Tidal power among North Korea's new sanctions-proof energy technologies

Nampo, North Korea: Power-strapped North Korea is exploring two ambitious alternative energy sources - tidal power and coal-based synthetic fuels - that could greatly improve living standards and reduce its reliance on oil imports and vulnerability to sanctions.

Young joggers pass by as smokes billows from the stack
of the Pyongyang Power Plant in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Finding a lasting energy source that isn't vulnerable to sanctions has long been a top priority for North Korean officials. Leader Kim Jong-un used his New Year's address last month to call on the country to "radically increase the production of electricity" and singled out the coal-mining industry as a "primary front in developing the self-supporting economy." For the longer-term, he stressed the importance of atomic, wind and tidal power.

Read the story from The Age by Eric Talmadge - “Tidal power among North Korea's new sanctions-proof energy technologies.”

United Nations General Assembly: From North Korea to global terror threats, these are the issues on the agenda

Facing an escalating nuclear threat from North Korea and the mass flight of minority Muslims from Myanmar, world leaders will gather this week at the United Nations starting to tackle these and other tough challenges — from the spread of terrorism to a warming planet.

This will be US President Donald Trump's first
 time attending the UN General Assembly.

The spotlight will be on US President Donald Trump and France's new leader, Emmanuel Macron, who will both be making their first appearance at the General Assembly, which begins tomorrow.

They will be joined by more than 100 heads of state and Government, including Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders who is said to be bringing a 70-member entourage.

These are the key issues to follow during the UN General Assembly, in no particular order:

Read the ABC News story - “United Nations General Assembly: From North Korea to global terror threats, these are the issues on the agenda".

North Koreans undernourished, in worst drought in 16 years

London: North Korea is facing severe food shortages due to the worst drought since 2001, with food imports needed to ensure children and the elderly do not go hungry, the United Nations' food agency says.

People walk and cycle past a factory dome with
writing which reads "First priority: self-development"
in Hamhung, North Korea, on Thursday. 

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said rainfall in key producing areas fell well below the long-term average between April and June and badly affected staple crops including rice, maize, potatoes and soybean.

This disrupted planting activities and damaged the 2017 main season crops, requiring

 increased food imports, commercial or food aid  over the next three months to ensure adequate food supplies for the most vulnerable, including children and the elderly.

Read Ben Seabrook’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “North Koreans undernourished, in worst drought in 16 years.”

North Korea, Tony Abbott, asylum seekers, and budgetary problems may well be complex and serious, but are really little more than distractions; distractions that are keeping the minds of our decision makers, and that of the public, remote from the truly critically important issue of addressing climate change.

North Korea is presently a distraction -
nuclear conflict is a "possibility", but
climate change is real and happening now.

The aforementioned matters can each bring, and are bringing consequences we dislike and with the possible exception of a nuclear conflict arising from the North Korea difficulties, climate change is the most difficult and complex problem humanity has ever faced.

The possibility of nuclear conflict arising from what is happening in North Korea is just that a possibility, while climate change is real and it is happening now and until we address it, it will only get worse and as it worsens so will humanity’s chances of avoiding.

Those of us concerned about climate change, need to avoid becoming too entangled in those other matters for they are really only peripheral to the survival of humanity, beyond the “possible” nuclear conflict that could eventuate from any misstep in North Korea.