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SHOULD WE USE NUCLEAR ENERGY TO PARTNER WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY?

At COP26 in Glasgow nuclear power seemed to have made a comeback to team with renewable resources to check climate warming.  If nothing else, the nuclear proponents argue that their power source is the only major baseload option in the transition to totally clean energy.   To quote: Nuclear power generates about 10% of the world’s electricity, which amounts to more than a quarter of all low-carbon electricity. Its reliable, 24/7 output also helps mitigate energy fuel price volatility and improve the reliability and resilience of electrical grids with high shares of variable renewables. For these reasons, nuclear power in partnership with other clean energy sources can help deliver on both the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to a   recent report   by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) . Mind you, the above came from the International Atomic Energy Agency. I've read a range of articles about the validity of using more

LET'S BE HONEST: COP26 WAS AN UTTER FAILURE!!!

                                    From  Worldometer  (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):          DAY    USA    WORLD     Brazil      India      South Africa June     9    1093     4732         1185        246       82 July    22     1205     7128         1293      1120     572 Aug    12     1504     6556        1242        835     130 Sept     9     1208      6222       1136       1168       82 Oct     21     1225      6849         571        703       85 Nov    25      2304    12025        620        518      118 Dec     30      3880    14748       1224       299      465 Jan      14       4142     15512        1151        189      712                  Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398 Mar     2        1989      9490        1726       110      194 April   6          906     11787         4211       631       37 May    4         853     13667         3025     3786      59   June   1         287    10637         2346      3205       95  July   7          251 

ODDS AND ENDS

Today a hodgepodge, starting with an editorial of Edward Felsenthal, editor-in-chief and CEO of  Time  magazine from the latest 8-15November2021 issue on COP26: Educated at Princeton and Tufts, with a Harvard law degree. 55-year-old has been chief editor now for four years. Today, as 20,000 delegates from 196 countries   head to Glasgow   for the most important global gathering on climate change in years, it’s easy to be cynical about the world’s commitment to addressing its existential crisis. President Xi Jinping of China, which recently announced plans for 43 new coal-fired power plants, as well as leaders of some nations that have shown the most hesitancy for change, including Brazil, Mexico and Russia, are skipping the conference.   And yet there has been considerable progress over the past couple of years. Before COP21 in 2015, the world was on track to be more than 4°C hotter by the end of this century than at the dawn of the industrial era; that number has since come down to ju

HEARTWARMING AND JOYFUL

President Joe Biden started the week in disastrous fashion, losing some face with the Virginia governor's election results, inability of Democrats to pass the two budget bills and lackluster appearance at COP26 in Glasgow.  More than  100,000 marched  in the host city.  Angry at mostly old and white males who have been unable for decades to fashion any kind of meaningful climate agreement, this more youthful and female crowd was there to make that point, led by Greta Thunberg.  Terrific and necessary, but I don't think it will do much to spur real action. Returning to Biden, all of a sudden at the end of a long Friday night for the U.S. House of Representatives, the  $1 trillion bi-partisan infrastructure bill passed .  The Senate had long ago also okayed the measure, so now he is organizing a signing session this week involving important Republicans. Meanwhile, the $1.85 trillion social welfare and environmental package, now up to 2135 pages long, is still being massaged, most