Protecting our Beautiful Blue Planet

 By John Maryon

Yuri Gagarin was amazed as he observed the natural wonders of the Earth from the Soviet spacecraft Vostok 1 on 12th April 1961. The world's first cosmonaut said " Orbiting the Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it".
    Pollution and the depletion of natural resources affect our quality of life but the greatest threat to all life on Earth comes from global warming caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases. The most important are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Fluorinated Gases in addition to the presence of water vapour. These gases allow sunlight to pass through but have far less transparency to infra-red radiation reflected back from the Earth's surface. This greenhouse effect could develop into a runaway form such as is believed to have destroyed the environment on Venus causing the oceans to boil away.
    Carbon Dioxide, (CO2), released from burning fossil fuel is the major cause of global warming and climate change. The problem is being made worse by the destruction of rain forests in Brazil and other areas which retained large quantities fixed carbon. Until recently the US administration was in denial of the problem, driven by political and commercial motives. They have now rejoined the Paris Climate Accord and accepted that action has to be taken. Global temperatures have almost reached the 1.5 °C limit and urgent action is required.
    The Paris agreement to limit temperature rise allowed individual countries to set their own targets taking account of trees, soil and oceans to absorb CO2. Climate finance would be made available to enable poorer countries to adapt and switch to renewable energy.
    The New Communist Party's policy for a Planned and Integrated Energy Strategy highlights the challenges facing Britain and puts forward active measures to overcome the problems. Privatisation of energy utilities has made essential planning virtually impossible due to the desire for quick profit and short termism. We call for full public ownership of the power generating capacity and supply networks. The infrastructure does not exist for a rapid transfer to all electrical vehicles making the shift from private car and road freight to public transport and rail goods transport important. Investment is required to convert all existing diesel rail links to electric, restoring rural bus services and for the development of hydrogen engines that only exhaust water vapour as they produce power.
    A balanced and safe energy mix for electricity generation will require more investment into land and off-shore wind farms, solar power, tidal and wave energy. It may be possible in the near future to collect solar energy from space with large collectors and beam it down to Earth.
    Coal fired power stations could possibly be equipped with carbon entrapment technology. CO2 is then captured at source and transported to an underground storage area. Such power plants or a new generation of much safer nuclear units are required as base stations for those times when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow.
    Nuclear power remains an option but it is controversial and comes with its own risks including the problems of nuclear waste storage, high decommissioning costs and possible pollution. Current proposals for joint Chinese/French ventures are in jeopardy as the government comes under increasing pressure from the US to cut investment ties with China. Energy from nuclear sources is a risky proposition due to the catastrophic events which may result due to human error, technical failure, cyber-attacks, natural disasters, war or terrorism. Reactors may be of a type that can breed fuel for nuclear weapons or to produce further energy. Future developments may include more advanced types of Reactor such as the Molten Salt unit that uses Thorium as fuel and may have certain advantages from safety and security considerations. Many now consider that Fusion will be the power source of the future.
    The New Communist Party is firmly opposed to fracking technology to extract gas from rock formations; a process which can pollute water tables and cause subsidence. Fracking increases CO2 levels by producing more fossil fuel, that was locked away, now to be burnt. During the operation there is the risk of releasing methane into the air and water systems.
    Many northern British cities still bear the scars of the Industrial Revolution. Blackened stonework on buildings being testament to the grim reality of the environmental destruction that was caused. Moths and butterflies developed into new sub-species to blend with the soot.
    Britain possess the technology to become carbon zero. The NCP calls for all new homes, schools and public sector buildings to be developed in this manner. A combination of solar power, heat pumps to upgrade ground-heat and solar heated water, along with improved levels of thermal insulation can make a big contribution. Tree planting and green spaces are essential to absorb CO2.
    It is not only climate change that causes concern. We live in an age of colossal waste and rampant pollution in which we are consuming our natural resources faster than they can be replenished. A build-up of microscopic plastic particles and nuclear waste dumping by Japan into the Pacific along with oil spills all contribute to the contamination of the seas. Fish and small mammals struggle to cope in our polluted rivers. Greater efforts should be made to make the polluter pay the price.
    One of the more obvious areas of concern is that of packaging. Plastic bags are out but but the problem goes much deeper. Most packaging includes plastic rather than card or paper. In many cases it is totally unnecessary being solely a means of making the product more attractive. It should be made a legal requirement that almost all types of packaging should be capable of being recycled. More domestic appliances are now unrepairable and often it is not possible to even replace batteries. We have become a throw away society. It is less costly to dump in developing countries than to bother with recycling. Inbuilt obsolescence, trendy fashion and dubious marketing gimmicks are the hallmarks of a capitalist market.
    We clearly cannot continue in this manner. A strong political will and the acceptance of a shared responsibility for our actions are required. The NCP calls for new policies and a new way of thinking that puts environmental issues above the greedy pursuit of profits. Communists will respect and live in harmony with the natural world including all the other creatures with which we share a common home.
    In 2019 China manufactured 80 per cent of the world's solar panels. The US instead of applauding this achievement has made attempts to wreck the industry by making unfounded allegations of human rights abuses to curb sales. It is the gas guzzling US itself that is a major cause of world pollution and shows little respect for both its own citizens or others with its permanent aggression to bomb and sanction the world.
    The New Communist Party stands with the Greens in their sincere and noble aims of protecting our planet. We also believe, however, that success involves a greater political dimension that tackles the ideological causes behind the problems. Environmental protection cannot be considered in isolation. It needs to be seen as a part of the larger class struggle.

Safeguarding the environment and protecting life

By John Maryon

Within the billions of galaxies that form our universe a vast range of environmental conditions will exist. In addition to great variations of temperature, with some worlds seeing rivers of molten iron whilst others are hidden under seas of liquid methane, large differences of pressure, gravity and solar radiation will occur. Within this divergency a number of habitats will exist where carbon based life forms are able to evolve and develop, some with a degree of conscious intelligence. The stable presence of water in liquid form over billions of years appears to be a prerequisite for the formation of life.

Human exploitation of natural resources beyond their limit of self-renewal along with pollution and destruction of the environment spells disaster – not only for ourselves but also all the other life forms for whom this is their home. The New Communist Party (NCP) shares these concerns and has strong policies designed to safeguard the environment and protect life.  Threats to human life itself also arise from disease, accidents, war and capitalist exploitation that causes physical pain and mental anxiety.

A serious and immediate threat to life is created by the deadly COVID-19, which could affect millions of people. Most organisms coexist with other life forms, often forming symbiotic relationships to their mutual advantage, others however, possess an ability to kill their host. Faced with the loss of almost half its hospital beds over the last 30 years, crippling Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes, costly outsourcing and cutbacks set against a background of an ageing population, the NHS and its staff struggle in normal times. Today the pressures on this vital service are immense.

Another major threat is from climate change caused by global warming.The build-up of carbon dioxide,  along with other gases, in the earth's atmosphere has increased the greenhouse effect. Heat radiated from Earth back into space is at a lower frequency than that received and is impeded by the polluted air mass causing global temperatures to rise. An additional hazard arises from the use of industrial chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons, which can destroy the ozone layer and so allow harmful  ultraviolet radiation to reach Earth.

The use and disposal of plastics is an important concern. Over 95 per cent of plastic use for packaging is an unnecessary aid for convenience of manufactures and image creation. Most of this material is not recycled and can harm wildlife or enter the food chain.

Conflicts of purpose and effect can occur. The creation of tidal barriers across the Wash and Bristol Channel could produce an abundance of green energy, but in doing so destroy the habitats of many birds and sea creatures. High-speed trains can provide fast, efficient low-carbon transport but construction would destroy thousands of acres of ancient woodland. Undoubtedly the use of solar power and wind turbines play a vital part in reducing emissions, but when the sun is hidden and there is no air movement they will not function. A backup will then be required that could be fossil fuel or nuclear powered.

Successful environmental protection involves much more than campaigns for action on specific issues. Marxists will realise that changes will affect other things that may also change. Responsible administrations should adopt an overall integrated strategy that embraces energy, transport, thermal insulation of homes, packaging limitations, planting of trees, prevention of pollution, and the creation of parks and wildlife habitat. It is necessary to oppose vested interests and challenge the selfish attitude of “yes – but not in my backyard!”.

For many years the generation of electricity was based upon a policy of CO CO NUKE (Coal, Conservation and Nuclear power). Britain had 700 years of proven coal reserves and over 70 per cent of electricity was produced using this strategic fuel. The future for coal was seen as using fluidised bed technology for greater efficiency and less pollution, combined with carbon entrapment. The early nuclear power stations heralded a brave new world. They were also able to produce fuel for nuclear weapons. A number of serious accidents over the years have shown that the risks were far greater than anticipated.

The key policies of the NCP in relation to all these issues are as follows

·       Our party views health care as an essential public service – not as a commodity for profit. We call for far greater public investment to provide more beds and the training additional doctors and nurses. The urgent need  for improved mental health care must be supported, and disabled people given greater help and support to become full and active members of society

·       We call for the immediate ending of all PFI schemes, all outsourced activities to be made in-house and a complete stop to private provision.

·       On environmental issues the NCP totally opposes the process of fracking, which can pollute the water table, cause earth subsidence and unlock fixed deposits of carbon.

·       We reject nuclear power on grounds of safety, leaks and health hazards from spent fuel, which could have a very long half-life. When decommissioning costs and fuel storage are taken into account, the process becomes uneconomic.

·       We call for a planned and integrated energy policy, faster development of renewable energy and the building of base power stations using carbon entrapment.

·       Nationalisation of the utilities, including the national grid, into a publicly owned and fully integrated industry.

·       We call for much needed investment into the railways with full public ownership. The great majority of freight to be transferred from road to rail.

·       The NCP also calls for all new homes, schools and public sector buildings to be zero carbon.

If we don't act to protect our environment and take steps to save and support our wonderful NHS then there will be times when our lives may be on a knife edge. Within capitalist society decisions are influenced by the market and the profit motive rather than being based upon science, experience and need. A socialist society on the other hand, free from the greed, contradictions and alienation of capitalism, will be better placed to ensure a safe and secure future for us all.

There can be no doubt that capitalism is bad for your health. Look no further than People's China and the way in which it has coped with the COVID-19 crisis and is now helping others. Comrade you have fallen – take my hand…

South Korea: A nuclear industry riddled with corruption

By Neil Harris

THE SOUTH Korean nuclear industry had been hoping to take advantage of Japan’s continuing problems following the disaster at Fukushima. It planned to win orders to build up to 80 reactors around the world in the next decade, using its experience running south Korea’s 23 nuclear plants as an advertisement for its expertise.

As part of its campaign, the state owned Korea Electric Power Corporation opened a new London office and is actively seeking contracts to build and operate the next generation of British nuclear reactors including Anglesey, Oldbury in Gloucestershire and Sellafield.

Unfortunately south Korea’s reactors may not look quite as attractive as the country had hoped after a year of scandals which have rocked its secretive nuclear industry. A number of those reactors have had to be shut down during the swelteringly hot Korean summer, causing electricity shortages, a ban on air conditioning and a series of arrests.

It all started in May 2012, when five senior officials of the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company were charged and later jailed for covering up a dramatic power loss at the Kori-1 reactor, which potentially put the plant in danger of a meltdown.

In November 2012 a whistle-blower revealed that over 5,000 components used in five separate reactors at Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant did not have proper safety certificates and that eight suppliers had faked 60 warranties for the parts. As a result two of the reactors had to be shut down for vital components to be replaced, just in time for the peak winter demand for electricity. Arrests of engineers and suppliers followed, together with government assurances that the parts weren’t significant and that everything was under control.

It didn’t take long for those assurances to unravel; in May 2013 another whistle-blower broke cover to reveal that two nuclear reactors were using emergency control cabling that was authorised with forged safety certificates. According to World Nuclear News on 13/8/13, the resulting investigation found that safety-related control cabling with falsified documentation had been installed at four of KHNP's reactors: “Shin Kori units One and Two and Shin Wolsong units One and Two. KHNP was ordered to stop operations at Shin Kori Two and Shin Wolsong One, while Shin Kori One has remained out of operation following scheduled maintenance. In addition, the newly-constructed Shin Wolsong Two, which is awaiting approval to start commercial operation, has been prevented from starting up.”

The four units will not be allowed to operate until the cabling has been replaced – not an easy job in a radioactive environment and expected to take about four months.

The investigations that followed showed that illegal components have been installed in 14 of south Korea’s 23 nuclear power plants and there are still some 120,000 test certificates to be checked for forgeries.

In all 30 suppliers have been raided and prosecutors have opened inquiries into the testing companies for faking safety test results when parts failed, while the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co itself is now being investigated for its role in both scandals.

But the south Korean puppet government has always controlled the nuclear industry and has previously extended it protection from investigations into corruption due to its potential as a source for nuclear materials for military purposes. This is currently by the US government following the south’s last attempt to develop a nuclear bomb.

Meanwhile a freezing cold winter has been followed by a long hot summer and the minister for trade, industry and energy Yoon Sang Jick was forced to urge the public to cut electricity consumption: "We are in a very desperate situation, where we cannot overcome this crisis without all your active support."

Air-conditioning in all government and public office buildings has been turned off and the power companies have been trying to juggle supply and demand to avoid power cuts: "The country's maximum electricity demand is expected to hover above 80,000 MWe a week and far exceeding its generation capacity of 77,400 MWe." He added: "We may have to carry out a rolling blackout ... if a single power plant goes out of operation.”  

What the scandals have revealed is a nuclear industry that, until 2011, was allowed to design, build and manage its nuclear plants at the same time as regulating itself. It promoted itself as having the potential to save the south Korean economy from the worldwide downturn but keeping the reactors on stream and turning in profits required forged safety certificates and bribed officials.

Despite this, the government is going to expand its nuclear power building programme at home adding 16 reactors by 2030, while expanding its export of plants around the world.