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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 5h

One year’s worth of bread has been lost in the UK since 2020 due to extreme weather destroying harvests, finds @eciu.net analysis:

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

One year’s worth of bread lost in UK to wrecked harvests since 2020, report finds

Worsening droughts and floods have destroyed wheat for 4bn loaves of bread and forced record levels of imports

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 1d

Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year finds @ember-energy.org analysis:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

www.bbc.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 2d

Majority of Conservative Party members support Britain’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, despite Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to scrap landmark climate legislation if Tories win next election:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Majority of Tory members oppose Kemi Badenoch’s net zero plans

More than half of Tory members said they support Britain’s target of reaching net zero by 2050

www.independent.co.uk

George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 6d

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal the Climate Change Act if the Conservatives win the next election:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal Climate Change Act

Tory leader says she would replace it with ‘cheap energy’ strategy, ending decades-long consensus on climate

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 6d

Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Pope Leo hits out at critics of global warming

In his first major statement on climate change, the pontiff criticises those who minimise climate change.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 8d

NEW: Something remarkable happened recently and hardly anyone noticed – GB electricity demand was 100% covered by clean power

We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before

🧵

www.carbonbrief.org/...
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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 8d

Growth in global carbon emissions has slowed to just 0.32 per cent a year in the decade since the Paris Agreement was signed in late 2015, shows @eciu.net analysis:

www.businessgreen.com/news/4519655...

'Brakes slammed': Global emissions growth has slowed drastically in decade since Paris Agreement

Global emissions have grown just 1.17 per cent since COP21 versus an 18.4 per cent increase in the decade to 2015, ECIU analysis shows

www.businessgreen.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 9d

European way of life is being jeopardised by environmental degradation, finds report.

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Environmental damage is putting European way of life at risk, says report

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 12d

On why Trump is wrong on climate, renewable energy, the next economic growth cycle, on powering data centres cost-efficiently, and on geo-economics. Very good by the FT‘s Gillian Tett.
on.ft.com/3KkjVcU

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 13d

US faces "twilight of shale”

“The US shale business is broken... What was once the world’s most dynamic energy engine has been gutted by political hostility and economic ignorance.”

via FT Energy Source:

ep.ft.com/permalink/em...

Howdy y’all and welcome to Energy Source.

ep.ft.com

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Alister Doyle @alisterdoyle.bsky.social · 14d

The only con job here is by Trump. The UN’s IPCC climate panel - whose finding are okayed by fossil fuel producers including Saudi Arabia, US, Russia, etc - says human-caused warming is «unequivocal». That’s more than «most scientists» www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Trump to address UN as he distances US from global cooperation

U.S. President Donald Trump will address the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday as world leaders grapple with crises from Gaza to Ukraine and question whether the United States, with its "America First" foreign policy, is still prepared to play a leadership role in global affairs.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 14d

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback

Growth rate slightly lower than previous first-half years but sector still strong and resilient, experts say

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 19d

Yet more embarrassment for the Times, which has printed a ludicrous – and almost certainly false – line about windfarms being “dismantled” near Trump’s Scottish golf course

But why pick up the phone, as I did, when you can print nudge-nudge rumours instead?

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 20d

Global water resources are under growing pressure from an increasingly “erratic” hydrological cycle, with two-thirds of all river basins suffering from abnormal conditions last year, says WMO:

www.ft.com/content/61cb...

Two-thirds of rivers suffered abnormal conditions in hottest year, says WMO

Europe had its most extensive flooding since 2013, with insurers estimating they would face up to €3bn in claims

www.ft.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 21d

Human-made global heating caused two in every three heat deaths in Europe during this year’s scorching summer, an early analysis of mortality in 854 big cities has found:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Human-made global warming ‘caused two in three heat deaths in Europe this summer’

Researchers from Imperial College London say 16,500 deaths caused by hot weather brought on by greenhouse gases

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 25d

Excellent piece, well written!

Reposted by George Smeeton

James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 28d

Really important polling today from Climate Outreach and More in Common showing that despite all the noises off there is still robust public support for climate action. www.businessgreen.com/news/4518762...

'Quiet sense of pride': Large majority of Brits back ambitious climate action

Poll of over 7,000 people reveals strong support for clean energy, nature restoration, and climate action - but a deep disillusionment with politics and the cost of living remains

www.businessgreen.com

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Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · Sep 4

Moving gas plants - which set the price of electricity- out of the market and into a nationally controlled reserve, would take £5bn off the UK’s energy bills

“Renewable energy is cheaper than gas but we’re not reaping all of the benefits clean power brings”

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Energy users ‘could save £5bn a year’ if gas plants are removed from market

Former energy tsar suggests the ‘radical step’ as one of the few options the government has for cutting bills

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Jess Ralston @jessralston.bsky.social · Sep 3

How much oil and gas is REALLY left in the North Sea? 🤔

According to a new report by oil and gas lobby group @oeuk.bsky.social, loads!!!!

*As long as they get subsidies and deregulation*

Is this true? And if so, would it lower bills?

Let's investigate...

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Cecilia Keating @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org · Sep 3

It seems like an age ago now, but back in 2020 I worked on an op-ed for @businessgreen.bsky.social from @kemibadenochmp.bsky.social where she explicitly backed net zero

It states she is "proud" the UK is the "first major economy... to legislate to end its contribution to global warming by 2050"

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Tessa Khan @tessakhan.bsky.social · Sep 2

Genuinely crackers statement from Kemi Badenoch this AM setting out her approach to North Sea oil & gas.

As Badenoch says, "cheap abundant energy is the foundation of prosperity"... which is exactly why we need to plan to transition away from North Sea oil & gas and focus on renewables instead 🧵

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · Sep 1

Met Office confirms summer 2025 is officially warmest summer on record for UK.

Analysis also shows that a summer as hot or hotter than 2025 is now 70 times more likely than it would be in a ‘natural’ climate with no human caused greenhouse gas emissions:

www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...

Summer 2025 is the warmest on record for the UK

Provisional Met Office statistics confirm that summer 2025 is officially the warmest summer on record for the UK.

www.metoffice.gov.uk

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Tessa Khan @tessakhan.bsky.social · Aug 31

This would be laughable if it wasn't so serious: yet again, the Tories are claiming that we can get "all our oil and gas" from the North Sea and that we should be doing even more to support the industry to extract.

There are several reasons why we should treat this with maximum scepticism:

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Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · Sep 1

Why UK Tories & Reform are wrong when they position drilling in the North Sea as an answer to UK energy security

"Between now and 2050, new licences are expected to provide just 103 days of gas at today’s demand – that's four days worth of gas a year on average"

www.upliftuk.org/post/the-fut...

The future of the North Sea - Blogpost from Uplift (News)

The UK government is undertaking to transition the North Sea from oil and gas production to clean energy generation to ensure that it provides the future jobs, investment and energy that this country ...

www.upliftuk.org

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · Aug 29

“Governor announced plans earlier this month for a new immigration jail in north Florida, to be called “the deportation depot”, while other states have joined push to build detention camps with names mocking immigrants, including “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana, and “Cornhusker Clink” in Nebraska.” 😢

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