It's that time of the year again!
No, not spring time.
It's the time when people who call themselves "green" try to win points by inciting fear, reinforcing stigma and questioning science.
Come with me and let's explore what's happened!
No, not spring time.
It's the time when people who call themselves "green" try to win points by inciting fear, reinforcing stigma and questioning science.
Come with me and let's explore what's happened!
This thread will cover:
☢️What's happened?
☢️Why is it wrong? (and dangerous?)
☢️What to do instead?
☢️What's happened?
☢️Why is it wrong? (and dangerous?)
☢️What to do instead?
☢️What's happened?
Today marks 34 years since a catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caused widespread and significant radioactive contamination which has resulted in around 100 deaths and around 300 000 people being displaced from their homes.
Today marks 34 years since a catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caused widespread and significant radioactive contamination which has resulted in around 100 deaths and around 300 000 people being displaced from their homes.
🔥🌳🐺
Every year there are a number of forest fires in or around the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
The fires, of varying intensity, pose a serious threat to nature and wildlife in the exclusion zone.
Every year there are a number of forest fires in or around the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
The fires, of varying intensity, pose a serious threat to nature and wildlife in the exclusion zone.
Various sources, such as @europeangreens and @Greenpeace, claim (despite scientific evidence to the contrary) that the fires spread radioactive contamination and poses a danger to human health and the environment.
☢️Why is it wrong?
While it's true that the fires this year are larger than normal and require significant fire fighting capabilities (airplanes, trucks and firefighters on the ground) there is absolutely NO EVIDENCE that there is a risk to human health from radiaoctive material
While it's true that the fires this year are larger than normal and require significant fire fighting capabilities (airplanes, trucks and firefighters on the ground) there is absolutely NO EVIDENCE that there is a risk to human health from radiaoctive material
Let's look at what the @iaeaorg has to say:
"The recent fires in the Exclusion Zone near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Ukraine have not led to any hazardous increase of radioactive particles in the air"
iaea.org/newscenter/pre…
"The recent fires in the Exclusion Zone near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Ukraine have not led to any hazardous increase of radioactive particles in the air"
iaea.org/newscenter/pre…
Multiple countries confirm this, e.g. French radiation safety authority @IRSNFrance published a report (updated on 15th April) clearly stating that there is no risk to people or the environment (from radioactive contamination).
irsn.fr/EN/newsroom/Ne…
irsn.fr/EN/newsroom/Ne…
Ukrainian radiation safety authority @SSTC_NRS has been both monitoring radiation measuring stations and conducting measuring across Kyiv:
Swedish radiation safety authority SSM wrote a thread on twitter, reporting no danger whatsoever:
Norwegian radiation safety authority DSA noted "very low levels of radioactive cesium" at one measuring station and states that:
"The microscopic amounts measured do not pose any risk to humans or the environment."
dsa.no/nyheter/95164/…
"The microscopic amounts measured do not pose any risk to humans or the environment."
dsa.no/nyheter/95164/…
If you want to monitor radiation levels yourself you can do so on the European Commission website:
remap.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Advanced.aspx
remap.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Advanced.aspx
And if, for some strange reason, you don't trust these governmental and intergovernmental sources you can also view radiation levels through citizen monitoring network @safecast:
map.safecast.org
map.safecast.org
☢️Why is it dangerous?
Both @Greenpeace and @europeangreens want to get rid of all nuclear power, which makes up HALF of fossil free electricity and 26% of all electricity in the EU. 🇪🇺⚡️
Both @Greenpeace and @europeangreens want to get rid of all nuclear power, which makes up HALF of fossil free electricity and 26% of all electricity in the EU. 🇪🇺⚡️
Yesterday (2020-04-27), nuclear power provided about HALF of all fossil free electricity and almost A THIRD OF TOTAL electricity in the EU.
foratom.org/project/electr…
foratom.org/project/electr…
Pretty much everyone agrees that we need to get rid of fossil fuels at the latest by 2050, and there are various agreements like the Paris agreement and it's predecessor the Kyoto agreement.
How far have we gotten since then? Nowhere!
How far have we gotten since then? Nowhere!
Compared to 1997 (Kyoto protocol):
The share of fossil fuels in electricity is still 63%.
The share of fossil fuels in total energy is still 80%.
The share of fossil fuels in electricity is still 63%.
The share of fossil fuels in total energy is still 80%.
It's 30 years until 2050.
Want to know how far we've gotten in the 30 years since 1990?
You can explore the data yourself here through @OurWorldInData (spoiler alert, still nowhere).
ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-…
Want to know how far we've gotten in the 30 years since 1990?
You can explore the data yourself here through @OurWorldInData (spoiler alert, still nowhere).
ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-…
Since then (1990) energy demand has increased more than 60% and electricity demand has more than doubled!
☢️What to do instead?
First, stop spreading myths about nuclear and radiation.
The past 30 years show very clearly that we need both nuclear and renewables to get rid of fossil fuels.
First, stop spreading myths about nuclear and radiation.
The past 30 years show very clearly that we need both nuclear and renewables to get rid of fossil fuels.
Second, start advocating both nuclear and renewables!
More like this!
More like this!
