G20 Agenda Item #1 - Fix Fukushima

SUBHEAD: Given the threat to life in the largest body of liquid water in the known universe.

By Juan Wilson on 7 August 2013 for Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2013/08/g20-agenda-item-1-fix-fukushina.html)


Image above: Earth to spaceship G-20 "Wake up you fools!". From (http://www.g20.org/photo/20130605/781388962.html).

The G20 Summit, to be held in St. Petersburg on September 5-6, 2013, will be the main G20 event of 2013. The meetings will be between the political and financial leaders of the G20 nations that include Argentina, Australia, Brazil,  Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,  Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union.

Looking over this list of nations one can see it includes the vast majority of the people of the world, as well the bulk of money, resources, energy, industrialization, technology and military hardware on this planet. According to Wikipedia:

 "Collectively, the G-20 economies account for approximately 80 percent of the gross world product (GWP), 80 percent of world trade, and two-thirds of the world population"

It is understood that the purpose of the G20 is world finance, but it has evolved into the most significant meeting of world leaders that regularly occurs. Obviously, they can talk about anything they think is important. So what is their publicly announced agenda for their upcoming meeting:

1. Framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth;
2. Jobs and employment;
3. International financial architecture reform;
4. Strengthening financial regulation;
5. Energy sustainability;
6. Development for all;
7. Enhancing multilateral trade;
8. Fighting corruption.

We can only pray that this is a fake agenda, or even a joke, and that the real agenda will include some of the real problems facing life on this planet.

The Worst Nuclear Disaster in History
Chernobyl was bad, but it was one nuclear reactor and was dealt with quickly. Given the threat to life in the largest body of liquid water in the known universe, the number one item on my agenda would be a commitment by the G20 to fix Fukushima - whatever the cost.

That means immediately coordinating a worldwide effort to mitigate the ongoing disaster that has been created by TEPCO and the government of Japan by building six nuclear reactors on one site at the shore of the Pacific Ocean in a highly dangerous earthquake zone.

This effort may cost a few trillions of dollars. But that's nothing compared to what the central banks of the G20 have stolen from the world's people to keep afloat after their international Ponzi scheme collapsed in 2008. Think on the scale of building the pyramids Egypt, The Great Wall of China, or the US NASA Moon program - whatever it costs. It's not like the Pacific Ocean isn't stressed already. The ocean is dying.

• The reefs are dying -  from acidification (from CO2 absorbion), global warming (CO2 and methane releases). 
• The fish are dying - from over fishing (over 90% of megafauna are gone). 
• The plastic gyres are killing - birds, sea creatures and interfering with the organic chemistry of the ocean. 

Now, to add insult to injury, Japanese nuclear plant is spewing 400 tons of highly radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean everyday. And that's the situation "under control".  As far back as August 2011 small amounts of cesium-137 and cesium-134 were detected in 15 tuna caught near San Diego. 

Moreover, since 2011 University California Berkeley School of Nuclear Engineers (UCBSNE) have been reporting on their website findings of cesium 134, 137, strontium-90 and more in topsoil, rain and groundwater, milk, and produce. Cal State Long Beach researchers have found iodine-131 in kelp beds along the California coast, as well.

Worst and Getting Worster
But these are only the current problems at Fukushima. Others abound.  Just remember that there are three reactors that have melted down and likely experienced the China Syndrome - that is. they have burned their way through the bottom of the reactor core, through the vessel around it, then the containment building and finally through its foundation they rest on.

Each reactor melted core is about a 150 tons of uranium, plutonium and zirconium in hot blob of what's called "corium".  No one knows, or has stated, what the location or condition of that corium is. Re-criticallity (chain reactions) and other bad things can happen.

The nuclear fuel rods in Reactor #4 sit in the structurally damaged concrete pool of water 80 feet above the ground. Those rods have more fissile material in them than reactor below could possibly hold. Since 2012 the wall of the pool has been bulging and the reactor building seems to be sinking into the earth.

If ground water entering the site were not able to escape into the ocean, or be diverted, it could liquify the earth under the foundation of the reactor and topple the fuel rods to the ground. Such an event could make the Fukushima Daiichi site uninhabitable.

A Plea to the G20
Convince the Japanese representatives to admit that the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi site is out of their control and that it must be handled by the world at large. Have all G20 members commit what ever resources are necessary to mitigate the pressing dangers and long range dangers presented by this disaster. Get on this pronto.

It is not acceptable to twiddle your fingers and call for industrial growth and more jobs. Industry and manpower need to be put in service to saving the world from Fukushima.

And while w'ere at it!
Beyond item #1 on my agenda for the G20 would be:

#2) A carefully accelerated schedule for safely closing down all nuclear facilities in the world. This effort should include the decommissioning of all nuclear weapons and their components.

#3) The re-localization of food production with as little need  as possible for mechanization, petroleum products and chemicals.

#4) A rejection of centralized power grids and the adoption of small-scale off-grid alternative power sources with greatly reduced overall consumption.

#5) The abandonment of international corporations and capitalism as the means of operating the economies of the world to achieve jobs and growth (a.k.a. slavery and death).

 There's plenty more but we should start with a doable list. Let's get on this people.


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