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Nuclear Power: A Resurgence We Can't Afford

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Aug. 01 (Opinion) - advocates are calling for a nationwide investment in at least 100 new nuclear reactors, backed by greatly expanded federal loan guarantees. However, the industry must resolve major economic, safety, security, and waste disposal challenges before new nuclear reactors could make a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions.

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Weapons Plutonium Fuel Test Fails

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Aug. 04 (Press Release) - Citing the recent failure of an experimental plutonium fuel assembly test at a South Carolina nuclear plant, two watchdog groups today called on the Department of Energy (DOE) to suspend a risky, multibillion dollar program that would use 37 tons of surplus nuclear weapons plutonium for U.S. nuclear reactor fuel.

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US Attempt to Shoot Down Satellite Undermines Efforts to Ban Space Weapons, Reduces US Security

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Union of Concerned Scientists - Feb. 20 (Press Release) - "The potential political cost of shooting down this satellite is high," said Laura Grego, an astrophysicist with UCS's Global Security Program. "Whatever the motivation for it, demonstrating an anti-satellite weapon is counterproductive to U.S. long-term interests, given that the United States has the most to gain from an international space weapons ban. Instead, it should be taking the lead in negotiating a treaty."

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US Automakers Misleading the Public about Benefits of Stronger Fuel Economy Standards

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:17:32 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - By (no author named) - Aug. 16 (Press Release) - "U.S. automakers are continuing to mislead the public about the very real benefits of a strong federal fuel economy standard and the fact that they have the technology to meet it," said David Friedman, research director in UCS's Clean Vehicle Program. "The National Academy of Sciences says existing and emerging conventional technology can boost the fuel economy of all vehicles, from two-seaters to four-by-fours. Detroit can produce 34-mile-per-gallon SUVs, 37-mile-per-gallon minivans and 41-mile-per-gallon family cars. Our own research shows that the auto companies can do even better than that."

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Automaker Rankings 2007: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 09:47:11 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Apr. 21 (Special Report) - The product planning decisions of a handful of powerful companies have an immense influence on the environmental health of the United States and the world. Automaker Rankings 2007: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies analyzes the bottom-line environmental performance of eight companies, which together account for 96 percent of cars and trucks sold in the United States--the world's largest vehicle market. The analysis uses sales and emissions data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation for model year 2005. Overall scores are based on a 50/50 weighting of average per-mile emissions of smog-forming and global warming pollutants from each manufacturer's vehicles. The average across all eight automakers is defined as a score of 100 and lower scores indicate less pollution.

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Global Warming FAQ

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:37:12 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Mar. 13 (Special Report) - Q. Is there anything we can do about global warming? A: Yes! The most important action we can take to slow global warming is to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases. Governments, individuals, and businesses can all help. (...) Individuals can reduce the need for fossil fuels and often save money by: * driving less and driving more fuel-efficient and less-polluting cars * using energy-efficient appliances * insulating homes * using less electricity in general

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A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 19:27:35 -0800

Union of Concerned Scientists - Dec. 28 (Advocacy) - In recent years, scientists who work for and advise the federal government have seen their work manipulated, suppressed, distorted, while agencies have systematically limited public and policy maker access to critical scientific information. To document this abuse, the Union of Concerned Scientists has created the A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science.

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Systematic Interference with Science at Interior Department Exposed

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:09:41 -0800

Union of Concerned Scientists - Dec. 10 (Special Report) - Recently obtained documents demonstrate that Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald and other high-ranking political appointees within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at the Department of the Interior have systematically distorted, manipulated, and misused the scientific process prescribed by the Endangered Species Act. In several notable cases, this interference resulted in changing a "positive" finding--in favor of protecting species under the Endangered Species Act--to a "negative" finding. In making these changes, MacDonald, whose training is in engineering, overrode the recommendations of the agency's own biologists. These examples of the manipulation and distortion of scientific information at the Interior Department are the tip of the iceberg. A Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) survey of scientists at the FWS, released in February 2005, demonstrated pervasive political interference in science at the agency. Unfortunately, the significant editing of scientific documents described below shows that the misuse of science at the FWS has continued.

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Global Warming 101 - Human Fingerprints

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 00:47:16 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - By Melanie Fitzpatrick - Sep. 30 (Special Report) - Earth's surface has undergone unprecedented warming over the last century, particularly over the last two decades. Astonishingly, every single year since 1992 is in the current list of the 20 warmest years on record. The natural patterns of climate have been altered. Like detectives, science sleuths seek the answer to "Whodunnit?" ï¿½ are humans part of the cause? To answer this question, patterns observed by meteorologists and oceanographers are compared with patterns developed using sophisticated models of Earth's atmosphere and ocean. By matching the observed and modeled patterns, scientists can now positively identify the "human fingerprints" associated with the changes. The fingerprints that humans have left on Earth's climate are turning up in a diverse range of records and can be seen in the ocean, in the atmosphere, and at the surface. In its 2001 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated, "There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities." [3] Carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning and land clearing has been accumulating in the atmosphere, where it acts like a blanket keeping Earth warm and heating up the surface, ocean, and atmosphere. As a result, current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are higher than at any time during the last 650,000 years.

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Political Interference in Science at the FDA

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:00:08 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Sep. 27 (Poll) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), now in its hundredth year, is responsible for protecting and advancing public health through the regulation of drugs, food, medical devices, cosmetics, and the blood supply—including products that, according to the FDA, account for 25 cents of every American consumer dollar spent. In 2006, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) distributed a 38-question survey to 5,918 FDA scientists to examine the state of science at the FDA. The results paint a picture of a troubled agency: hundreds of scientists reported significant interference with the FDA’s scientific work, compromising the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission of protecting public health and safety.

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Ethanol: Frequently Asked Questions

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:13:17 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Sep. 22 (Special Report) - Ethanol is a promising alternative fuel that, along with improvements in fuel economy and reductions in travel demand, has the potential to help solve many of the problems associated with gasoline use. Though the current form of ethanol made from corn offers limited environmental benefits and limited potential for large-scale displacement of petroleum, it will be a key to the transition to cellulosic ethanol in the future. Cellulosic ethanol is more energy-efficient than corn ethanol and uses more abundant and diverse feedstocks that, unlike corn, are not used for food production. Unfortunately, cellulosic ethanol is not yet ready for commercial deployment. In the near term, the largest potential for oil savings comes from improvements in the fuel economy of new vehicles, and greater fuel efficiency will help lower the costs of an ethanol future. For this reason, government should continue to support research into cellulosic ethanol and other alternative fuels, but not at the expense of concrete steps to implement proven, cost-effective, near-term solutions such as improving fuel economy over the next 10 years.

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Nuclear attack on Iran would be a deadly mistake

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 03:39:03 -0700

Union of Concerned Scientists - Apr. 28 (Special Report) - (Animation) Nuclear attack on Iran would be a deadly mistake The Bush administration has reportedly considered using a nuclear "bunker buster" against Iran's underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. Based on UCS analysis of the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (a similar but canceled weapon), thousands of innocent civilians could be killed—even though Natanz is more isolated than the target in our simulation. Watch the animation

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