Tag: environment

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Why the wind doesn’t need to blow all the time – breakthrough in new technology to blow all Scottish Labour arguments for nuclear ‘out of the water’

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EBARGOED UNTIL 15 Dec 2025 00:01 Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland, three days ago: In East Lothian, council leader Norman Hampshire has asked UK ministers to draw up a “characterisation” of the Torness power station site in the hope that it could still be considered for a replacement. The Labour councillor says the closure of Torness without a replacement would be devastating to the community in Dunbar and across Scotland. “There’s a lot of jobs… and all of that feeds into the local economy. So, if Torness isn’t there it’s going to be a huge blow and there’s … Continue reading Why the wind doesn’t need to blow all the time – breakthrough in new technology to blow all Scottish Labour arguments for nuclear ‘out of the water’

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Storm Brann fails to breach even one of Scotland’s flood defences after 18 years of SNP Government but 8 500 fail in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA Yesterday, Sepa forecast widespread and intensive flood risk across the most populous parts of Scotland. Today BBC England had Thousands of flood defences meant to protect multiple homes or businesses in England were below the required condition when winter began, a new analysis has found. The 6,498 “high consequence” defences were among about 8,500 that were not fully working as intended due to erosion, damage or being overgrown. BBC Scotland and all of Scotland’s newspapers have nothing at all on flooding. In 2022, BBC Scotland reporters were all over the North-east interviewing the flooded and letting … Continue reading Storm Brann fails to breach even one of Scotland’s flood defences after 18 years of SNP Government but 8 500 fail in England

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Scotland produces 5-6 times more gas than it consumes annually, making it a net exporter.

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In the Guardian today: Report detailing risk to UK gas security was not one to bury on budget day – In short, Neso found there is an “emerging” risk of Britain running out of gas if an important piece of kit were to be out of action at a bad moment. It modelled five “pathways” for gas demand out to 2030 and 2035 and tested against a prolonged spell of very cold weather. Here is the key sentence: “In the unlikely event of the loss of the single largest piece of gas infrastructure, gas supply falls short of demand for all pathways … Continue reading Scotland produces 5-6 times more gas than it consumes annually, making it a net exporter.

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The blind spot in researchers’ apocalyptic water shortages predictions – the 90% of the UK supply in Scotland

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dorothy for alerting me to this. For the second time this weekend, the Guardian has been reporting on apocalyptic water shortages, from Newcastle to Namibia, but never thinking to ask about the water supply only miles to the north, in Scotland. It reminds me of the Scottish media’s aversion to the word ‘England‘ when they’re discussing drug supplies in Scotland, from Dumfries to Stornoway. From the Guardian today: Water shortages could derail UK’s net zero plans, study finds – Tensions grow after research in England finds there may not be enough water for planned … Continue reading The blind spot in researchers’ apocalyptic water shortages predictions – the 90% of the UK supply in Scotland

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UK water scientists do not look next door at a country with 5.5 million litres of drinkable water per person, 40 times that where they are in London and nearly 4 000 times that globally

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today has the above and: Vast swathes of Europe’s water reserves are drying up, a new analysis using two decades of satellite data reveals, with freshwater storage shrinking across southern and central Europe, from Spain and Italy to Poland and parts of the UK. Scientists at University College London (UCL), working with Watershed Investigations and the Guardian, analysed 2002–24 data from satellites, which track changes in Earth’s gravitational field. As per usual, UCL scientists, despite often vacationing, here did not think to look at Scotland’s water supplies. Before comparing with the world, how much more fresh … Continue reading UK water scientists do not look next door at a country with 5.5 million litres of drinkable water per person, 40 times that where they are in London and nearly 4 000 times that globally

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Scots taxpayers to pay £200 million for new nuclear power stations in England

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dorothy for alerting me to this. In the Guardian today, the above and: UK energy bill payers will hand over £2bn a year in subsidies to EDF, the French company building two nuclear power stations, according to government figures. EDF, owned by the French government, will be entitled to £1bn in annual payments as soon as Hinkley Point C, in Somerset, comes on to the grid in 2030. The sum is due under the contracts-for-difference system that guarantees low-carbon energy companies a fixed price for the electricity they generate. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/28/uk-energy-bill-payers-edf-hinkley-point-c-sizewell-c Will Scottish Taxpayers Share the … Continue reading Scots taxpayers to pay £200 million for new nuclear power stations in England

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22 times as many properties at risk of flooding in England after 18 years of SNP policies

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian yesterday, the above and: John Harris correctly identifies that the UK is hopelessly unprepared for flooding, but is wrong to suggest that the public is not told about the threat (Flooded and forgotten: the UK’s waters are rising and we’re being kept in the dark, 16 November). Is there a comparable problem in Scotland? Nope After 14 years of Tory rule in England and 17 of SNP rule in Scotland, 22 times as many properties at risk of flooding….in England, of course In the Independent and others, today, a warning that 6.3 million homes and … Continue reading 22 times as many properties at risk of flooding in England after 18 years of SNP policies

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Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Bernadette Robertson for alerting me to this. In the UK Daily Mail, today, but not on the ‘Scottish’ edition’s front page: The long–awaited solution to Britain’s climate crisis could finally be here. Scientists have identified eight potential sites for the ‘direct air capture machines’ (DAC), which would extract CO2 from the air and turn it to stone. The eight promising locations include Antrim in Northern Ireland, Borrowdale in the Lake District and the Isle of Mull in Scotland. According to the experts, the sites have a wealth of volcanic rock underground that would react with CO2 and … Continue reading Another fracking dangerous technology only suitable for Scotland and the North apparently emits more CO2 than it stores

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London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Health & Safety Executive [reporting to Pat McFadden’s Department for Work and Pensions] ‘believes‘ that at least FOUR sites in Grangemouth could be IDEAL for the manufacture of explosives and munitions? On behalf of the Ministry of Death, the UK Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Labour Friends of Israel vice-chair, McFadden, born in Glasgow and presumably with relatives in Central Scotland, seems unlikely to be concerned for them. Should he be concerned for them? I’m reminded of my days at Stirling University, mid 70s, still living in Grangemouth and doing summer and winter holiday … Continue reading London-based Health & Safety Executive, reporting to Pat McFadden, Labour Friends of Israel Co-chair, find FOUR sites in Grangemouth ‘IDEAL’ for manufacture of explosives and munitions but ignore the multiple deadly risks for my relatives and his

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Further delays in English nuclear power station project owned by France hammers home huge costs and inefficiency of Labour’s plans for Scotland to spend THREE times as much to generate electricity

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Frances McKie for alerting me to this. From Bloomberg UK, two days ago, the above. Readers may remember repeated comments from Labour’s Anas Sarwar, UK Energy Minister Ed Miliband and Junior Energy Minister, Michael Shanks that on day one of a Labour administration in Edinburgh (;-)), they will begin planning to return nuclear energy to Scotland. Polls suggest that the media coverage in Scotland has persuaded a small majority that we need this so getting the evidence out there is hugely important. The above news from Bloomberg comes on top of endless publications telling … Continue reading Further delays in English nuclear power station project owned by France hammers home huge costs and inefficiency of Labour’s plans for Scotland to spend THREE times as much to generate electricity