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Brett Christophers

@brettchristophers.bsky.social

3.6K followers 360 following 52 posts

Geographer

Brett Christophers is an economic geographer who is professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University. He has written extensively on the history of the modern financial sector, the financial management of real economic assets, and the effect on the environment from financial management of land and natural resources. .. more

Economics 66%

Political science 16%

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Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · May 20

UK paperback of The Price is Wrong available from today, @versobooks.bsky.social

The Price is Wrong

RECENT TECHNICAL ADVANCES mean it is typically cheaper to produce electricity from renewable sources than from fossil fuels. Yet, around the world, the transition to green energy is happening too slow...

www.versobooks.com

Reposted by Kevin Anderson

Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 5h

"optimistic & upbeat claptrap that typically masquerades as reasoned debate"

good description of the vast bulk of mainstream climate literature, that

Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 5h

The hard numbers do paint a very different picture to the optimistic & upbeat claptrap that typically masquerades as reasoned debate. I made the point about 2°C & Covid in climateuncensored.com/talk-at-the-... - though used the 7% figure there which is from the start of 2025 (rather than 2026).

Talk at the Tyndall Centre Conference: Our Critical Decade for Climate Action - Climate Uncensored

Venue: UEA. 8th September 2025

climateuncensored.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 5h

The hard numbers do paint a very different picture to the optimistic & upbeat claptrap that typically masquerades as reasoned debate. I made the point about 2°C & Covid in climateuncensored.com/talk-at-the-... - though used the 7% figure there which is from the start of 2025 (rather than 2026).

Talk at the Tyndall Centre Conference: Our Critical Decade for Climate Action - Climate Uncensored

Venue: UEA. 8th September 2025

climateuncensored.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Matthew Cole @mattcole.bsky.social · 6h

My first book, *Unpaid: the Past, Present and Future of Wage Theft*, will be published by @versobooks.bsky.social in May, 2026!

This book is born from experience. It is written for anyone who is dissatisfied with the capitalist wage system.

UK pre-order: www.waterstones.com/book/unpaid/...

Reposted by Kevin Anderson

Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 7h

When you see the cold numbers -- 8% cuts in emissions needed per year, every year, from now -- it's clear that even 2° is a fantasy

(Emissions only fell 5% during covid, when much of the world economy shut down)

Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 9h

Short comment on 'carbon trading' climateuncensored.com/what-role-fo...

Paris 1.5°C needs >20% cuts in global emissions every year - starting now!
For Paris 2°C, it’s ~8%.
Which country/company/institution can exceed these rates?
Only those that do have any real “emission space” for carbon trading.

What role for carbon trading? - Climate Uncensored

I was recently contacted by a senior civil servant who asked me to provide a short comment on the concept of emissions trading schemes in general, and on the

climateuncensored.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Kohei Saito @koheisaito.bsky.social · 8h

My new article "Rentier capitalism, technofascism and the destruction of the common" now published in Area Development and Policy (open access)!!
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Rentier capitalism, technofascism and the destruction of the common

This paper critically examines the emerging discourse on technofeudalism. While mainstream narratives celebrate technological advancement driven by American tech giants, proponents of the technofeu...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Wolfgang Crämer, Brett Christophers, Jussi T. Eronen

Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 9h

Short comment on 'carbon trading' climateuncensored.com/what-role-fo...

Paris 1.5°C needs >20% cuts in global emissions every year - starting now!
For Paris 2°C, it’s ~8%.
Which country/company/institution can exceed these rates?
Only those that do have any real “emission space” for carbon trading.

What role for carbon trading? - Climate Uncensored

I was recently contacted by a senior civil servant who asked me to provide a short comment on the concept of emissions trading schemes in general, and on the

climateuncensored.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers, John Hogan

Housing, Theory and Society @housingtheory.bsky.social · 10h

🔔 Monday morning commentaries

We have two fresh commentaries to @sjs1869.bsky.social and Gavin Wood's focus article on the edges of home-ownership and rentier capitalism

The Edges of Owner-Occupation versus Rentier Capitalism

Over the past half century, housing systems have been reconfigured through processes variously labelled financialization, assetization and rentierization. Unevenly advanced by successive rounds of ...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Verso Books @versobooks.bsky.social · 3d

"@davidharvey.org's lifelong passion has been that of a restless analyst who continues to inspire with his heart as well as his head."

In celebration of David Harvey's 90th birthday, Andy Merrifield on Harvey's Consciousness and the Urban Experience.

www.versobooks.com/blogs/news/t...

The Marxist Restless Analyst

Andy Merrifield on David Harvey's Consciousness and the Urban Experience.

www.versobooks.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Prof Katherine Brickell @kbrickell.bsky.social · 3d

Published today on #WorldHomelessDay: my book Debt Trap Nation – a deep dive into how government policy is driving families into homelessness & debt.

All royalties to @seacharity.bsky.social 💜

Families aren't failing. They're being failed.

📖 www.agendapub.com/page/detail/...

#DebtTrapNation

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Housing, Theory and Society @housingtheory.bsky.social · 4d

🔔 Check out three of our most recent online first publications!

⭐ Dr Simon Hill writes about ethics of hospitality translating into housing stability, security and autonomy in "A Levinasian Right to Housing: What Emmanuel Levinas’s Phenomenology of House and Home Can Offer Housing Scholarship"

A Levinasian Right to Housing: What Emmanuel Levinas’s Phenomenology of House and Home Can Offer Housing Scholarship

This paper turns to Emmanuel Levinas’s phenomenology of house and home to propose a Levinasian right to housing. After sketching the phenomenal conditions that Levinas’s phenomenology is grounded i...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

The BREAK—DOWN @the-breakdown.bsky.social · 4d

*ON SALE NOW*

ANDREAS MALM in conversation with ADRIENNE BULLER

Marking the release of his book 'The Long Heat', Malm leads this vital discussion on the climate crisis and how we can act and come together for change.

@versobooks.bsky.social

TICKETS 👇

Andreas Malm in Conversation with Adrienne Buller | Barbican

Best-selling author and activist Andreas Malm leads a vital discussion on the climate crisis, exploring how we can act and come together with hope for change.

www.barbican.org.uk

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Will Davies @will-davies.bsky.social · 4d

Powerful editorial statement from the soon-to-be-launched @equatormag.bsky.social www.equator.org

A new world is emerging from the ruins of the liberal order. But the West’s prestigious publications are ill-equipped to comprehend its challenges – and its possibilities. Enter Equator, an internatio...

www.equator.org

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Kevin Anderson @kevinclimate.bsky.social · 4d

Attached is a suggestion I made several years ago. It would need to be part of a broader package, including eliminating first & business class, & ensuring even the first flight incurs the same tax & carbon costs as other fuels do. Aviation remains heavily dependent on its highly privileged status

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Josh Ryan-Collins @jryancollins.bsky.social · 5d

If you reduce taxation on property, the 'saving' will be capitalised in to house prices, enriching existing owners whilst not increasing homeownership. Property tax needs reform not lowering. Abolish stamp duty & replace with annual proportional property tax.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Tories will scrap stamp duty on primary residences, Kemi Badenoch tells conference

Leader announces tax cut plan for England and Northern Ireland in speech aimed at boosting fiscal credibility

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Jim Kane @kanejim.bsky.social · 6d

For Brookfield, "investing in energy transition assets" of course means buying existing assets.

Brookfield raises $20bn in second energy transition investment fund

Canadian parent company to contribute heavily alongside UAE and Norwegian wealth funds

Reposted by Stacy D. VanDeveer

Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 6d

The iron law of climate politics: everyone is "in favour of climate action" [as long as it means zero change to existing lifestyles]

How politicians and passengers gave up on greener air travel

A renewed push for economic growth has added to technological challenges and problems with carbon offset schemes

Reposted by Jamie Peck, Brett Christophers

economyandspace.bsky.social @economyandspace.bsky.social · 7d

Economy and Space Vol. 57, No. 7 is now available online! It features articles on a number of topics, from municipal structural adjustment and post-entrepreneurial cities to heritage branding and the geography of financial exclusion.

Link and ToC below:

journals.sagepub.com/toc/epna/57/...

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Jim Kane @kanejim.bsky.social · 7d

If you're trying to make sense of BlackRock's recent buying spree, we have a deep dive into the firm's operations and where it's likely headed.

Reposted by Lyla Mehta, Brett Christophers, Prakash Kashwan

Gillian Branstetter @gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 8d

I have so much respect for Greta Thunberg because she easily could have coasted on speaking gigs and Davos appearances for the rest of her life

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Susan J. Smith @sjs1869.bsky.social · 9d

Exactly! Large corporates have their eyes on the huge value of ‘last time sales’ - part of a wider shift in the housing economy www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Economic thought @economicthought.bsky.social · 10d

Interview: The economic style of reasoning is not value-neutral! An interview with Elizabeth Popp Berman, by Ditte Andersen
doi.org/10.1177/0001...

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Brett Christophers, Andrew Leyshon

Stuart Elden @stuartelden.bsky.social · 10d

David Harvey at 90: A Verso Series www.versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/... @versobooks.bsky.social First essay by Eric Sheppard now posted.

Harvey at 90: A Verso Series

Last year, we celebrated Fredric Jameson's ninetieth birthday with a month long series commemorating his impact on literary criticism, critical theory and philosophy. This month, in honour of David H...

www.versobooks.com

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Brett Christophers

James Meek @jamesmeek.bsky.social · 12d

I wrote about Artificial Desire

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

James Meek · Computers that want things

For all the fluency and synthetic friendliness of public-facing AI chatbots like ChatGPT, it seems important to remember...

Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 14d

Of course, but in this instance the good thing is _enabled by_ the bad thing, so the bad inhabits and irrevocably stains the good

Brett Christophers @brettchristophers.bsky.social · 14d

Please don't eulogise Norway. Its rapid EV take-up is in large part greenwashing, covering up (and SUBSIDIZED BY) massive ongoing oil and gas extraction -- with dozens of new exploration and production licences continuing to be issued.

Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 15d

Norway puts our backtracking to shame:

Norway’s uptake of EVs is nearly 100%. August set a new record of 98.4% of all new sales (with plug-in hybrids a mere 1.5%). The government has a goal of ending the sale of fossil-fuelled cars by the end of this year.

cleantechnica.com/2025/09/09/e...

EVs At A Record 98.4% Share In Norway — KGM Musso Arrives - CleanTechnica

August saw plugin EVs at a record 98.4% share in Norway, up from 95.7% year on year. BEVs alone took 96.9% share.

cleantechnica.com

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Peter Thorne, Mark Lubell , and 10 more Richard S.J. Tol, Peter Thorne, Mark Lubell, Jesse H. Kroll, Rosie A. Fisher, Richard Waite, Joseph Schafer, Brett Christophers, Tuomas Mattila, Andréas Nilsson, Cassandra L. Thiel, Patrick Meier, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

Kate Marvel @drkatemarvel.bsky.social · 15d

my takeaway from climate week nyc is that "climate storytelling" is a little too much "we must reimagine our deepest souls in relationship to mother nature and the moral abyss of the polycrisis into which we must now stare" and not enough "ok but get a heat pump"

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 15d

Norway puts our backtracking to shame:

Norway’s uptake of EVs is nearly 100%. August set a new record of 98.4% of all new sales (with plug-in hybrids a mere 1.5%). The government has a goal of ending the sale of fossil-fuelled cars by the end of this year.

cleantechnica.com/2025/09/09/e...

EVs At A Record 98.4% Share In Norway — KGM Musso Arrives - CleanTechnica

August saw plugin EVs at a record 98.4% share in Norway, up from 95.7% year on year. BEVs alone took 96.9% share.

cleantechnica.com

Reposted by Fabián Muniesa, Brett Christophers

Politics Theory Other @poltheoryother.bsky.social · 16d

"While Trump’s first term looked like an aberration, a morbid symptom of a dying world, his second looks more like an attempt to enforce a new paradigm." - @will-davies.bsky.social

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

William Davies · Repeal the 20th Century: Pre-MAGA

To understand the intellectual coordinates of Trumpism requires us to look in less conventional places and to pay more...

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Brett Christophers

Boston Review @bostonreview.bsky.social · 18d

From runaway slave lists to Canary Mission, the state has long deputized citizens to enforce its will.

New from Shiri Pasternak:

A Theory of the List - Boston Review

From runaway slave lists to Canary Mission, the state has long deputized citizens to enforce its will.

www.bostonreview.net

Reposted by Brett Christophers

Housing, Theory and Society @housingtheory.bsky.social · 18d

🔔 Two new highlights!

✏️ Understanding Housing Justice in Shared Housing by Zoë Goodall, Wendy Stone, Kay Cook and Deb Batterham investigating shared private rental housing through the lenses of relationality and housing justice.

➡️ www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Understanding Housing Justice in Shared Housing

This article conceptually explores housing justice through the worked example of shared housing in the private rental sector (PRS), where people live with non-family. Drawing on interviews with 25 ...

www.tandfonline.com