LLAW’s “ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” #469 (12/03/2023)
”End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity"
LLAW’s COMMENTARY:
Let’s get real tonight for just a few moments, and face the reality of what humanity is doing to our world and ourselves. We are approaching an inevitable collective death for life on Earth that by now is irreversible, and the indifferent non-action of indecision and empty promises of politics will never change, nor will the deceitful language and promises of the buzzwords of impossibility from “Think Tanks” who are very well compensated by the uranium and other fossil fuel-burning power industry to keep right on polluting the atmosphere with their meaningless and never-to-be fairy tale industry solutions to Green House Gasses (née GHG) and Carbon Dioxide (née CO2) that create the guilty emissions, releasing them into the air because they have nowhere else to go, but somehow still manage to calm us down by using fancy buzz word phrases that that the average guy on the street has no idea about what the words mean nor how it might work, but the sound of these words, such as “Net Zero Carbon Emissions”, which sounds great but doesn’t really mean what the words say it means. Even if something like “Net Zero” were possible, it would take, in a best case (that the industry and politics would never seriously attempt) if all went well until 2050 and no doubt beyond, and if all goes well, another 100 years or more for the global heat trapped in the atmosphere and oceans that is already there to gradually dissipate (if we’re lucky). So, you see, generations of us and other living critters would slowly come and rapidly go until we are all dead — which would happen sooner rather than later.
And all that brings me back to my favorite subject, “All Things Nuclear”, which will most likely kill us all quicker than global warming and its horrendous climate change. But rest assured one or the other or a combination of both will leave Mother Earth bare naked and lonely. ~llaw
The following article from the “Union of Concerned Scientists” tells us why. All we have to do is read between the lines of progress that nothing we are doing is going to change that allows us to escape the death wrath of Climate Change. But like all worthwhile (or not) think tanks, they all need money to continue to operate . . .
CLIMATE
Climate Solutions
We need to act now.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Climate change is one of the most challenging problems that humanity has ever faced. At stake are hundreds of millions of lives, innumerable species and ecosystems, the health and viability of the economy, and the future habitability of this planet.
Fortunately, climate change is solvable. We have the technologies. We have the science. We now need the leadership—and the courage to change course.
Cut emissions
Accelerating Clean Energy Ambition
With concerted action, the US can meet its climate goals—and see huge benefits to the economy and public health.
Carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are the main drivers of global warming. While climate change cannot be stopped, it can be slowed.
To avoid the worst consequences of climate change, we’ll need to reach “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. Net zero means that, on balance, no more carbon is dumped into the atmosphere than is taken out.
To achieve net zero emissions, we need a massive transformation in how we produce and consume electricity. We need a newer, better transportation system. We need to stop deforestation. We need a climate-friendly agricultural system.
The scale of these changes will require significant federal policy that puts a price on carbon. It also requires international cooperation: the Paris Agreement, signed in 2016, reflects the world’s best effort to solve climate change so far, though it doesn’t include the emissions reductions we need.
Much remains to be done—and we need to do it as quickly as possible.
POSITION STATEMENT
The UCS Position on a Fossil Fuel Phaseout
We support a fast and fair phaseout of fossil fuels around the world.
Build resilience
What is Climate Resilience?
Solving the climate crisis isn’t just about cutting carbon emissions. It’s about protecting people from harm.
No matter how quickly we reduce emissions, the reality is that certain climate impacts are inevitable. The seas are rising. Temperatures break records every year.
Droughts, floods, and extreme weather are damaging communities today.
Cutting carbon is the only long-term solution for avoiding climate impacts. In the short-term, we need to adapt. That means everything from discouraging development in high-risk areas, to planning for water scarcity, to building more resilient cities and communities. Investments should be scientifically sound and socially just, and focused where the impacts are greatest—often in low-income communities and communities of color.
Fight disinformation
The Disinformation Playbook
Five tactics business interests use to sideline science, deceive the public and buy influence at the expense of public health and safety.
For years, media pundits, partisan think tanks, and special interest groups funded by fossil fuel companies have raised doubts about the truth of global warming.
These contrarians downplay and distort the evidence of climate change, lobby for policies that reward polluters, and attempt to undercut existing pollution standards.
This barrage of disinformation misleads and confuses the public about the growing consequences of global warming and makes it more difficult to implement the solutions we really need. Until the influence of these special interests is sufficiently diminished, climate action will be that much harder.
Remove carbon dioxide
To reach net zero emissions, we need to do more than just reduce our emissions: we need to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or offset its effects.
The easiest way to do this is by planting new forests (afforestation) or restoring old ones (reforestation). Other enhanced land management practices can help, as can new technologies that suck CO2 out of the air (“direct air capture”), or prevent it from leaving smokestacks (“carbon capture and storage”).
Scale, speed, and cost are the main barriers to all these technologies and approaches. In the United States, strong state- and federal-level policies—and large-scale investment in research and development—are crucial.
Act
The best policy ideas in the world aren’t worth much if we don’t have activists, experts, and everyday people fighting for change. From school groups to churches; from corporate boardrooms to mayors and local leaders: we need action.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has worked on global warming solutions for over 30 years. Our experts and activists are campaigning to cut emissions from the energy and transportation sectors; highlighting climate impacts; and fighting for accountability from major fossil fuel companies.
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category. There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in this Post. If a category heading does not appear, it means there was no news reported from this category today.
(Just a reminder: When linked, the access to the media story will be underlined. If there is no link to a media story of interest you can still copy and paste the headline and lead line into your browser to find the article you are seeking. Hopefully this will never happen.)
TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS (12/03/2023) :
All Things Nuclear
NEWS
The future of nuclear energy will be decided in Idaho - The Japan Times
The Japan Times
Rising prices for steel and other key materials, as well as higher interest rates all ... There are also broader questions about the resurgence of the ...
Where things stand in efforts to restart the Palisades Nuclear Plant - The Holland Sentinel
The Holland Sentinel
“We have a robust restart plan which will include countless projects, plant inspections, equipment upgrades and modifications, acquiring new fuel. All ...
Australian teen advocates for nuclear at COP28 summit in Dubai - YouTube
YouTube
Comments243 · Albanese government 'betrayed' every Jewish person in Australia: Rowan Dean · 'How far things have fallen': Harry and Meghan not invited ...
Nuclear Power
NEWS
The future of nuclear energy will be decided in Idaho - The Japan Times
The Japan Times
Research groups, including the International Energy Agency (IAE), have called for an aggressive expansion of carbon-free nuclear technology to help ...
22 Countries, Including U.S., Pledge to Triple Nuclear Power Capacity
POWER Magazine
Officials have said increasing nuclear power in Europe would help European nations reduce dependence on oil and gas from Russia, while conceding it ...
Westinghouse Is Key to a US Nuclear Revival and Net-Zero Climate Goals - Bloomberg
Bloomberg.com
The Alvin W. Vogtle nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Georgia. The fourth unit (far right) of the first nuclear power plants built in the US for ...
Nuclear War
NEWS
Putin 'could use NUCLEAR weapons in Ukraine if Zelensky retakes Crimea' - Daily Mail
Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Retired US Army Brigadier General Kevin Ryan said nuclear war is an 'entirely feasible' option for Putin if Ukrainian forces make gains ...
How Americans Should Prepare For a Nuclear Attack - 24/7 Wall St.
247WallSt
... war and with that, the concern of a nuclear attack. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and this war has been in progress for almost two years.
Documentary and special Lawrence screening looks at the night nuclear war came to the ...
Lawrence Journal-World
Well, except for that one night — Nov. 20, 1983 — when the network showed scenes of nuclear war, complete with vaporized communities, peeling flesh ...
Nuclear Power Emergencies
NEWS
Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant's Grid Connection Cut In Another Reminder Of 'Precarious ...
Radio Free Europe
... power overnight and temporarily relied on emergency diesel generators. Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said two power ...
Plot to Triple Nuclear Power by 2050 Decried as 'Dangerous Distraction' at COP28
Common Dreams
... nuclear power is too slow to deploy in the face of the climate emergency," she said. "The announcement of a tripling of capacities is disconnected ...
Nuclear War Threats
NEW
Panel says 'urgent action' needed to counter Russia, China nuclear threat - Omaha World-Herald
Omaha World-Herald
During the Cold War, Americans were keenly aware of the nuclear threat. ... StratCom conference in Omaha warns of nuclear threats growing in Far East.
The supreme folly of nuclear weapons - Pearls and Irritations
Pearls and Irritations
When people consider the many threats facing our planet today, too often the threat of nuclear weapons is overlooked. Yet it is perhaps the most ...
How Americans Should Prepare For a Nuclear Attack - 24/7 Wall St.
247WallSt
There are currently different types of sirens to alert us to certain dangers. To determine what Americans should do to prepare for nuclear war, 24 ...