Tag: environment

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Most of the heavier crude oil from Rosebank will be sent to the Netherlands because only Grangemouth could refine it

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By Liz S “The new and upgraded high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Scotland (new pylons, higher-capacity overhead lines, substations, and related works) is primarily required to transmit surplus electricity across the border into England and the wider Great Britain system” Yes indeed, but it’s not just electricity as the BBC website has this article, dated 11 August 2026, on their website on the Scottish Politics page: “What is happening with the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields”? Included within this BBC article are the below statements of how, once again , the UK/Britain are again reliant on assets/resources sourced from Scotland , that are … Continue reading Most of the heavier crude oil from Rosebank will be sent to the Netherlands because only Grangemouth could refine it

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Three more French nuclear power stations shut down as jellyfish swarm cooling pipes will any Scottish reporter ask Scottish Labour how they plan to deal with this?

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Thanks, once more, to Frances McKie for alerting us to this and who comments: It keeps coming back to basic things like plumbing, blockages and corrosion…..at Dounreay, they never found a way to stop seaweed blocking their intake pipes…Here it’s jellyfish. From Reuters yesterday: Three reactors at ‌France’s Gravelines nuclear power plant were shut down late on Monday due to a massive swarm of jellyfish, triggering preventative measures put in place last year after the entire plant went offline, operator EDF said. The plant in northern France is one of the ​largest in the country and is cooled from a canal … Continue reading Three more French nuclear power stations shut down as jellyfish swarm cooling pipes will any Scottish reporter ask Scottish Labour how they plan to deal with this?

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Sludge leaks, spills, and fails to be contained so build your super-hospital further away

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Once more, deep thanks to our friend who shared this ‘sludge’ with us. From: Olden, R. (2016) Sludge. Cultural Geographies, 23(4), pp. 715719. (doi:10.1177/1474474016630966) We are standing over the inlet of Shieldhall Wastewater Treatment Works where the rush of stuff banished to an underworld of sewers and culverts spews from a protruding pipe to meet the light of day once again: the sewage and wastewater of half a million people….Here at Shieldhall, Scotland’s largest wastewater treatment works, the task is to separate water from waste. Wastewater runs a course which sees it filtered, settled, dredged and then metabolised by nitrifying … Continue reading Sludge leaks, spills, and fails to be contained so build your super-hospital further away

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Scottish Labour must be confronted on their nuclear strategy as highly dangerous water shortages threaten nuclear power station’s cooling system across Europe and Hungary comes ‘within millimetres’ of shutting down

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Once more thanks to Frances McKie for alerting us to this video. As the mighty Danube dries up in the heatwave, there are desperate measures to keep some goods flowing and enough water to cool power plants including nuclear ones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw–rQBsi8E Reporting on the same events, the Guardian has: Hungary has come “within millimetres” of having to shut down its nuclear power plant overnight, prime minister Péter Magyar said, as low water levels in the Danube continue to pose challenges for countries in south-eastern Europe. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/aug/04/europe-drought-extreme-heat-wildfires-climate-crisis-hungary-romania-ceuta-spain-migration-eu-latest-news-updates This is just the latest in a deeply disturbing trend that casts Scottish Labour’s support for UK … Continue reading Scottish Labour must be confronted on their nuclear strategy as highly dangerous water shortages threaten nuclear power station’s cooling system across Europe and Hungary comes ‘within millimetres’ of shutting down

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As wildfire approaches Suffolk nuclear power station, the heatwave starts to shut down nuclear power across Europe and Scottish Labour’s strategy ‘goes up in flames’

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Thanks to Frances McKie for alerting us to this. Electricité de France (EDF) shut down the Golfech-2 nuclear reactor in southern France amid a heat wave pushing temperatures toward 40°C in parts of Europe. This is the latest in a record number of heat-related outages for France’s nuclear fleet this summer, reducing output from a key part of Europe’s electricity system. EDF also warned that the Tricastin plant could face production cuts overnight due to high river temperatures limiting cooling. Many French nuclear plants use river water for cooling and discharge warmer water back into the rivers. Environmental rules restrict … Continue reading As wildfire approaches Suffolk nuclear power station, the heatwave starts to shut down nuclear power across Europe and Scottish Labour’s strategy ‘goes up in flames’

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Scots had 5.5 million litres of water each recently so the reserves should have coped with this recent dry weather

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BBC Scotland this morning has A prolonged period of dry weather has left some river flows in the east of Scotland among the lowest on record. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said it meant a number of sites across the Borders, Angus, Aberdeenshire and Fife were expected to move into “significant scarcity” in the next few days. It would allow them to introduce “targeted and temporary restrictions” on water abstractions to protect rivers and wildlife. How much fresh water does Scotland have? Scotland’s Loch Ness alone contains 7,452 million cubic meters of water, which is more than the combined … Continue reading Scots had 5.5 million litres of water each recently so the reserves should have coped with this recent dry weather

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Scottish Government’s more ambitious policies and tighter targets seem to have slashed hospital admissions for respiratory problems to a fraction of those in England

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In the Guardian today: Children living in the poorest areas across England are 40% more likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory infections, an analysis of NHS England data shows, with experts raising the alarm on the impact of air pollution on young people’s health. The analysis, based on data obtained via freedom of information requests by the charity Impact on Urban Health, revealed 1,941 out of every 100,000 children living in the most deprived fifth of England were admitted to hospital for respiratory illnesses in 2024/25. Does this apply equally in Scotland? No. Respiratory infections from NHS England data: In … Continue reading Scottish Government’s more ambitious policies and tighter targets seem to have slashed hospital admissions for respiratory problems to a fraction of those in England

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Labour MP and former health worker misses top medical journal research report confirming SNP’s pro-science approach to nuclear energy

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In the Largs & Millport News, serving the area around Hunterston B nuclear power station, just shut down and with the site predicted to be safe by within 100 000 years, we read: NORTH Ayrshire MP Irene Campbell has urged the UK Government to press the Scottish Government to rethink its ‘no new nuclear’ stance, arguing that Hunterston could host new nuclear jobs and investment for the region. Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Campbell said strict opposition to new nuclear power from the SNP-led Scottish Government meant communities such as hers were missing out on potential economic benefits. … Continue reading Labour MP and former health worker misses top medical journal research report confirming SNP’s pro-science approach to nuclear energy

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Climate change is real but there is no need for hysteria about the wildfire risk to Scotland

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From BBC Scotland two days ago, the above and: A devastating wildfire burning in the Cairngorms has entered its seventh day, as helicopters battle to stop the spread of the flames. Two specialist helicopters have been “invaluable” for waterbombing hard-to-reach areas, the Cairngorms National Park Authority says. But the flames were allowed to torch the landscape for nearly two days before they arrived on the scene around Glenmore Forest Park. There’s been vocal frustration from some local people, who believe the wildfire might have been brought under control if specialist air support had been called in sooner. Why the delay? … Continue reading Climate change is real but there is no need for hysteria about the wildfire risk to Scotland

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UK Government’s own levelised ‘full lifetime’ cost analysis – new nuclear is nearly three times more expensive than onshore wind and more than double offshore wind

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From Nuclear and offshore wind energy comparison information: EIR release – Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004, published today: Information requested All internal briefings, analysis and minutes/notes from meetings, comparing nuclear energy and offshore wind energy, from the last three months. Response Some of the information you requested is available from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy Publication. The publication provides estimates of the size of the UK’s low carbon and renewable energy economy, including turnover and employment. Data is available for nuclear, and offshore energy. The latest publication … Continue reading UK Government’s own levelised ‘full lifetime’ cost analysis – new nuclear is nearly three times more expensive than onshore wind and more than double offshore wind