Martin Jones
@martincjones.com
🇦🇺/🇩🇪 climate change/energy economist and policy wonk; former academic (CEEM) and consumer advocate (CUAC); amateur footballer. Personal views. He/him.
Reposted by Martin Jones
Possibly the worst idea I have ever heard
The co-founder of Kalshi says: " The long-term vision is to financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion."
December 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Possibly the worst idea I have ever heard
Reposted by Martin Jones
New from my phd student @joshgoddard98.bsky.social: he shows, using many election and panel studies across the advanced democracies, that housing status has replaced occupational class as a key predictor of voting. Class voting is now about assets, not income www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Housing and electoral behaviour: The changing face of class voting in advanced democracies
Scholarship on the relationship between social structure and electoral behaviour has traditionally operationalised voters’ economic or class situation…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:03 AM
New from my phd student @joshgoddard98.bsky.social: he shows, using many election and panel studies across the advanced democracies, that housing status has replaced occupational class as a key predictor of voting. Class voting is now about assets, not income www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Martin Jones
Obligatory 'yes emissions fell, but they didn't fall by enough', as nicely illustrated by the Climate Change Authority:
November 27, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Obligatory 'yes emissions fell, but they didn't fall by enough', as nicely illustrated by the Climate Change Authority:
Reposted by Martin Jones
Quick explainer on some of the main features of the new nature laws, noting some details remain to be seen
Seven ways Australia’s nature laws are changing after Labor’s deal with the Greens
Legislation to reform the EPBC Act runs to hundreds of pages – here are the main changes
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Quick explainer on some of the main features of the new nature laws, noting some details remain to be seen
Reposted by Martin Jones
Soaring gas power generation prices prompts energy regulator to suggest changes to reliability standard to protect consumers from rising costs.
reneweconomy.com.au
November 27, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Soaring gas power generation prices prompts energy regulator to suggest changes to reliability standard to protect consumers from rising costs.
Reposted by Martin Jones
Australia’s emissions down 2.2% last financial year.
Govt says it is the biggest annual drop in gross emissions recorded (ie not counting land/forests).
This has been put out ahead of a dump of climate documents and Chris Bowen making his annual climate statement.
Govt says it is the biggest annual drop in gross emissions recorded (ie not counting land/forests).
This has been put out ahead of a dump of climate documents and Chris Bowen making his annual climate statement.
Australia’s emissions from fossil fuels down as electricity from renewables passes 40%
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Australia’s emissions down 2.2% last financial year.
Govt says it is the biggest annual drop in gross emissions recorded (ie not counting land/forests).
This has been put out ahead of a dump of climate documents and Chris Bowen making his annual climate statement.
Govt says it is the biggest annual drop in gross emissions recorded (ie not counting land/forests).
This has been put out ahead of a dump of climate documents and Chris Bowen making his annual climate statement.
Reposted by Martin Jones
Has climate policy* worked?
There is an argument that CO2 per unit GDP has not accelerated in 50 years (top left).
This term is made of two componets:
* Energy per GDP (bottom left) which has not changed
* CO2 per Energy (top right), this is where the action is
1/
There is an argument that CO2 per unit GDP has not accelerated in 50 years (top left).
This term is made of two componets:
* Energy per GDP (bottom left) which has not changed
* CO2 per Energy (top right), this is where the action is
1/
November 26, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Has climate policy* worked?
There is an argument that CO2 per unit GDP has not accelerated in 50 years (top left).
This term is made of two componets:
* Energy per GDP (bottom left) which has not changed
* CO2 per Energy (top right), this is where the action is
1/
There is an argument that CO2 per unit GDP has not accelerated in 50 years (top left).
This term is made of two componets:
* Energy per GDP (bottom left) which has not changed
* CO2 per Energy (top right), this is where the action is
1/
Reposted by Martin Jones
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
Reposted by Martin Jones
I thought this was fairly well established, but: here's another new study showing that wind and solar complement each other and make for a more stable grid when combined.
Intermittent solar and wind complement each other for a more stable grid
A study finds combining wind and solar leverages their alternating peak periods, significantly boosting total generation capacity while providing a constant, predictable power curve critical for grid ...
pv-magazine-usa.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I thought this was fairly well established, but: here's another new study showing that wind and solar complement each other and make for a more stable grid when combined.
Reposted by Martin Jones
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
"Research by the Centre Against Racial Profiling found people perceived by [Victorian] police to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander were 15x more likely to be searched than white people in 2024, but were less likely to be found with prohibited items" www.theage.com.au/politics/vic...
November 24, 2025 at 12:39 AM
"Research by the Centre Against Racial Profiling found people perceived by [Victorian] police to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander were 15x more likely to be searched than white people in 2024, but were less likely to be found with prohibited items" www.theage.com.au/politics/vic...
Reposted by Martin Jones
FYI: turning off "Smart features" also turns off spell check and the promotions and social tabs. And more.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
FYI: turning off "Smart features" also turns off spell check and the promotions and social tabs. And more.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
Victoria has released its second Climate Change Strategy, covering the period 2026–30. It has also released seven emissions reduction pledges (one for each emissions sector) detailing actions it will take to reduce GHG emissions #SpringSt www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/victorias-cl...
Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy
Setting the course for Victoria reducing emissions and strengthening climate resilience over the next 5 years.
www.climatechange.vic.gov.au
November 20, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Victoria has released its second Climate Change Strategy, covering the period 2026–30. It has also released seven emissions reduction pledges (one for each emissions sector) detailing actions it will take to reduce GHG emissions #SpringSt www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/victorias-cl...
Reposted by Martin Jones
This just in from @adammorton.bsky.social at The Guardian.
No word yet from the Australian Delegation, but as of 30 minutes ago the official line was "negotiations are still ongoing".
Apparently everyone is getting briefed!
No word yet from the Australian Delegation, but as of 30 minutes ago the official line was "negotiations are still ongoing".
Apparently everyone is getting briefed!
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
This just in from @adammorton.bsky.social at The Guardian.
No word yet from the Australian Delegation, but as of 30 minutes ago the official line was "negotiations are still ongoing".
Apparently everyone is getting briefed!
No word yet from the Australian Delegation, but as of 30 minutes ago the official line was "negotiations are still ongoing".
Apparently everyone is getting briefed!
"we find that individual variation in overall performance on Raven’s Progressive Matrices is substantially driven by differential strategizing in the face of difficulty."
IQ maximalism is going great
ooops, turns out Raven's Progressive Matrices was just a personality test pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
ooops, turns out Raven's Progressive Matrices was just a personality test pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Response to Difficulty Drives Variation in IQ Test Performance
In a large (N = 300), pre-registered experiment and data analysis model, we find that individual variation in overall performance on Raven’s Progressive Matrices is substantially driven by differential strategizing in the face of difficulty. Some ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 19, 2025 at 12:29 PM
"we find that individual variation in overall performance on Raven’s Progressive Matrices is substantially driven by differential strategizing in the face of difficulty."
Reposted by Martin Jones
Seems like something worth focusing on now.
Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’
- by @fionaharvey.bsky.social @jonathan-watts.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’
- by @fionaharvey.bsky.social @jonathan-watts.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’
Analysis published at Cop30 summit shows adhering to pledges offer world hope of avoiding climate breakdown
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Seems like something worth focusing on now.
Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’
- by @fionaharvey.bsky.social @jonathan-watts.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Keeping promises on renewables, energy efficiency and methane ‘would avoid nearly 1C of global heating’
- by @fionaharvey.bsky.social @jonathan-watts.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Martin Jones
Becoming an AI-detective is a job I never wanted and wish I could quit | Samantha Floreani
Becoming an AI-detective is a job I never wanted and wish I could quit | Samantha Floreani
My social media feed is now a hellish stream of puerile AI slop. Am I stubborn to want to hang on to reality?
Recently, a friend sent me a video of a man dressed as a pickle. Following a high-octane car chase, the pickle flung himself out of the car and flailed down the highway. It was stupid and we laughed. But it also wasn’t real. When I pointed out to my friend that the video was AI-generated, she was taken by surprise, noting she’s usually pretty good at spotting them. She was also frustrated: “I hate having to be on the constant lookout for AI trash,” she lamented in the chat.
And I feel that. Becoming an AI detective is a job I never wanted and wish I could quit. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Becoming an AI-detective is a job I never wanted and wish I could quit | Samantha Floreani
Reposted by Martin Jones
South Korea vows to phase out coal, and use gas only as “emergency backup” to support an “aggressive” expansion of wind, solar and storage.
reneweconomy.com.au
November 18, 2025 at 3:09 AM
South Korea vows to phase out coal, and use gas only as “emergency backup” to support an “aggressive” expansion of wind, solar and storage.
"Melbourne-based start-up Kapture has partnered with Deakin University through its Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) to transform combustion engine emissions into sustainable fertiliser." www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin...
From exhaust to fertiliser - Deakin and Kapture are set to transform Australian agriculture
Kapture and Deakin University’s REACH are pioneering technology that captures diesel emissions and converts them into green fertiliser, supporting decarbonisation and sustainable farming across Austra...
www.deakin.edu.au
November 17, 2025 at 6:41 AM
"Melbourne-based start-up Kapture has partnered with Deakin University through its Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) to transform combustion engine emissions into sustainable fertiliser." www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin...
"the chief executives of more than a dozen major electricity suppliers, including AGL, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia ... rejected calls to ditch net zero and insisted that shifting to a mostly renewable grid was the best way to keep bills as low as possible." www.theage.com.au/business/the...
Energy giants back net zero as Coalition reignites climate war
Australia’s major power companies have reinforced support for net zero and a renewable-dominated grid, insisting it will be the cheapest option for consumers.
www.theage.com.au
November 17, 2025 at 6:27 AM
"the chief executives of more than a dozen major electricity suppliers, including AGL, Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia ... rejected calls to ditch net zero and insisted that shifting to a mostly renewable grid was the best way to keep bills as low as possible." www.theage.com.au/business/the...
Reposted by Martin Jones
The International Criminal Court is ditching Microsoft Office, saying it’s too dependent on US tech, in favor of Open Desk, a German open source alternative.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
International Criminal Court to ditch Microsoft Office for European open source alternative | Euractiv
The court will move its internal work environment to Open Desk, a German-developed open source software
www.euractiv.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The International Criminal Court is ditching Microsoft Office, saying it’s too dependent on US tech, in favor of Open Desk, a German open source alternative.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
The move comes after Microsoft revoked ICC head Karim Khan’s email access when he was sanctioned by the US for the warrant against Netanyahu.
Reposted by Martin Jones
The new 2025 Global Carbon Budget finds that fossil fuel emissions will reach a new high in 2025. Total CO2 emissions (including land use) remain flat at 2024 levels.
While the land sink is up from 2024, carbon sinks are weakening: www.carbonbrief.org/...
While the land sink is up from 2024, carbon sinks are weakening: www.carbonbrief.org/...
November 13, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The new 2025 Global Carbon Budget finds that fossil fuel emissions will reach a new high in 2025. Total CO2 emissions (including land use) remain flat at 2024 levels.
While the land sink is up from 2024, carbon sinks are weakening: www.carbonbrief.org/...
While the land sink is up from 2024, carbon sinks are weakening: www.carbonbrief.org/...
"What do statistics tell us about Victoria's crime wave?" Good article on some of the background to the Victorian Government's current focus on youth crime. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
The statistics behind Victoria's crime wave
As Victoria grapples with a crime wave, the ABC takes a deeper look at some of the numbers behind the rise in offences.
www.abc.net.au
November 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
"What do statistics tell us about Victoria's crime wave?" Good article on some of the background to the Victorian Government's current focus on youth crime. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...