The Forgotten Nightmare: Global Cooling
’While global warming dominates the headlines a more urgent danger threatens life on earth. Global warming could make the planet uninhabitable by the end of the century. Global cooling - the "Nuclear Winter" that would follow nuclear war - could achieve the same result in days or weeks. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union a disturbing complacency has set in. It is as if the threat imposed on us all by the hair-trigger readiness of thousands of intercontinental nuclear-armed missiles no longer exists. Perhaps this is understandable with the political and media discussion of the issue focussed almost entirely on the potential danger posed by non-state terrorism and so-called "rogue" states. The selective finger pointing, fear mongering and drum beating only serves to distract attention from the chilling reality: the US and Russia still possess 97% of the world's nuclear weapons and neither has any genuine commitment to nuclear disarmament. It is they and the other 7 established nuclear weapon states that pose the greatest threat to humanity and all other species on the planet. With this spectre hovering over humanity it is difficult to understand how anyone, least of all an environmental luminary like James Lovelock, could advocate nuclear power as a solution to global warming. This solution sidesteps the health, environmental and security dangers associated with building and operating at least a thousand nuclear reactors; the increased environmental and security risks associated with mining, transportation, processing and storage of vastly increased quantities of uranium and deadly radioactive waste; and the fact that high grade, low cost uranium deposits consumed even at the present rate will be exhausted in fifty years.’

U.S. firms set up shop in United Arab Emirates for major nuclear project
’ABU DHABI - U.S. companies are opening up offices in the United Arab Emirates to compete for a $40 billion nuclear project. A range of U.S. suppliers have established a presence in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi as part of efforts to win a slice of the huge nuclear energy program, Middle East Newsline reported. The UAE has been deemed the biggest opportunity in years for the global nuclear market. "Once the government is ready, the awards will be issued rapidly," a Gulf industry source said. "This is clearly a UAE priority." In December 2009, a U.S. business delegation plans to arrive in the UAE to assess opportunities in the nuclear energy project. Members of the U.S.-UAE Business Council and the Washington-based Nuclear Energy Institute were preparing to meet UAE ministers, business leaders and prospective partners on Dec. 13-15. One U.S. entry was identified as Lightbridge Corp., which produces non-proliferation nuclear fuel and has opened an office in Abu Dhabi. The American firm, formerly Thorium Power, has been working with France's Areva on the UAE project. Executives said the UAE would be the first client of Thorium's non-proliferation nuclear fuel technology. The company, with a five-year consultancy contract with Abu Dhabi, hopes that other countries would adopt the UAE model and order similar technology.’

Thailand - NGO pushes alternatives to nuclear
’The development of nuclear power plants by 2020 should be reconsidered, environmental activists urged the government. The government should work on developing technology that improves energy consumption instead of building new power plants that could trigger another problem, said Chuenchom S. Greecen, an energy researcher from the Palang Thai Group, at a discussion on nuclear power plant development at Government House on Tuesday. "There are a lot of things that can improve the country's energy consumption efficiency, such as the estimation of demand to reflect actual growth of demand. Also the redesign of electrical equipment for large buildings will help cut power consumption," she said. "It may not be necessary to build nuclear and coal-fired power plants if policymakers try energy-saving programmes." More aggressive promotions for renewable energy will also reduce power demand.’

UK - Government's fast-track plan for power will raise hackles
’The Government is likely to anger local campaigners today as it announces a list of nuclear reactors, high-voltage power lines and giant wind farms that it wants to fast-track through Britain's planning system by using new powers it obtained this month. The list of 11 significant energy and transport infrastructure projects is being published today by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), a new government-backed body set up this month in the biggest shake-up to Britain's planning regime in 60 years. The IPC's goal is to accelerate the process of securing planning consent for projects considered to be of national importance from as long as seven years at present to less than a year. The projects include EDF's plan to build two giant nuclear reactors at Sizewell, Suffolk, and Hinkley Point, Somerset, and two stretches of high-voltage transmission lines, totalling 54 miles (86km), linking them to the National Grid. The proposed link to Sizewell includes 90 pylons and a 400,000-volt overhead cable passing through the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Colchester. Robert Erith, president of the Dedham Vale Society, which opposes the plans, that said he would fight them all the way: "The opposition is going to be massive. This is a priceless piece of landscape that is worth preserving."’

Vietnam - Nuclear power and unanswered questions
’VietNamNet Bridge - A public consensus has formed on Vietnam's need to invest in nuclear power, though many questions were not answered in the investment report. The nation's first nuclear power project will be debated and almost certainly approved during the National Assembly's autumn session. Vuong Huu Tan, director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, talked with Tien Phong newspaper about this great project. Tan says the first unit of the nuclear power plant will go into service in 2020. Construction of the first turbine will begin in 2014 or 2015. Thus Vietnam has around five years to prepare for the construction. The investor of the first nuclear power projects is the state power monopoly, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Two separate plants are planned to be built on the coast of Ninh Thuan province. Each plant will have two reactor units. The first plant will be based in Phuoc Dinh commune, Ninh Phuoc district and the second in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district. The two first nuclear power plants will have a total capacity of 4000 MW. Each plant will cover 400 hectares.’

Australia - BHP declares force majeure at Olympic Dam
’BHP Billiton has declared a force majeure on the copper and uranium contracts from its Olympic Dam site in South Australia after major damage to its primary shaft two weeks ago. The miner said it has advised customers that the primary Clark shaft will be out of action for up to six months. "We have advised affected copper and uranium customers of a force majeure on contracts and we expect to return to full production in third quarter of the 2010 financial year," a BHP spokesperson told MINING DAILY. A force majeure is a contract clause that frees a producer from liability after an event that is beyond its control. In its latest quarterly report, released yesterday, BHP said that ore hoisting operations at Olympic Dam will be running at around 25% capacity until full production resumes at the beginning of next year.’