Fabian Schmidt
@fabschmidt.bsky.social
Political economist // Industrial policy for future // Brussels // Rail ultra
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
While the #AirPollution result is the most important one, most business will be sold on the latter
It’s pragmatism to use the latter even if air pollution is a health issue
Another thing is it’s safer for us all as no vehicles means no incidents. A life saved is a step to #VisionZero
It’s pragmatism to use the latter even if air pollution is a health issue
Another thing is it’s safer for us all as no vehicles means no incidents. A life saved is a step to #VisionZero
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
www.forbes.com
February 8, 2026 at 7:41 PM
While the #AirPollution result is the most important one, most business will be sold on the latter
It’s pragmatism to use the latter even if air pollution is a health issue
Another thing is it’s safer for us all as no vehicles means no incidents. A life saved is a step to #VisionZero
It’s pragmatism to use the latter even if air pollution is a health issue
Another thing is it’s safer for us all as no vehicles means no incidents. A life saved is a step to #VisionZero
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
The glass half full take would be that European pols want to present capital markets union to voters as “we have finally triumphed over those lazy bureaucrats in Brussels”
February 9, 2026 at 8:48 AM
The glass half full take would be that European pols want to present capital markets union to voters as “we have finally triumphed over those lazy bureaucrats in Brussels”
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Listened to this Oddlots episode with utilities analyst Andy DeVries this morning. Some useful pushback on the data center/AI power demand narrative that's worth working through. 1/
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The Utilities Analyst Who Says the Data Center Demand Story Doesn't Add Up
Utilities may be building twice as much power as needed.
www.bloomberg.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Listened to this Oddlots episode with utilities analyst Andy DeVries this morning. Some useful pushback on the data center/AI power demand narrative that's worth working through. 1/
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Russia's regional budget deficits increased significantly in 2025, reaching 1.5 trillion RUB. The reason: Increased war financing from the regions and lower profit tax revenue. Regional spending rose by 10%, while regional revenues increased by only 5%.
February 6, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Russia's regional budget deficits increased significantly in 2025, reaching 1.5 trillion RUB. The reason: Increased war financing from the regions and lower profit tax revenue. Regional spending rose by 10%, while regional revenues increased by only 5%.
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
It Turns Out Waymos Are Being Controlled by Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
here’s my new article on chips and the limits of a defense industrial anti-neoliberalism both as an alternative to neoliberalism and as a solution to American decline in (esp leading edge) chip manufacturing for @theprospect.bsky.social prospect.org/economy/2025...
January 30, 2025 at 1:23 PM
here’s my new article on chips and the limits of a defense industrial anti-neoliberalism both as an alternative to neoliberalism and as a solution to American decline in (esp leading edge) chip manufacturing for @theprospect.bsky.social prospect.org/economy/2025...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
You rarely see a bike ride interview done like this.
youtu.be/FZnGd8QBboc?...
youtu.be/FZnGd8QBboc?...
February 1, 2026 at 2:24 AM
You rarely see a bike ride interview done like this.
youtu.be/FZnGd8QBboc?...
youtu.be/FZnGd8QBboc?...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
My Trade Secrets today. Imagine the US in 1957 had seen the Sputnik satellite overhead & said "Nah, we'll leave space to the Soviets".
Thanks to climate change denial, mindless prejudice and trade protectionism, that's just what it's doing now with China & green tech, esp EVs and batteries. 1/2
Thanks to climate change denial, mindless prejudice and trade protectionism, that's just what it's doing now with China & green tech, esp EVs and batteries. 1/2
The US is failing its green tech ‘Sputnik moment’
[FREE TO READ] Prejudice and protectionism are dismantling Joe Biden’s environmental legacy
on.ft.com
June 26, 2025 at 8:46 AM
My Trade Secrets today. Imagine the US in 1957 had seen the Sputnik satellite overhead & said "Nah, we'll leave space to the Soviets".
Thanks to climate change denial, mindless prejudice and trade protectionism, that's just what it's doing now with China & green tech, esp EVs and batteries. 1/2
Thanks to climate change denial, mindless prejudice and trade protectionism, that's just what it's doing now with China & green tech, esp EVs and batteries. 1/2
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Adam Tooze gave the inaugural 𝘓𝘙𝘉 Autumn Lecture, ‘Electrostates, Petrostates and the New Cold War’, at the New School in New York City on 27 October 2025.
Watch the lecture in full here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLnx...
Watch the lecture in full here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLnx...
Adam Tooze: Electrostates, Petrostates and the New Cold War
YouTube video by London Review of Books (LRB)
www.youtube.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Adam Tooze gave the inaugural 𝘓𝘙𝘉 Autumn Lecture, ‘Electrostates, Petrostates and the New Cold War’, at the New School in New York City on 27 October 2025.
Watch the lecture in full here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLnx...
Watch the lecture in full here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLnx...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 2, 2025 at 8:07 AM
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ ➡️ www.authoritarian-stack.info
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Projet de rénovation des abords de l’Hotel de Ville de Saint-Gilles !
Réactions jusqu’au 24 février !
Allez-y !
openpermits.brussels/fr/_13/PFD/1...
Réactions jusqu’au 24 février !
Allez-y !
openpermits.brussels/fr/_13/PFD/1...
Demande de permis 13/PFD/1989199
Place Maurice Van Meenen, 1060 Saint-Gilles. Requalifier et réaménager les abords de l’hôtel de ville de Saint-Gilles.
openpermits.brussels
January 19, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Projet de rénovation des abords de l’Hotel de Ville de Saint-Gilles !
Réactions jusqu’au 24 février !
Allez-y !
openpermits.brussels/fr/_13/PFD/1...
Réactions jusqu’au 24 février !
Allez-y !
openpermits.brussels/fr/_13/PFD/1...
“Part of what motivated the unhinging of my relationship with the Biden people was being invited on to calls with their climate team,”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The crisis whisperer: how Adam Tooze makes sense of our bewildering age
The long read: Whether it’s the financial crash, the climate emergency or the breakdown of the international order, historian Adam Tooze has become the go-to guide to the radical new world we’ve enter...
www.theguardian.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:08 PM
“Part of what motivated the unhinging of my relationship with the Biden people was being invited on to calls with their climate team,”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Indeed, any city that is not considering a pro-cycling agenda must have ample fiscal space.
“If you care about the bottom line, budgets & taxes, then you should care about urban biking, because it’s a money saver. It’s ironic when so-called fiscal conservatives attack biking, when their efforts just show a lack of understanding of math.” My interview with @modacitylife.com #CityMakingMath
Opinion: Why more urban cycling saves everyone money | Urbanized
The resulting benefits of a ‘car-less’ household are myriad, but few are as quantifiable as the money most people sink into a depreciating asset that sits unused for 95% of the time.
dailyhive.com
December 28, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Indeed, any city that is not considering a pro-cycling agenda must have ample fiscal space.
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Why LCOE is meaningless, in one chart (from Spain). Not much good your electricity being a bit cheaper to produce, if it earns just 10% of the revenue of other electricity....
December 26, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Why LCOE is meaningless, in one chart (from Spain). Not much good your electricity being a bit cheaper to produce, if it earns just 10% of the revenue of other electricity....
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
This is a great PHOTO ESSAY on “solar hockey stick of hope”, and countries breaking free of oil and gas dependence.
IF your country's media isn't telling you about the renewables global boom, then consider why....
www.science.org/content/arti...
bsky.app/profile/scie...
IF your country's media isn't telling you about the renewables global boom, then consider why....
www.science.org/content/arti...
bsky.app/profile/scie...
Science has named the seemingly unstoppable growth of renewable energy worldwide as the 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
December 19, 2025 at 9:02 PM
This is a great PHOTO ESSAY on “solar hockey stick of hope”, and countries breaking free of oil and gas dependence.
IF your country's media isn't telling you about the renewables global boom, then consider why....
www.science.org/content/arti...
bsky.app/profile/scie...
IF your country's media isn't telling you about the renewables global boom, then consider why....
www.science.org/content/arti...
bsky.app/profile/scie...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Dazu muss man wissen, dass zweimal die Amtsleiter des Finanzministeriums von Bayern, welches für Steuererhebungen zuständig ist, direkt zu August von Finck (Mises-Institut: "Steuern sind Raub!") wechselten und dort Geschäftsführer zahlreicher Finck-Unternehmen wurden. www.br.de/nachrichten/...
Erbschaftssteuern in Milliardenhöhe in Bayern erlassen
Wird ein Vermögen von mehr als 26 Millionen Euro verschenkt oder vererbt, kann die Steuer teilweise oder ganz wegfallen: wegen "Bedürftigkeit". Bundesweit wurden in vier Jahren fast 7,4 Milliarden Eur...
www.br.de
December 22, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Dazu muss man wissen, dass zweimal die Amtsleiter des Finanzministeriums von Bayern, welches für Steuererhebungen zuständig ist, direkt zu August von Finck (Mises-Institut: "Steuern sind Raub!") wechselten und dort Geschäftsführer zahlreicher Finck-Unternehmen wurden. www.br.de/nachrichten/...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
"We’ve got roughly 120 kWh sitting in our garage, thanks to our Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq. And we’ve got almost 40 kW of solar on the roof. So we’re already at the delicious point where we don’t get power bills - the energy company pays us."
www.lyrebirddreaming.com/post/colour-...
www.lyrebirddreaming.com/post/colour-...
EVs At The Tipping Point: Why You Don’t Want To Be A Late Adopter
These graphs tell an important story. On the left is how horses disappeared from cities once cars took off. On the right is the same kind of substitution curve - petrol and diesel powered cars giving ...
www.lyrebirddreaming.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:52 AM
"We’ve got roughly 120 kWh sitting in our garage, thanks to our Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq. And we’ve got almost 40 kW of solar on the roof. So we’re already at the delicious point where we don’t get power bills - the energy company pays us."
www.lyrebirddreaming.com/post/colour-...
www.lyrebirddreaming.com/post/colour-...
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Though worth noting the French and Italians argue that in bouncing the Germans and Finns into accepting a path towards Eurobonds they have put EU Europe's geopolitical ambitions on a more sustainable long term footing
December 21, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Though worth noting the French and Italians argue that in bouncing the Germans and Finns into accepting a path towards Eurobonds they have put EU Europe's geopolitical ambitions on a more sustainable long term footing
To translate for the EU policy bubble, it’s now:
Green VS digital transition
Green VS digital transition
US bet: Ai, China bet: Green
“In 2024, the country invested an estimated $940bn in clean-energy capex, broadly defined as renewables, electricity grids and energy storage (batteries), dwarfing its AI investments” ft.com/content/1258...
Presented basically this argmnt last wk @basakkus.bsky.social
“In 2024, the country invested an estimated $940bn in clean-energy capex, broadly defined as renewables, electricity grids and energy storage (batteries), dwarfing its AI investments” ft.com/content/1258...
Presented basically this argmnt last wk @basakkus.bsky.social
Could America win the AI race but lose the war?
The US has gone all-in on artificial intelligence. But the idea of an end-of-times battle with China over tomorrow’s key technology is part delusion, part lobbying tool for Silicon Valley
ft.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:41 PM
To translate for the EU policy bubble, it’s now:
Green VS digital transition
Green VS digital transition
Cycling:
1. Climate protection
2. Resource independence
3. Health
1. Climate protection
2. Resource independence
3. Health
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Cycling like the Dutch would slash the world’s carbon footprint
If everybody cycled like the Dutch, we could offset the UK or Australia’s entire carbon footprint.
www.euronews.com
December 13, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Cycling:
1. Climate protection
2. Resource independence
3. Health
1. Climate protection
2. Resource independence
3. Health
Efficiency first
The future of transportation isn’t the #Hyperloop* or self-driving cars. It’s the bus, the bike and the elevator. Via @slate.com.
AND it’s better land-use & infrastructure decisions, reprioritizing space & budgets, accessible streets, & smart pricing mechanisms.
*hyperloop was always a distraction
AND it’s better land-use & infrastructure decisions, reprioritizing space & budgets, accessible streets, & smart pricing mechanisms.
*hyperloop was always a distraction
The Future of Transportation Is Not the Hyperloop or the Self-Driving Car. It’s the Bus, the Bike, and the Elevator.
Getting people around in new, different ways relies mostly on technologies that we have had for a while.
slate.com
December 13, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Efficiency first
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
Deutschland in einer Headline
December 9, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Deutschland in einer Headline
The perspective of the Trump regime on Europe resembles that of the Putin regime on Ukraine:
They cannot tolerate a political system that is culturally very close but less corrupt at their doorstep.
There must be no alternative.
They cannot tolerate a political system that is culturally very close but less corrupt at their doorstep.
There must be no alternative.
"This is, quite straightforwardly, a program for regime change in Europe, aimed at turning it into an illiberal polity." substack.com/inbox/post/1...
America has identified its greatest enemy: Western Europe
Trump's new National Security Strategy: what if groypers cosplayed George Kennan?
substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The perspective of the Trump regime on Europe resembles that of the Putin regime on Ukraine:
They cannot tolerate a political system that is culturally very close but less corrupt at their doorstep.
There must be no alternative.
They cannot tolerate a political system that is culturally very close but less corrupt at their doorstep.
There must be no alternative.
Reposted by Fabian Schmidt
There is still a significant knowledge gap when it comes to industrial electrification.
As I noted in a recent interview and now covered by Table.Briefings, most companies are “unclear about the options and costs.”
table.media/en/climate/f...
As I noted in a recent interview and now covered by Table.Briefings, most companies are “unclear about the options and costs.”
table.media/en/climate/f...
Industrial transformation: Electrification as the key to climate-friendly industry
The electrification of industry offers huge potential for reducing emissions. However, without rapid political incentives, there is a risk of massive misinvestment in fossil fuel plants. The EU is now...
table.media
November 29, 2025 at 9:29 AM
There is still a significant knowledge gap when it comes to industrial electrification.
As I noted in a recent interview and now covered by Table.Briefings, most companies are “unclear about the options and costs.”
table.media/en/climate/f...
As I noted in a recent interview and now covered by Table.Briefings, most companies are “unclear about the options and costs.”
table.media/en/climate/f...