Newborn babies in the Mukarovsky maternity home near Kiev in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. ‘With [renewables] one does not have to worry about the specters of Chernobyl and Fukushima.’ Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex es
James Hansen, Kerry Emanuel, Ken Caldeira and Tom Wigley
Thursday 3 December 2015 - All four of us have dedicated our scientific careers to understand the processes and impacts of climate change, variously studying ocean systems, tropical cyclones, ice sheets and ecosystems as well as impacts on human societies. We have used both climate models and geological records of past climates to better understand lessons from warmer periods in the Earth’s history and investigate future scenarios.
Don't nuke the climate! James Hansen's nuclear fantasies exposed
20th November 2015 - NASA scientist James Hansen is heading to COP21 in Paris to berate climate campaigners for failing to support 'safe and environmentally-friendly nuclear power', writes Jim Green. But they would gladly support nuclear power if only it really was safe and environment friendly. In fact, it's a very dangerous and hugely expensive distraction from the real climate solutions.
12th April 2016 - The nuclear industry is forever reinventing itself with one brilliant 'new' idea after another, Amory Lovins wrote in this classic 2009 essay. But whether it's touting the wonders of future SMRs, IFRs or LFTRs, the reality never changes: the reactors they are building right now are over time, over budget and beset by serious, entirely unforeseen technical problems.
18 March 2016 - The main claim used to justify nuclear is that it’s the only low carbon power source that can supply ‘reliable, base load electricity. But not only can renewables supply baseload power, they can do something far more valuable: supply power flexibly according to demand. That makes nuclear power really redundant.
It’s no secret that the drop in the price of oil has hit Alberta’s fossil fuel economy hard and hit Albertan families even harder. Our province lost over 51,000 oil-related jobs in 2015 and there’s no sign of them coming back any time soon.
The good news is that with increased provincial leadership and with the right policies and investments in the green economy we can put people back to work and create jobs in a province that desperately needs them.
Don't believe the spurious claims of nuclear shills constantly doing down renewables, writes Mark Diesendorf. Clean, safe renewable energy technologies have the potential to supply 100% of the world's electricity needs - but the first hurdle is to refute the deliberately misleading myths designed to promote the politically powerful but ultimately doomed nuclear industry.
Apr. 20, 2016 - Ontario's upcoming cap-and-trade system will likely cut greenhouse gas emissions by less than half of the province’s 2030 target, a new economic analysis has found.
The report, by ICF International for the Ontario Energy Association, suggests the government will have to introduce significantly more greenhouse gas-fighting measures if it hopes to reach its planned reductions.
Recent proposals to use B.C. hydropower as a substitute for coal power in Alberta should be viewed in light of new research showing that in the long-term, B.C. has little energy to spare, and that any substitute power would in fact be originating from the United States.
