Rob Edwards

Oil consultation: the joke's on us

comment, 31 May 2006

There are real consultations, sham consultations, and then there's the UK government's consultation over the plan for millions of tonnes of Russian crude oil to be pumped between ships in the Firth of Forth. It's worse than a sham: it's a joke.

Short clean-up contracts prompt nuclear safety warning

from Sunday Herald, 28 May 2006

Safety standards will be compromised during Britain’s £70 billion programme to clean up the radioactive mess left by the nuclear industry, trade unionists have warned.

Scottish beaches set to fail new EU sewage limits

from Sunday Herald, 28 May 2006

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, up to 18 popular Scottish beaches, most of them on the southwest coast, look set to fail tough new sewage safety limits – prompting calls for the beaches to be cleaned up now.

Environment protection agency reveals Scotland’s ‘dirty dozen’

from Sunday Herald, 28 May 2006

Twelve industrial companies working across Scotland have been named by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) for failing to curb pollution risks.

Scotland anti-nuclear, says industry poll

23 May 2006

Scotland and Yorkshire are opposed to nuclear power but the rest of England and Wales are in favour, according to a new regional analysis of opinion polls by the nuclear industry. The most pro-nuclear part of the UK is Wales, says the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA). "Across the UK support for nuclear power has doubled in the last two years," claims the NIA's spokesman. "This is very heartening."

Download a copy of the NIA opinion poll map here (pdf).

Former minister launches anti-nuclear fight

from Sunday Herald, 21 May 2006

BACKERS of Tony Blair’s push for nuclear power in Scotland will run into serious opposition this week when a former Labour minister nails her colours firmly to the anti-nuclear mast.

Blair's energy review: a rubber stamp?

editorial from Sunday Herald, 21 May 2006

ONE of the more bizarre things about Tony Blair’s energy review is that it doesn’t seem to be about energy. It is about electricity, which makes up less than a fifth of the energy we use.

Scotland’s voice unheard in nuclear debate

from Sunday Herald, 21 May 2006

‘WE are a significant government body,” the Scottish Executive insisted last week. Although it was no more than a statement of the obvious, it sounded like a plea. The words were from an official spokesman, reacting to criticism of the Executive’s failure to make any response to Tony Blair’s energy review.

Alien fish threat at Loch Lomond

from Sunday Herald, 21 May 2006

LOCH Lomond could be irretrievably damaged by alien fish escaping from a huge new aquarium that is due to open this summer.

Europe’s new nuclear reactors will not be 9/11-proof

from New Scientist, 18 May 2006

New nuclear reactors planned to be built across Europe are not designed to withstand a 9/11-style aircraft attack by terrorists, a leaked report has revealed.

Putting out the rubbish: the politics of nuclear waste

from Open Democracy, 18 May 2006

It's the timescales that are so daunting. Take plutonium-239, for instance, created by nuclear reactors with a half-life of 24,100 years. A sizeable lump is going to take hundreds of thousands of years to decay.

Looking backwards, that takes us somewhere before the dawn of humankind. Looking forwards, we are into the realms of science fiction. Put the problem to a politician with a tenure of five years or less, and it's easy to see what will happen – nothing.

Nuclear amnesia

comment, 17 May 2006

A new pathology is spreading. Sufferers start by expressing concern over climate change or energy security and end by inexplicably claiming that nuclear power is the solution.

But they are all victims of "nuclear amnesia", warns veteran energy expert, Walt Patterson. "If we make the same mistakes all over again, let us at least be sure that our children know who to blame," he says. "Let us call the first one the Tony Blair nuclear plant." Read his article here.

Nuclear power is back, says Blair

16 May 2006

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, told business leaders tonight that nuclear power is back on the agenda. In a speech to the Confederation of British Industry, he warned of the risks of relying on gas from abroad.

The prospect of 80 or 90% reliance on foreign imports "put the replacement of nuclear power stations, a big push on renewables and a step change on energy efficiency, engaging both business and consumers, back on the agenda with a vengeance", he said.

Revealed: the nuclear waste agency's undercover plans

14 May 2006

Nirex, the government's nuclear waste agency, had secret plans to promote the burying of radioactive waste and open the door to new nuclear power stations, the Sunday Herald reports today. The full story follows.

Revealed: plan to tackle nuclear terrorists

from Sunday Herald, 14 May 2006

Secret plans to combat the threat of terrorists exploding a nuclear bomb have been in place for 30 years – despite official assurances that it could never happen.

Big businesses named ‘dirtiest’ in Europe

from Sunday Herald, 14 May 2006

SOME of Britain’s biggest corporations are among the dirtiest in Europe. Scottish and Southern Energy, Shell and BP have all been outed for poor environmental performances by an authoritative new study.

Transport Scotland: blinded by mud

comment, 09 May 2006

So now we know. The new government agency, Transport Scotland, does care about climate change.

It's not, as critics have alleged, ignoring one of the biggest threats facing the world. On the contrary, it is worried about it - worried that it might stem the growth in road traffic.

'Optimism gone mad' on nuclear waste

09 May 2006

The UK has still not developed a plan for disposing of its nuclear waste, says New Scientist magazine. So the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, cannot go ahead with a new nuclear power programme claiming that it has.

Incinerator plans under attack

from Sunday Herald, 07 May 2006

AS many as 10 large waste incinerators are being planned by local authorities across Scotland, the Sunday Herald can reveal.

Blair facing legal action on renewables

from Sunday Herald, 07 May 2006

The Blair government is breaking a European law aimed at boosting the use of clean, renewable electricity to combat climate chaos. The European Commission has launched legal action against UK ministers for failing to comply with legislation promoting wind, wave, tidal and other renewable forms of power.