World:
¶ International Monetary Fund is taking a stand against fossil fuel subsidies in a report recently issued. According to their figures, the United States puts $502 billion into support for fossil fuels. The report supports subsidies for renewable power. [Climate Central]
¶ Annual spending on clean-energy projects that don’t add to greenhouse-gas pollution may rise to $630 billion at the end of the next decade from $190 billion last year, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said in a report today. [Businessweek]
¶ Australia’s Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund has announced a multi-million contribution to Queensland company Hydrexia. The $4.5 million contribution goes toward a $9.25 million investment in hydrogen storage technology. [Business Spectator]
¶ A UK Public Accounts Committee report increases estimated costs of civil nuclear decommissioning by £16 billion to £53 billion. The report says “The Treasury acknowledged that not considering these costs when the power stations were built had been a mistake.” [SNP]
¶ Progress on cleanup at Fukushima Daiichi is very slow. The chairman of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said, “The Fukushima Daiichi plant remains in an unstable condition, and there is concern that we cannot prevent another accident.” [Wired.co.uk]
US:
¶ A report from Yale and George Mason University Centers for Climate Change Communication says Republicans and right-leaning independents are changing their minds, and increasingly supporting action on climate change and increased clean energy production. [PolicyMic]
¶ The Obama administration is hoping to put a stop to an increasing problem for wind and solar power — feuds with environmental groups that say the projects threaten endangered species or valuable habitat. [Politico]
¶ There were warnings of tube failures at San Onofre before the defective steam generators were installed. The first warnings appeared in print as the design team was still drawing up plans, in 2005 and 2006. [U-T San Diego]
¶ Authorities are searching for the person who fired multiple gunshots at a TVA security guard early Sunday morning at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Rhea County. [WATE-TV]
geoharvey 