Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Malcolm Fairbrother

European Commission @ec.europa.eu · 22h

The numbers of electric vehicles sold in Europe in 2024 are in:

⚡ 1.45 million new battery-only EVs registered
📈 +32% growth in the total electric fleet
🔋 13.6% of all new car registrations are electric

Europe is going full throttle to a clean future.

link.europa.eu/cNKjkh

A color-coded map of Europe titled "Share of electric vehicles sold in each EU country in 2024," showing the share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as a percentage of total new passenger car registrations. The EU average is 13.5%. Countries with the highest shares (>20%, darkest shade) include Sweden (35%), Netherlands (34.5%), Finland (29.5%), Luxembourg (27.4%), Belgium (28%), and Denmark (51%). Other countries like France (16.5%), Portugal (19.9%), and Austria (17.5%) are also in the <20% range. Several Eastern and Southern European countries (including Italy, Spain, Poland, and Czechia) have shares below 10% (the lightest shades).

22 70 290

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 1d

Apparently ten years isn't enough time to stop wrecking the planet.

German carmakers want to keep selling fossil fuel cars after 2035. And the German government (in this case just a committee for managing the affairs of the bourgeoisie?) supports them.

www.cleanenergywire.org/news/merz-vo...

Merz vows to “do everything” to weaken EU’s 2035 combustion car phaseout

www.cleanenergywire.org

1

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 1d

The EU has been considering legislation enabling monitoring of all messaging on all platforms. Really.

(The issue is encryption.)

After this week, it looks less likely to proceed. But there are still advocates (admittedly with some good intentions).

www.computerweekly.com/news/3666326...

Chat Control encryption plans delayed after EU states fail to agree | Computer Weekly

Europe-wide plans to require technology companies to monitor the contents of encrypted messages and emails have been delayed after diplomats were unable to agree on the proposals last night. A planned...

www.computerweekly.com

1

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 2d

I put 500 SEK on Houellebecq. I get 7500 SEK if I'm right.

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 3d

Russia? Climate change? AI?

No. It seems the real threat and thus priority issue, for many in the European Parliament, is... the veggie burger.

www.euractiv.com/news/parliam...

Like, seriously?

Parliament pushes for ‘veggie burger’ ban | Euractiv

Lawmakers back stricter labelling for meat alternatives

www.euractiv.com

1 1 5

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 5d

Yes, that's what they did. A quick search suggests that's a thing. Guess I can live with it, though I don't think it's got the same bravado as an em dash!

1

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 5d

Dear world, I am a pedant.

@universitypress.cambridge.org published an article of mine, and changed all the em dashes ("—”) into en dashes (”–”).

They also added a space after the minus symbol for all negative numbers (though no space after the plus for positives).

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I am unsettled.

2 6

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 7d

New publication!

Aleš Kudrnáč and I have a new paper in npj Climate Action about public support for climate policymaking. Prior studies have emphasized the importance of people's perceptions of policies' costs. But we find perceptions of benefits matter even more!

rdcu.be/eJkGb

2 5

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 15d

"Collaboration needs to be the ultimate goal if eight billion of us are going to have a bright future on this planet," said Jeremy Hansen, astronaut, at a NASA news conference today.

"Just having humanity stop for a moment and say, 'Wow, look at what we can do when we work together.'"

Love this.

1

Reposted by Malcolm Fairbrother

Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org · 16d

#OpenAccess from @jpublicpolicy.bsky.social -

How do Europeans want to fight climate change? Comparing and explaining public support for a wide variety of policies - cup.org/3W89P1g

- @mfair.bsky.social, Ingemar Johansson Sevä & @joakimkulin.bsky.social

#FirstView

1 3 3

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 15d

bsky.app/profile/mfai...

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

In this new paper, we present one of the largest ever studies of public support for different climate policies--16 policies, 6000+ respondents in four countries (DE ES PL SE), and a survey experiment that makes a big contribution to our understanding of why people prefer the policies they do.
(1/n)

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

So political trust is a key factor shaping people's views of different policies, and we conclude that distrust is a problem. We aren't saying people should blindly trust their political leaders. But we think people are often too cynical, and that is weakening the fight against climate change.
(5/5)

1 2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

People with more trust are more accepting of costly policies, and it seems political trust makes people more confident that costs will be compensated by benefits. Because most people are distrusting, however, costly policies are unpopular--even policies experts recommend, like taxes.
(4/n)

1 1 3

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

A major reason for scepticism is that people don’t trust political leaders to design and implement policies fairly and effectively. We found that such distrust makes many people particularly hesitant about policies that will mean paying an obvious cost—like taxes. (Think Yellow Vests.)
(3/n)

1 2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

People believe climate change is a real and serious problem, and want governments to do something about it. But it’s less clear what specific actions they would like to see, and public scepticism about some solutions has been a major reason for the world's slow action on climate change.
(2/n)

1 2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · 16d

In this new paper, we present one of the largest ever studies of public support for different climate policies--16 policies, 6000+ respondents in four countries (DE ES PL SE), and a survey experiment that makes a big contribution to our understanding of why people prefer the policies they do.
(1/n)

1 1 2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Aug 31

”Wir schaffen das.” (We can handle this.)
Ten years ago today. I’ll always appreciate that Merkel said that. She was right.

2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Aug 27

Come on Europeans, up your game!

2

Reposted by Malcolm Fairbrother

Martin Kolk @martinkolk.bsky.social · Aug 19

In our new study in Population and Environment, we examine how environmental concerns shape public attitudes toward childbearing in Sweden. We find views linking environmental concerns with reproduction are widespread, even if we find less support that they affect behavior.

doi.org/10.1007/s111...

1 3 19

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 29

There will be benefits for some U.S. industries, costs for others. Same in the EU.

The fact that Trump sees tariffs as a win, and according to this deal the U.S. will charge tariffs, doesn't mean Americans have gained something at Europeans' expense. Rather, there will costs to pay on both sides.

2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 29

A lot of coverage of the big trade deal suggests the EU somehow lost out bigtime... and the U.S. "won".
To be clear: The U.S. "won" only a game whose rules emanated from Trump's mind.
Mainly, EU products will now be more expensive for U.S. consumers to buy, as their government taxes imports.

1 6

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 14

Hmm…

“Eventually these papers will all be written by an AI agent and then another AI agent will actually read them, analyse them and produce a summary for humans. I actually think that’s what’s going to happen.”

Quality of scientific papers questioned as academics ‘overwhelmed’ by the millions published

Widespread mockery of AI-generated rat with giant penis in one paper brings problem to public attention

www.theguardian.com

2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 6

One or two lectureships in the sociology department at Uppsala.
Excellent applicants wanted!

Sociology Department Uppsala University @uusociologydep.bsky.social · Jun 27

📢 We’re happy to share a new opportunity in our department!
Check out the details and apply here:
🔗 www.uu.se/om-uu/jobba-...
#JobOpening #UppsalaUniversity #AcademicJobs

En till två biträdande universitetslektorer i sociologi - Uppsala universitet

En till två biträdande universitetslektorer i sociologi, Sociologiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet

www.uu.se

1 6 8

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 2

Important climate-related announcement by the European Commission today.
Not as ambitious as green groups wanted, but some MS's (Italy, Poland, Czechia, partly France and Germany) refused to go further.
I've read only DK, ES, FI, LU, NL, and SI were fully supportive.

ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

EU\'s Climate Law presents a new way to get to 2040

The European Commission today proposed an amendment to the EU Climate Law, setting a 2040 EU climate target of 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, compared to 1990 levels, as requeste...

ec.europa.eu

2

Malcolm Fairbrother @mfair.bsky.social · Jul 1

Canada is lucky to have you!

1