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Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Forum communique twelfth meeting - October 2014
Has Lockheed Martin really made a breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology?
Lockheed’s announcement has generated a lot of publicity, but experts point to the lack of details or results, suggesting fusion power is still a long way off. Karl Mathiesen investigates.
Let us know your thoughts. Post in the comments below, follow Karl Mathiesen’s Facebook page, email karl.mathiesen.freelance@guardian.co.uk or tweet @karlmathiesen
Scientists have responded with scepticism to the announcement of a breakthrough in nuclear fusion by Lockheed Martin.
The arms manufacturer announced on Wednesday that it was “working on a new compact fusion reactor (CFR) that can be developed and deployed in as little as 10 years”. But Lockheed’s four paragraph press release and accompanying video are heavy on hyperbole and light on detail.
Continue reading...Romanian politician calls for the army to help control bear population
Csaba Borboly has called for military assistance and for culling quotas to be lifted following a spate of cases involving brown bears damaging property in Romania
In the depths of Transylvania, Romania, a war against one of Europe’s largest brown bear populations is looming.
Following a string of cases involving damage to private property from bears in recent months, Csaba Borboly, a senior politician from the Transylvanian region, has called for the army to be brought in. “The [bear] problem needs the involvement of specialised state institutions such as the police, the paramilitary and even the army.”
Why cycling is great for everyone – not just cyclists
Mass cycling could save the NHS £17bn in 20 years, cut 500 road deaths a year and reduce smog, says a new study for British Cycling
At some point during most discussions about promoting cycling the question crops up: “Yeah, but some people don’t want to cycle or can’t cycle – how are bike lanes any use for them?”
The answers are many and overwhelming. However, they can be hard to pin down. Luckily, someone has just done just that in a thorough and easy to follow way.
Continue reading...National Heritage Listing for Koonalda Cave's outstanding Aboriginal heritage
Reef Trust Tender - Wet Tropics
20 Year Australian Antarctic Strategic Plan
Draft assessment report on the import of Scleropages formosus (Asian arowana) and Scleropages inscriptus (Myanmar arowana) to Australia
Supporting recreational fishing while protecting our marine parks - Ministerial Media Release
Review of Commonwealth Marine Reserves begins - Ministerial Media Release
Why is Antarctic sea ice at record levels despite global warming?
While Arctic sea ice continues to decline, Antarctic levels are confounding the world’s most trusted climate models with record highs for the third year running. Karl Mathiesen investigates.
Let us know your thoughts. Post in the comments below, follow Karl Mathiesen’s Facebook page, email karl.mathiesen.freelance@guardian.co.uk or tweet @karlmathiesen
Antarctic ice floes extended further than ever recorded this southern winter, confounding the world’s most-trusted climate models.
“It’s not expected,” says Professor John Turner, a climate expert at the British Antarctic Survey. “The world’s best 50 models were run and 95% of them have Antarctic sea ice decreasing over the past 30 years.”
Continue reading...Police commissioner proposes ID for cyclists – but can't explain why or how | Peter Walker
Katy Bourne explains why she thinks cyclists wearing identification numbers might be a good idea
The issue of cyclists being obliged to wear some sort of identification has been raised once again.
It’s one of those peculiar notions which can sound initially appealing to some but would, in reality, bring pretty much no benefits while creating huge negative consequences (I run through all this below). As such, it’s arguably most useful as a political barometer: you can safely assume that anyone who suggests it has no grasp at all of the issues.
Continue reading...Build on your CPD by learning about engineering Soft Skills
Global biodiversity targets won't be met by 2020, scientists say
World leaders failing in their pledge to stop wildlife decline, save habitats and create marine reserves
World leaders are failing in their pledge to cut the rate at which wildlife lose their homes, according to the the first ever progress report on targets to slow biodiversity loss by the end of the decade. Conservationist called the lack of action a “troubling sign” and a “reality check”.
Governments agreed on a set of targets in 2010 to stem the destruction of species’ habitats, increase the number of nature reserves and stop overfishing, but an international team of more than 30 scientists say in a report that, almost halfway towards the 2020 deadline, the Aichi targets are unlikely to be met.
Continue reading...The reason fewer US women cycle than the Dutch is not what you think it is
American women aren’t being put off by a lack of bike lanes but by lives that are disproportionately filled with domestic chores
Why don’t more women in the US bike? Men are two to four times more likely to make a bicycle trip than women, and just one quarter of bicycle commuters are women nationwide. The gap is large, and no city in the US has closed it.
Many researchers and advocates chalk it up to differences in risk and comfort.
Continue reading...20 Million Trees Programme Round One
UK nuclear bomb factories rapped by watchdogs over radioactive waste
Atomic Weapons Establishment issued with non-compliance notice by Environment Agency over handling of hazardous waste
Britain’s nuclear bomb factories have been reprimanded by two government watchdogs for breaking safety rules on radioactive waste.
AWE, the private consortium that operates Trident nuclear weapons facilities at Aldermaston and Burghfield in Berkshire for the Ministry of Defence, has come under fire from the Environment Agency (EA) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) for failures in managing its hazardous waste.
The EA has issued AWE with a non-compliance notice because key posts meant to ensure the safe handling of wastes have been vacant for months. These include waste officers, radioactive specialists and the head of environment.
AWE blamed security requirements – which can include the vetting of prospective employees – for delays in filling the vacancies. According to the EA, AWE has breached conditions imposed in 2012 to ensure that enough skilled staff were employed to look after radioactive waste safely.
“Operators are expected to comply with their permit conditions at all times,” an EA spokesman told The Guardian. “Following a site audit we found that AWE Aldermaston was not fully complying with all their permit conditions.”
AWE stressed that it kept its staffing arrangement under constant review. “But a number of unforeseen circumstances at very short notice led to the vacancies,” said an AWE spokeswoman.
“At the time of the EA inspection candidates were identified to fill the posts but the security requirements have led to recruitment delays. In the interim, existing staff are covering the roles.”
AWE pointed out that the EA had found its radioactive waste arrangements to be “robust and identified a number of areas of good practice”.
At the same time ONR is considering whether to take legal action over AWE’s failure to make 1,000 drums of hazardous radioactive waste safe. AWE promised in 2007 to repackage and reduce the waste by February 2014, but has not done so.
“ONR is continuing to investigate AWE’s failure to meet the requirements of the licence instrument, in accordance with our normal processes,” said an ONR spokesman. “ONR will consider enforcement action in accordance with our enforcement policy when all investigations are completed.”
AWE said it was “working with the ONR in support of its decision to formally investigate.” It pointed out that ONR was content that the way in which the waste was currently stored was acceptable in the short-term.
Anti-nuclear campaigners, however, accused AWE of only taking action when regulators forced them to. “Like all private companies undertaking government work, AWE is more interested in pursuing profitable activities than doing work which costs money,” said Pete Wilkinson, director of Nuclear Information Service.
“Since 2010 safety and environmental regulators have increasingly had to take action at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, and it is time to start asking whether AWE are fit to run this complex and hazardous site if they are unable to improve standards.”
Gamekeeper found guilty of poisoning 10 buzzards and a sparrowhawk
A gamekeeper found with a bag of nine dead buzzards on a pheasant-shooting estate has been found guilty of intentionally killing a protected species in what is England’s worst recorded case of poisoning birds of prey.
Allen Lambert, gamekeeper for 24 years at the Stody Estate in Norfolk, will be sentenced next month after being convicted of killing 10 buzzards and a sparrowhawk. Lambert was also found guilty of possessing illegal pesticides and other equipment including a syringe for injecting poison into eggs or meat baits, which prosecutors described as a “classic poisoner’s kit”.
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