Politics
The appointment of a minister is required to ensure government decisions are environmentally sustainable and to hold departments to account when they fail to meet green targets. A committee of MPs said green issues had not been fully embedded into government because of a lack of political will, and called for a minister for sustainable development in the Cabinet Office to drive policy across Whitehall.
Scotsman 10th Jan 2011 more >>
Uranium/China
Last week, Chinese state-owned TV said that the country’s scientists had effectively solved all the world’s nuclear problems. It laid claim to a technological breakthrough in nuclear-fuel reprocessing technology – one which would allow uranium to be used for 60 times longer than in current methods. China National Nuclear Corp claimed it had developed a new process that would allow spent nuclear fuel to be reused, extending China’s uranium resources to a staggering 3,000 years. China has more than 170,000 tonnes of uranium resources at the moment. However, the announcement has been met with a significant amount of scepticism – especially from the markets. The uranium spot price rose after the announcement, trading at $66.25 (£42.50) in New York on Friday, compared with $62.50 at the end of December. If markets had believed what the Chinese said, then the price would almost certainly have plunged. The claims relate to a new process of making mixed oxide – or MOX – fuel. This is nuclear fuel containing more than one oxide of nuclear materials. It is a blend of plutonium oxides and uranium – whether pure, reprocessed or depleted. The use of MOX fuels is not new, however.
Telegraph 10th Jan 2011 more >>
Renewables
THE First Minister has welcomed a £6.4 million agreement to introduce renewable energy technology pioneered in Scotland into China, unveiled as the man expected to be China’s next premier arrived in Edinburgh.
Scotsman 10th Jan 2011 more >>
