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Posts in nuclear

Who Needs Oil or Nukes Anyway?
Andy Rowell
May10
In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan many commentators, including some leading environmentalists argued that despite the inherent risks of nuclear power, it was still a necessary evil in the battle about climate change. They joined other pro-nuclear voices that have been growing steadily over the last few years in arguing that…
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Two Disasters, One Conflict, One Bad Result
Andy Rowell
Mar21
Two years ago the oil price hit the floor at $33 a barrel. Today, on the back of the Libyan conflict, the price for Brent Crude is $116 a barrel. Two years ago, development of the Canadian tar sands was stalling with many projects being put on hold. According to the International Energy Agency, the…
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Over 20% of Nuke Reactors on Fault Lines
Andy Rowell
Mar16
For the last two decades the nuclear industry has undertaken one of the most sophisticated public relations exercises in order to try and show the world that the technology is safe, secure, clean and green. They have very nearly succeeded. We are on the cusp of a nuclear revival, driven largely because of climate change….
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“The chain is as strong as the weakest link”
Andy Rowell
Mar15
The unfolding nuclear emergency in Japan once again highlights the vulnerability of our centralised energy infrastructure to major disasters or even a potential terrorist attack. At the moment all efforts must go to containing and controlling the nuclear disaster at Japan’s Fukushima plant. When this is done, at some time serious questions need to be…
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The UK Coalition Ain’t Green, Its Dirty Brown
Andy Rowell
Aug16
So the UK Coalition government between the Tories and Liberal Democrats is 100 days old this week. While this political milestone is somewhat meaningless, it does give political commentators a moment to measure how things are going. When British Prime Minister David Cameron took power, he said he wanted the new coalition administration to be…
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Protestors and Advisors Tell UK Gov to Act on Climate
Andy Rowell
Oct12
Headline on the BBC’s flagship radio show, the Today programme at 8.00 AM this morning: 20-odd Greenpeace protestors have spent the night on the House of Commons to highlight the government’s lack of action on climate change. Next headline: a report by the Government’s own advisors on climate change says the government must do more…
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Welcome to a Pivotal Year
Andy Rowell
Jan05
Welcome to 2009 – which promises to be a pivotal year in the debate on oil, energy and climate. We have already seen the problems of reliance on foreign oil and gas supplies, with Russia having its yearly spat with Ukraine over payment for gas, and tensions in the Middle East pushing up the price…
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A New Chapter but Same Old “Solutions” (maybe)
Andy Rowell
Nov19
American President-elect Barack Obama sent a video-taped message to a conference on climate change in Los Angeles yesterday that, under his administration, he would to promise a “new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change”, leading to a “new era of global cooperation” on the issue. In his message, Obama pledged “a new chapter in…
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“Nuclear is UK’s new North Sea oil”
Andy Rowell
Mar26
Isn’t the definition of insanity knowing what you are about to do is wrong but doing it anyway. And then doing it again. And Again. If this is so, this gets pretty close. Britain’s Business Secretary, John Hutton, will call today for a huge expansion of Britain’s nuclear power in what he predicts could be…
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UK Plans “Significant” Increase in Nuclear Power
Andy Rowell
Mar06
The UK’s reliance on nuclear power will increase “significantly” over the next two decades, the business secretary, John Hutton, has admitted. Hutton says he expects a new generation of nuclear power stations to be built to supply much more of the country’s electricity than the 19 per cent the existing ones deliver. He also said…
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