Nuclear-hungry nations eye Africa's uranium deposits

We Mine the World

In the 1980s, western nations tried to help Africa by assembling celebs to croon about its woes. Today we see how silly that is, so we're back to extracting resources instead. It's so much more direct, and with energy consumption rising, it will help for a long time! As whispers of a nuclear renaissance grow into a dull roar, for instance, uranium-rich areas are bracing for a boom. Namibia's Roessing Uranium Mine, which opened in 1976 but fell on hard times, is back in full swing. The two-mile-long, nearly-one-mile-wide, over-1,000-foot-deep mine, owned in part by Iran, recently made its first delivery to China. A second mine will open nearby soon, and three others are in the works, pleasing local leaders. But concerned observers aren't convinced. "They cannot tell us that they are safer than before," says Bertchen Kohrs of Earthlife Namibia. "Who says that some day we won't have to take back the nuclear waste here in Namibia?" Oh, Bertchen, relax. Angelina would never let that happen.

straight to the source: The Washington Post, Craig Timberg, 06 Dec 2006

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Comments: (1 comment)

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EU airline emissions controls

It's a good thing that the EU is acting to control intercontinental emissions by bringing them within its carbon emissions trading system. Less than a quarter of EU air travel CO2 is emitted from travel within the EU. The bulk of the CO2 comes from long-haul intercontinental flights that begin or end in the EU.

If ticket prices rise, people will seek alternative ways of doing business and making personal connections.

I hope one day the US American government will follow the EU's lead. I notice how quickly our government is taking steps regarding the Iraq war in response to the recent election. I hope that at some point we can convince our government that US Americans also care about our environmental future, and then the government will follow the citizens' lead.

-- Love doesn't just sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new. --Ursula LeGuin

by racje at 3:38 PM on 06 Dec 2006

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