Liberal Party Reignites Debate on Nuclear Power

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

Despite Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson’s statement in February of this year that the liberal party had no plans to build a nuclear industry in Australia “at any time in the near future”, Shadow Trade Minister Ian MacFarlane has stated that if Australia is serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it must “include nuclear in our future base-load clean-energy mix.” Minister for the Environment, Hertitage and the Arts Peter Garret demanded yesterday to know where the liberal party would build the power plants, where they would dump the waste produced, and if the party still endorses the previous government’s plan to build 25 new plants.

posted by ruby on August 20, 2008 at 3:24 pm · filed under

NSW Cutting company emissions but increasing coal exploration

The Sydney Morning Herald

232 of Sydney’s worst green house gas emitters will be named and forced to reduce their emissions under recently formed energy-efficiency laws which will result in court action for those who do not comply. Not only will the cuts help reduce emissions but businesses will reportedly save an estimated $40 million on power. Interestingly, at the same time Ian Macdonald, NSW Energy Resources Minister, announced the sale of a $300 million coal exploration license for China’s biggest coal-mining company.

posted by megan on August 19, 2008 at 2:55 pm · filed under

Uranium waste to be cleaned up in SA

ABC News

A waste clean-up plan has been approved for uranium mining company Marathon Resources, who were found guilty last year of secretly burying 35 tonnes of waste in the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.

Whilst Marathon Resources was forced to stop drilling in Arkaroola after their waste was discovered, the company is said to be planning a recommencement of exploration drilling in the area.

posted by megan on August 12, 2008 at 3:18 pm · filed under

Global warming opening the way for Arctic exploitation

The Age

The gradual disappearance of the arctic ice during the summer months is opening up the Northwest Passage as a viable shipping route which could save 40 per cent of the journeys from Asia to Europe. The Arctic is also believed to hold 22 per cent of the world’s untapped energy sources, which might become more readily accessible with the reduction in summer sea ice. The irony that global warming caused by burning fossil fuels might open up new reserves of oil and gas is apparently lost on the large companies eager to exploit the resource.

posted by steve on August 4, 2008 at 7:33 am · filed under

Conservation groups back NT Labor’s anti-nuclear dump policy

ACF

National and Territory environment groups are pleased the Labor Party contesting the Northern Territory election will oppose a national nuclear waste dump in the Territory, but are concerned Federal Labor have thus far failed to rule out the previous government’s dump plan.

posted by seamas on July 30, 2008 at 10:33 pm · filed under

New ground for geothermal energy

ABC news

An area just north of Adelaide is being targetted for future exploration of geothermal resources.  Torrens Energy is discussing with landholders, councils and the state government with hopes of finding and developing a source of hot-rocks-generated energy.

posted by shaun on July 30, 2008 at 11:23 am · filed under

US to tap oil in the Arctic?

The Sydney Morning Herald

A US Government geological survey has found 90 billion barrels of oil along with vast gas and natural gas liquid stores in the Arctic, with over 80% of these resources found off-shore. These stores may well be tapped in the future with the US government lifting a 17 year ban on off-shore drilling last week.

posted by megan on July 27, 2008 at 1:47 pm · filed under

Proposed oil mine a threat

Sky News

According to Greenpeace, Queensland Energy Resources is undertaking a feasibility study into an open-cut mine 12km from Airlie Beach in an area Greenpeace claims overlays the nationally-significant Goorganga Wetlands. Greenpeace warns that a proposed oil shale mine in north Queensland will have disasterous implications for the region.

posted by rachael on July 19, 2008 at 1:48 pm · filed under

IUCN calls for ban on mining in natural World Heritage sites

IUCN

Over one quarter of natural World Heritage listed sites are facing threats from mineral extraction, from both currently occurring and future operations. In response to this threat, IUCN has put a call out to all mining and oil companies, and all signatory governments to take up and enforce the standard of prohibiting mining activities within World Heritage Sites. Some companies and organisations have already made commitments to cease mining in World Heritage sites, but the Director General of IUCN, Julia Marton-Lefévre, said a comprehensive approach to protect all natural World Heritage sites is needed. 

posted by anna on July 10, 2008 at 8:08 pm · filed under

Rudd waiting for scientific reports over siting of nuclear waste dump

ABC News

Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has refused to be drawn on questions of proposed sites for a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. He has stated that the government will wait for the results of independent scientific reports before reaching a conclusive decision. There are currently four sites under consideration for use as a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory.

posted by steve on June 16, 2008 at 11:44 am · filed under