Despite sustainble developm. & green growth efforts, the research indicates fossil fuel combustion, industrial activ., land-use change & deforestation, are major force behind accelerating climate change. In 2024, global energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 0.8%. Can we afford more economic growth?

The power of money

Britain is the world’s worst offender for letting fossil fuel companies drill in protected areas.

Imagine what life would be like if…

Wow …

Who needs science? 🤷‍♀️ Who needs health science? Who needs Disease control & prevention or food and drug administration research? We live in desperate times.

As a wee side note, UK govt published this today.

This map shows the number of dentists per 10,000 residents in Europe. The stereotype of British people having bad teeth is mirrored in the low number of dentists per capita. Is there a stereotype regarding Swedish teeth?! HT @Maps_interlude

So today I found out that my TED talk ‘This is What a Digital Coup Looks Like’ was TED’s most watched talk of the year. It’s sort of amazing & terrifying. Because this *is* what a digital coup looks like. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOo...

So I have come across this site with alternative digital service providers in Europe: european-alternatives.eu/de but naturally it doesn’t include brexitland. Is there something similar out there promoting #digitalsovereignity for UK

“Over nine months, Sky News’ Data and Forensics team investigated whether X’s algorithms amplify right-wing and extreme content. Their findings were clear: Elon Musk’s X is boosting right-wing and extreme content, as well as politicians Musk favours.”

Death toll soars in Gaza, ministry reports 69,785 killed - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/death-toll-soars-gaza-ministry-reports-69785-killed

Lemmings come to mind

Let that sink in, we are talking about education providers which are in essence public service providers. So shrinking public sector services is very much on the agenda, underinvesting/underfunding education service in my book does nothing to the so desperately pursued policy on 'economic growth'

How is this not the top story on every news bulletin? This has been happening for years and instead of doing anything to protect children successive governments have made the situation worse. This isn't just on councils. It is part of failings on a State level. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The real BBC bias story, narrated by Anna Ford

🔴Dominic Cummings Lobbied Officials to Hand ‘Test and Trace’ Contracts to Palantir After Secret Meeting With Peter Thiel Exclusive: Boris Johnson’s advisor pushed for contracts to be handed to companies run by Trump-supporting tech billionaires Peter Thiel and Larry Ellison

Most effective land use, particularly useful for Southern Europe experiencing extreme heat and draughts.

A German word of wisdom: “Papier ist gedultig”, meaning as much as promises written on paper don’t mean much in themselves. Consumers better not take company promises at face value when actions are in contradiction of commitments. It’s the design/implementation gap also referred to as #greenwashing

The most dangerous people are the people you can't reason with.

What looks like sci-fi but also highly likely? The dark triad, power that comes with extreme wealth, undermining democracy and an unfair economic system which needs inequality to thrive will be our undoing, unless... Luke Kemp writes: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Yeah, let’s have some more of this. I would go further and ban advertising altogether.

Some hopeful news from across the pond.

The 2024 Planetary Boundaries report showed 6/9 boundaries breached with the 7th, Ocean Acidification, in danger. A new study shows that this too has now been crossed. The implications are huge! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #climatechange #oceanacidification #planetaryboundaries #oceans

🫁 Cleaner air ➡️ longer lives A new study models air pollution deaths across 1,366 European regions under five climate scenarios. Ambitious climate action could cut deaths from 315,000 to just 67,000/year by 2100. Weak action? Still 279,000. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s414... #SciComm #AirQuality 🧪

Check out the latest edition of my @financialtimes.com newsletter. (1/2) The UK doesn't have a "productivity puzzle". Its problem is policymaking: on.ft.com/4kifegH

A sobering look at some key #climate indicators from last year - CO2 Emissions in 2024 - Record High Coal - Record High Gas - Record High Oil - Record High (tied 2019) 🧵1/9 www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-glo...

When you miss to look at the bigger picture, or is it to stop Reform UK to make gains amongst voters? Foolish regardless

Another brexit benefit, NI has been banking on tourism related economic growth

Bluesky has overtaken its flailing rival X in hosting posts related to new academic research, indicating the platform is fast becoming the go-to place for scholars to share their work #AcademicSky #EduSky

Follow the money …

🚨NEW🚨 Wes Streeting has bagged another £58,000 from sources connected to the private health sector since taking over at the health department. 👀 But what do his backers expect in return? goodlawproject.org/health-secre...

This is why #degrowth is a political project

“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”

Help me make it sense

This is Marco Rubio explaining how the USA promised to defend Ukraine forever if they got rid of their nuclear arsenal left after the Soviet Union fell. This is why lil marco was sinking into the couch. He was hoping we wouldn’t find it…so don’t RT right now this very second.

‘Phonetic overlap’ sounds like satire to me.

This a worrying account on restrictions imposed on scientific research: "words that must not be used include bias, biased, women or female, and it’s impossible to see how scientifically valid research can be conducted without these words"

I think that's an ok'ish wishlist

I am intrigued and want to hear from the 29%.

belfastcyclecampaign.com/campaigns/f/... Belfast citizens please join us in opposing the Dept of Infrastructure’s stealthy plan to extend the temporary use of bus/cycle lanes by taxis. It will make cycling in Belfast much more dangerous by adding many more taxis into lanes shared with cyclists!

🔴 MAPPED: Donald Trump’s Transatlantic Anti-Green Network Politicians, donors, think tanks, and media outlets in the UK and U.S. are working increasingly closely to scupper climate policies and promote fossil fuel extraction. 📝 @adambarnett.bsky.social

Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, has officially launched a low-emission zone for household heating — the first of its kind anywhere in the world. -> and the municipality is covering the cost of switching to cleaner alternatives such as heat pumps. theprogressplaybook.com/2025/01/21/i...

Make sure you have a look at this Northern Ireland public consultations for licenses for mining across the North. Make your voice heard

EV’s are not the solution, heavy investment in public transport is. Focus on direct emissions without addressing externalities does not progress sustainability, but drives more consumption which only serves the pockets of car manufacturers and energy companies.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧? 💤 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭!🌙 👉 To check if you're eligible & take part, click: qubpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... If you have any questions, email, [email protected]

Gore-Tex no more …