters decided not to conduct further tests, citing "the difficulty of transporting a 1-ton thyroid monitor," "requiring the child to travel long distances for tests," and "risk of spreading extreme panic and making the child, the child's family and their local community targets of unwarranted discrimination" as reasons...
...Between March 26 and March 30 last year, the emergency headquarters used simple radiation sensors to test thyroid radiation exposure among 1,080 children between the ages of 0 and 15. The children were living in areas outside the 30-kilometer radius from the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant where high levels of radiation exposure were likely.
None of the children registered radiation exposure levels exceeding 0.2 microsieverts per hour, the figure set by the NSC as one above which children would be required to undergo a more thorough examination. However, one child from the Fukushima Prefecture city of Iwaki registered 0.1 microsieverts per hour, whose accumulated thyroid exposure to radiation was calculated to be around or above 30 millisieverts.
On March 30, after the NSC was informed of the results from the government's nuclear emergency headquarters, NSC asked that additional tests be conducted on the child with a thyroid monitor, which is capable of taking more precise measurements.
...On April 1, 2011, however, the government's emergency headquarters decided not to conduct further tests, citing "the difficulty of transporting a 1-ton thyroid monitor," "requiring the child to travel long distances for tests," and "risk of spreading extreme panic and making the child, the child's family and their local community targets of unwarranted discrimination" as reasons...
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20120221p2a00m0na018000c.html
February 21, 2012
United Nations Environment Programme Yearbook 2012
Chapter 1
YEAR IN REVIEW
2011 saw a number of environmental extremes, including record extreme weather and climate events and increasing degradation of marine ecosystems. However, progress was made towards new investments in renewable energy, with continued investment needed to transition to a green economy.
Chapter 2
THE BENEFITS OF SOIL CARBON
The carbon in soils provides multiple benefits, especially in enhancing food production and regulating our climate. Effective management of soils is important for maintaining and even enhancing soil carbon content, in a way that will meet the food, water and energy demands of a growing population.
Chapter 3
CLOSING AND DECOMMISSIONING NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS
The number of nuclear power reactors that are set to be decommissioned is increasing. The scale of the task ahead will require careful planning and co-ordination to ensure that decommissionings are carried out safely and cost-effectively.
Chapter 4
KEY ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
Global environmental trends that illustrate the state of our environment can be inferred using several key indicators. These indicators bring to light a number of positive trends, but also highlight the need to address mounting challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and land and soil degradation.
Links to download each section or the entire report here:
http://www.unep.org/yearbook/2012/
February 21, 2012
In other words you can't answer the question without showing you are being misleading.
In the first place, the line of argument about shutting down nuclear plants is a red herring, it isn't related to the discussion at all unless you are replying to this reference in post #3:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11275859
And if you were, then you seem seriously confused about what that article is about since the reductions in nuclear are gradual and result from increased deployment of renewable generation - thus negating the entire premise of your screed.
As for your position that humans aren't to be trusted with nuclear power, I can only say that you are extremely consistent over many years in writing posts that contradict the position you claim here to hold.
You can't minimize the significance of the OP - 68% of new capacity in the EU last year was renewable energy.
You want to portray the OP as representing some sort of failure because natural gas is also surging. While I can appreciate the purity of the call to eliminate all fossil fuels as soon as possible, the fact is that the process is going to require decades to accomplish. It is also a fact that the different generating sources have different operational characteristics that must be considered when we prioritize our choices now and going forward.
In that sense the additional deployment of natural gas is a step in the right direction. Even if it emits CO2 at a level similar to coal there are significant differences in the way it integrates with renewables that work to create a grid that encourages deployment of ever increasing levels of renewables and expanding efforts at energy efficiency and conservation.
Nuclear and coal are NOT compatible with renewables, energy efficiency efforts or conservation in the same way. In fact they are virtual twins of each other and form the basis of a system that works to shut out renewables and expand not only the level of consumption overall but also the consumption of natural gas.
February 21, 2012
http://www.engineerlive.com/Power-Engineer/Nuclear_Power/Lawyers_send_complaint_to_European_Commission_about_subsidies_for_nuclear_power/23960/
Lawyers send complaint to European Commission about subsidies for nuclear power
Lawyers send complaint to European Commission about subsidies for nuclear power
A formal complaint about subsidies for nuclear power has been sent to the European Commission. If it is upheld, it unlikely that any new nuclear power stations will be built in the UK or elsewhere in the EU. The complaint may be followed by legal action in the courts or actions by politicians to reduce or remove subsidies for nuclear power.
The complaint has been prepared by lawyers for the campaign group Energy Fair group, with several other environmental groups and environmentalists.
One of the largest subsidies in the complaint is the cap on liabilities for nuclear accidents. “Like car drivers, the operators of nuclear plants should be properly insured,” says Energy Fair. It has been calculated that, if nuclear operators were fully insured against the cost of nuclear disasters like those at Chernobyl and Fukushima, the price of nuclear electricity would rise by at least 14 Eurocents per kWh and perhaps as much as 2.36 Euros, depending on assumptions made. Even with the minimum increase, nuclear electricity would become quite uncompetitive.
Other subsidies in the complaint are: that uranium is exempted from a tax on fuels used to generate electricity, and that the UK government is proposing to provide support for the disposal of nuclear waste, and to provide a subsidy in the form of a 'feed-in tariff with contracts for difference'. Research by Energy Fair shows that there are several other subsidies for nuclear power in the UK and that proposals by the government would introduce more.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion and leader of the Green party of England and Wales, said: ...
A formal complaint about subsidies for nuclear power has been sent to the European Commission. If it is upheld, it unlikely that any new nuclear power stations will be built in the UK or elsewhere in the EU. The complaint may be followed by legal action in the courts or actions by politicians to reduce or remove subsidies for nuclear power.
The complaint has been prepared by lawyers for the campaign group Energy Fair group, with several other environmental groups and environmentalists.
One of the largest subsidies in the complaint is the cap on liabilities for nuclear accidents. “Like car drivers, the operators of nuclear plants should be properly insured,” says Energy Fair. It has been calculated that, if nuclear operators were fully insured against the cost of nuclear disasters like those at Chernobyl and Fukushima, the price of nuclear electricity would rise by at least 14 Eurocents per kWh and perhaps as much as 2.36 Euros, depending on assumptions made. Even with the minimum increase, nuclear electricity would become quite uncompetitive.
Other subsidies in the complaint are: that uranium is exempted from a tax on fuels used to generate electricity, and that the UK government is proposing to provide support for the disposal of nuclear waste, and to provide a subsidy in the form of a 'feed-in tariff with contracts for difference'. Research by Energy Fair shows that there are several other subsidies for nuclear power in the UK and that proposals by the government would introduce more.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion and leader of the Green party of England and Wales, said: ...
http://www.engineerlive.com/Power-Engineer/Nuclear_Power/Lawyers_send_complaint_to_European_Commission_about_subsidies_for_nuclear_power/23960/
February 21, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/obama-budget-solyndra-program_n_1276605.html
Obama's Budget Nixes New Money For Program That Funded Solyndra
Obama's Budget Nixes New Money For Program That Funded Solyndra
...The Energy Department "continues to conduct due diligence and is in active negotiations with a number of additional project sponsors," Reilly said. "It's important to point out here that, as of January 2012, over $24 billion in direct loans and loan guarantees have closed to support a diverse range of over 30 wind, solar, electric vehicles and other clean energy projects projected to fund more than 50,000 jobs."
But some environmental groups say Obama's budgetary shift is hugely significant because it means no new money for building nuclear power plants -- and they speculate that, at least in part, they have Solyndra to thank for the shift.
"The entire loan program has fallen into some disrepute on Capitol Hill ... because of Solyndra and some of the other renewable programs getting in trouble," said Michael Mariotte, executive director of Nuclear Information and Resource Service, an information hub for organizations concerned with nuclear power. The administration "may have decided to cut their losses" and stop providing new funds to the program altogether.
To be sure, Obama's overall budget provides piles of new money for other clean energy programs. It includes a total of $27.2 billion for the Energy Department -- a 3.2 percent increase of what Congress enacted last year -- and $2.3 billion for research and development for energy efficiency, advanced vehicles and biofuels.
But that influx of new dollars ...
...The Energy Department "continues to conduct due diligence and is in active negotiations with a number of additional project sponsors," Reilly said. "It's important to point out here that, as of January 2012, over $24 billion in direct loans and loan guarantees have closed to support a diverse range of over 30 wind, solar, electric vehicles and other clean energy projects projected to fund more than 50,000 jobs."
But some environmental groups say Obama's budgetary shift is hugely significant because it means no new money for building nuclear power plants -- and they speculate that, at least in part, they have Solyndra to thank for the shift.
"The entire loan program has fallen into some disrepute on Capitol Hill ... because of Solyndra and some of the other renewable programs getting in trouble," said Michael Mariotte, executive director of Nuclear Information and Resource Service, an information hub for organizations concerned with nuclear power. The administration "may have decided to cut their losses" and stop providing new funds to the program altogether.
To be sure, Obama's overall budget provides piles of new money for other clean energy programs. It includes a total of $27.2 billion for the Energy Department -- a 3.2 percent increase of what Congress enacted last year -- and $2.3 billion for research and development for energy efficiency, advanced vehicles and biofuels.
But that influx of new dollars ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/obama-budget-solyndra-program_n_1276605.html
February 21, 2012
http://www.pcworld.com/article/250327/microsoft_says_google_circumvents_ie_privacy_policies_too.html
Microsoft Says Google Circumvents IE Privacy Policies Too
Microsoft Says Google Circumvents IE Privacy Policies Too
By Nancy Gohring, IDG News Feb 20, 2012 5:28 pm
Microsoft on Monday accused Google of bypassing privacy protections in Internet Explorer, following accusations last week that Google was doing so in Apple's Safari browser.
In a blog post, Dean Hachamovitch, corporate vice president for Internet Explorer, described how Microsoft believes Google is getting around IE privacy policies.
IE by default blocks so-called third-party cookies unless a site presents to the browser a P3P Compact Policy Statement describing how the site will use the cookie and pledging not to track the user. P3P is a protocol that websites use to disclose details in a standard format about how they plan to use information collected from users. Browsers that support P3P can block cookies or allow them in compliance with user privacy preferences. Third party cookies are those dropped by domains other than the one in the user's browser address bar.
"Technically, Google utilizes a nuance in the P3P specification that has the effect of bypassing user preferences about cookies," Hachamovitch wrote. "Google's P3P policy is actually a statement that it is not a P3P policy. It's intended for humans to read even though P3P policies are designed for browsers to 'read'," he said.
P3P-compliant browsers read Google's policy as saying that...
By Nancy Gohring, IDG News Feb 20, 2012 5:28 pm
Microsoft on Monday accused Google of bypassing privacy protections in Internet Explorer, following accusations last week that Google was doing so in Apple's Safari browser.
In a blog post, Dean Hachamovitch, corporate vice president for Internet Explorer, described how Microsoft believes Google is getting around IE privacy policies.
IE by default blocks so-called third-party cookies unless a site presents to the browser a P3P Compact Policy Statement describing how the site will use the cookie and pledging not to track the user. P3P is a protocol that websites use to disclose details in a standard format about how they plan to use information collected from users. Browsers that support P3P can block cookies or allow them in compliance with user privacy preferences. Third party cookies are those dropped by domains other than the one in the user's browser address bar.
"Technically, Google utilizes a nuance in the P3P specification that has the effect of bypassing user preferences about cookies," Hachamovitch wrote. "Google's P3P policy is actually a statement that it is not a P3P policy. It's intended for humans to read even though P3P policies are designed for browsers to 'read'," he said.
P3P-compliant browsers read Google's policy as saying that...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/250327/microsoft_says_google_circumvents_ie_privacy_policies_too.html
February 20, 2012
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1127
Another reactor to shut down, leaving only 2 units online in Japan
Another reactor to shut down, leaving only 2 units online in Japan
TSURUGA (Kyodo) --Kansai Electric Power Co. said Friday it will suspend its only remaining active reactor -- the No. 3 reactor at the Takahama nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture -- for a regular checkup early Tuesday, leaving only two of Japan's 54 commercial reactors online.
Of the remaining two, the No. 6 reactor at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture will be offline on March 26, and the No. 3 reactor at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant in Hokkaido will be suspended in late April, both for regular maintenance.
As no reactors have resumed operations even after the completion of checkups since the Fukushima complex disaster last March, it is highly likely Japan will have no actively operating reactors after the two are shut down for checkups.
Kansai Electric President Makoto Yagi called for further energy-saving efforts in a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, warning of tighter electricity supply through March following the suspension of the reactor.
Meanwhile...
TSURUGA (Kyodo) --Kansai Electric Power Co. said Friday it will suspend its only remaining active reactor -- the No. 3 reactor at the Takahama nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture -- for a regular checkup early Tuesday, leaving only two of Japan's 54 commercial reactors online.
Of the remaining two, the No. 6 reactor at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture will be offline on March 26, and the No. 3 reactor at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant in Hokkaido will be suspended in late April, both for regular maintenance.
As no reactors have resumed operations even after the completion of checkups since the Fukushima complex disaster last March, it is highly likely Japan will have no actively operating reactors after the two are shut down for checkups.
Kansai Electric President Makoto Yagi called for further energy-saving efforts in a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, warning of tighter electricity supply through March following the suspension of the reactor.
Meanwhile...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1127
February 20, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/19/test-tube-burger-meat-eating
The Douglas Adams Burger?
£200,000 test-tube burger marks milestone in future meat-eating
Project funded by anonymous individual aims to cut number of cattle farmed for food and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Could lab-grown meat solve food crisis?
• Artificial meat could slice emissions, say scientists
Ian Sample, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 February 2012 11.38 EST
Dutch scientist Mark Post holds samples of in-vitro meat grown in a laboratory. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Lurking in a petri dish in a laboratory in the Netherlands is an unlikely contender for the future of food. The yellow-pink sliver the size of a corn plaster is the state-of-the-art in lab-grown meat, and a milestone on the path to the world's first burger made from stem cells.
Dr Mark Post, head of physiology at Maastricht University, plans to unveil a complete burger – produced at a cost of more than £200,000 – this October.
He hopes Heston Blumenthal, the chef and owner of the three Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, will cook the offering for a celebrity taster as yet unnamed.
The project, funded by a wealthy, anonymous, individual aims to slash the number of cattle farmed for food, and in doing so reduce one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
"Meat demand ...
Project funded by anonymous individual aims to cut number of cattle farmed for food and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Could lab-grown meat solve food crisis?
• Artificial meat could slice emissions, say scientists
Ian Sample, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 February 2012 11.38 EST
Dutch scientist Mark Post holds samples of in-vitro meat grown in a laboratory. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters
Lurking in a petri dish in a laboratory in the Netherlands is an unlikely contender for the future of food. The yellow-pink sliver the size of a corn plaster is the state-of-the-art in lab-grown meat, and a milestone on the path to the world's first burger made from stem cells.
Dr Mark Post, head of physiology at Maastricht University, plans to unveil a complete burger – produced at a cost of more than £200,000 – this October.
He hopes Heston Blumenthal, the chef and owner of the three Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, will cook the offering for a celebrity taster as yet unnamed.
The project, funded by a wealthy, anonymous, individual aims to slash the number of cattle farmed for food, and in doing so reduce one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
"Meat demand ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/19/test-tube-burger-meat-eating
February 20, 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/20/canada-eu-tar-sands
Canada threatens trade war with EU over tar sands
Canada threatens trade war with EU over tar sands
The row over the EU's plan to label tar sands oil as highly polluting escalates as Canada says it 'will not hesitate to defend its interests'
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 February 2012 05.45 EST
Canada has threatened a trade war with European Union over the bloc's plan to label oil from Alberta's vast tar sands as highly polluting, the Guardian can reveal, before a key vote in Brussels on 23 February.
"Canada will not hesitate to defend its interests, including at the World Trade Organisation," state letters sent to European commissioners by Canada's ambassador to the EU and its oil minister, released under freedom of information laws.
The move is a significant escalation of the row over the EU's plans, which Canada fears would set a global precedent and derail its ability to exploit its tar sands, which are the biggest fossil fuel reserve in the world after Saudi Arabia. Environmental groups argue that exploitation of the tar sands, also called oil sands, is catastrophic for the global climate, as well as causing serious air and water pollution in Alberta.
Darek Urbaniak, at Friends of the Earth Europe, which obtained the new documents, said: "These letters are further evidence of Canadian government and industry lobbying, which continuously undermines efforts to combat climate change. We find it unacceptable that the Canadian government now openly uses direct threats at the highest political levels to derail crucial EU climate legislation."
The unveiling of Canada's threats is ...
The row over the EU's plan to label tar sands oil as highly polluting escalates as Canada says it 'will not hesitate to defend its interests'
Damian Carrington
guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 February 2012 05.45 EST
Canada has threatened a trade war with European Union over the bloc's plan to label oil from Alberta's vast tar sands as highly polluting, the Guardian can reveal, before a key vote in Brussels on 23 February.
"Canada will not hesitate to defend its interests, including at the World Trade Organisation," state letters sent to European commissioners by Canada's ambassador to the EU and its oil minister, released under freedom of information laws.
The move is a significant escalation of the row over the EU's plans, which Canada fears would set a global precedent and derail its ability to exploit its tar sands, which are the biggest fossil fuel reserve in the world after Saudi Arabia. Environmental groups argue that exploitation of the tar sands, also called oil sands, is catastrophic for the global climate, as well as causing serious air and water pollution in Alberta.
Darek Urbaniak, at Friends of the Earth Europe, which obtained the new documents, said: "These letters are further evidence of Canadian government and industry lobbying, which continuously undermines efforts to combat climate change. We find it unacceptable that the Canadian government now openly uses direct threats at the highest political levels to derail crucial EU climate legislation."
The unveiling of Canada's threats is ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/20/canada-eu-tar-sands
February 20, 2012
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=16732
Solar energy in India
Solar energy in India
february 20, 2012
India is yet to utilise its solar potential; at present, solar power (photovoltaic and concentrating solar thermal power) contributes a mere 0.4 per cent of the total power generation.
Not so long ago, nuclear power was destined to save a country from energy drought by providing cheap and abundant power for centuries to come. Great political capital was expended, contracts signed. But, despite claims of being near perfect safety, damage did occur. Under unprecedented public pressure after the Fukushima incident especially, state and national governments have started to swear off nuclear power, making way for other renewable sources such as wind energy and solar power.
Most of the major governments around the world, such as China and the USA, realise the need to develop solar energy as a viable source of energy. Not only it is extremely helpful in meeting their energy security challenges, but it also helps in maintaining a lead in science, technology and innovation, the calling cards of any successful economy. With generous subsidies, huge amounts of money have been invested, by China especially, in R&D efforts.
Solar power in India
Given the huge fuel import bills racked up by India each year, which is only projected to grow, there is an urgent need to meet the energy challenges posed by a growing economy, which lacks significant sources of conventional energy. Launched with much fanfare in 2009, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission aims to increase solar power generation to 20 GW by 2020. This is a very ambitious plan, with the government allocating $19 billion to it. There is enough reason to be ambitious. Situated in the tropical belt, India is well endowed with solar energy, with a total annual solar potential of almost 5 trillion kwh. States such as Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat and regions like Ladakh receive the maximum amount of sunlight, close to 3,000 hours annually. The plan aims to increase the contribution of solar power to the total power generation from the paltry 0.4 per cent at present.
The National Solar Mission seeks to use a multi-pronged strategy ...
february 20, 2012
India is yet to utilise its solar potential; at present, solar power (photovoltaic and concentrating solar thermal power) contributes a mere 0.4 per cent of the total power generation.
Not so long ago, nuclear power was destined to save a country from energy drought by providing cheap and abundant power for centuries to come. Great political capital was expended, contracts signed. But, despite claims of being near perfect safety, damage did occur. Under unprecedented public pressure after the Fukushima incident especially, state and national governments have started to swear off nuclear power, making way for other renewable sources such as wind energy and solar power.
Most of the major governments around the world, such as China and the USA, realise the need to develop solar energy as a viable source of energy. Not only it is extremely helpful in meeting their energy security challenges, but it also helps in maintaining a lead in science, technology and innovation, the calling cards of any successful economy. With generous subsidies, huge amounts of money have been invested, by China especially, in R&D efforts.
Solar power in India
Given the huge fuel import bills racked up by India each year, which is only projected to grow, there is an urgent need to meet the energy challenges posed by a growing economy, which lacks significant sources of conventional energy. Launched with much fanfare in 2009, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission aims to increase solar power generation to 20 GW by 2020. This is a very ambitious plan, with the government allocating $19 billion to it. There is enough reason to be ambitious. Situated in the tropical belt, India is well endowed with solar energy, with a total annual solar potential of almost 5 trillion kwh. States such as Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat and regions like Ladakh receive the maximum amount of sunlight, close to 3,000 hours annually. The plan aims to increase the contribution of solar power to the total power generation from the paltry 0.4 per cent at present.
The National Solar Mission seeks to use a multi-pronged strategy ...
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=16732
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