This Week’s Update (April 15, 2013)
This Week’s Update
Last week, we introduced following articles.
1) ”Global Warming Countermeasures –“Protecting the earth”, sentiment precedence is meaningless”. (in Japanese). This article by GEPR staff considers global warming centering on review of the book “Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming” by Bjørn Lomborg. Book was published in Japan in 2008. Introducing its content that; considering from the viewpoint of selection of resource allocation, there are many issues to be solved, and only facing global warming and energy policies, happiness will not come around in this world.
2) “Fukushima accident: the news ‘Thyroidal abnormality across Japan’ is wrong – Administration should device a plan to deny false rumors "(in Japanese). The news that “thyroidal abnormality is spreading across Japan” spread. Journalist Takaaki Ishii comments on this. .
3) “Time to utilize coal-fire in Japan - In reference to experience of Germanys” (in Japanese). A column by Sumiko Takeuchi, chief researcher, IEEI. Germany thought about increase of coal heat with de-nuclear power generation. She suggests that in Japan in confrontation with a problem of similar power supply shortage, utilization of coal heat is needed. Although some disapprove of increase in coal-fire for the adverse effects on global warming, she views that adverse effect may be minimized by technology of Japan.
This week, we introduce the following.
4) “Global Warming Issues, Haven’t you forgotten? – Agora Channel Report” (in Japanese). Agora, GEPR’s governing body, provides visual contents, Agora Channel. On April 12th, inviting Sumiko Takeuchi, chief researcher, IEEI, broadcasted a talk with Nobuo Ikeda, Director, Agora, on global warming, discussing current measures, and what can be done. It was confirmed that on global warming, it is precedented with sentiment such as “protect the earth”. Certainly it is important, however, they concluded that it is necessary that the measures should be calmly investigated and to compile agreement. Furthermore, that in order to face the global warming issue, nuclear power cannot but considered as one of options for its measure.
5) “Stagnation of global warming reported by the ‘Economist’” (in Japanese). Contribution by Sumiko Takeuchi. She introduces article in topic “A sensitive matter” by the Economist. It indicates that global warming has not advanced as estimated.
6) “Considering appropriate ratio of nuclear, solar, and wind power generation” (in Japanese). Reader’s contribution by Yoichiro Ishii, formerly worked at power company. From a public document, he analyzes natural energy and nuclear power relations.
This Week’s Links
1) “Copenhagen Consensus Center” (English website). CCC is a think-tank, where Bjørn Lomborg, Danish academic and opinion leader on global warming, plays a central role. Since 2004, they have held 3 large conferences. Their efforts include investigating global environmental issues and economist examining cost and the effect on its measures. Report on each conference can be downloaded.
2) “Prevented Mortality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Historical and Projected Nuclear Power” (in English), paper by Pushker A. Kharecha and James E. Hansen. This is a contribution published in “Environmental Science and technology”. James Hansen is a former head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and he warns of the global warming. It says that nuclear power can reduce air pollution and climate change, which could save many lives.
3) “A sensitive matter” an article by the Economist, March 30, 2013. Introduced in Sumiko Takeuchi’s article on this week’s update.
4) “German power exports double in Q1 on cheap coal, carbon” (in English), an article by plats, energy news agency, April 12th. In Japan, German power export is thought to be from renewable, however, according to this article, it is due to increase in coal-fire. In Germany, furthermore, there is another aspect that electric power export is used for load adjustment.
5) “Internal radiocesium contamination of adults and children in Fukushima 7 to 20 months after the Fukushima NPP accident as measured by extensive whole-body-counter surveys” by the Japan Academy (in Japanese and abstract in English). Report by investigation team lead by Ryugo Hayano, Department of Physics, University of Tokyo and others. It says that the internal radiation exposures after the nuclear plant accident are hardly observed.
Probably the fact residents of Fukushima calmly responded and avoided exposure has some influence. We should not be at a loss for unnecessary fear, and taking such information into account, we should face radioactive contamination calmly.
