Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Liz Hicks

benjaminpohlberlin.bsky.social @benjaminpohlberlin.bsky.social · 4d

"to see these uprisings as South Asia’s Arab Spring is misleading. They are not clones of one another, nor do they herald a uniform democratic tide. Each is written in its own dialect ... What unites them is the collapse of patience with elites, what separates them is the path that follows collapse"

Ashok Swain @ashoswai.bsky.social · 4d

Is India next? Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal — three regimes toppled in three years. Not an “Arab Spring,” but a South Asian warning: protests can oust leaders, not build orders. Renewal, fragility, chaos — the region now lives between all three. #MyPiece scroll.in/article/1087...

South Asia’s ‘Arab Spring’ comparison is misleading but there is a lesson for India here

It is less about a shared regional revolution than about the impatience of citizens, especially young citizens, and the challenge of what comes after.

scroll.in

1 1

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 4d

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 4d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

99 2.3K 7K

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

Thanks Michael!

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Australian Public Law Blog @auspublawblog.bsky.social · 13d

New today on AUSPUBLAW: @lizhicks.bsky.social analyses the Federal Court’s reliance on the concept of ‘core policy’ in determining Commonwealth duties of care in relation to climate change in Pabai v Commonwealth: www.auspublaw.org/blog/2025/09...

‘Climate Overloading’ and Separation of Powers Arguments: Reflections on Pabai v Commonwealth of Australia — Australian Public Law

Liz Hicks The recent Federal Court decision of Pabai v Commonwealth (No 2 ) [2025 ] FCA 796 considered wheth er the Commonwealth owed two duties of care to the Torres Strait Islander peopl...

www.auspublaw.org

1 4

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

So this is the second time someone has used the “I’m overloaded so can’t read this right now” pun 😆

1 1

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

Abstract concerns about justiciability then go looking for doctrinal clothes that are an uncomfortable fit for reasons of principle and precedent. /6

5

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

Climate overloading isn’t a strategy or problem that is specific to common law contexts, but it does create particular problems here because of the common law’s aversion to abstract reasoning. /5

1 2 5

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

By framing the questions before the court at such a high level of abstraction and complexity, defendants effectively ‘overload’ those questions so that they are not susceptible to concrete legal analysis. /4

1 1 4

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

I’ve contextualised this within a phenomenon I describe as ‘climate overloading’: a form of argument that takes a more context-specific, discrete question that could be susceptible to a legal answer and lumps that question together with the problem of climate change as whole. /3

1 2 5

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

There is a lot to say about this decision. I’ve focussed my comments here on the Court’s reliance on the concept of ‘core policy’ in its reasoning (and a similar reliance on the concept in the Full Court decision in the Sharma litigation in 2022). /2

1 3

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 13d

In this post for auspublaw I share some thoughts on the recent Australian Federal Court decision of Pabai v Commonwealth. /1

www.auspublaw.org/home/2025/09...

‘Climate Overloading’ and Separation of Powers Arguments: Reflections on Pabai v Commonwealth of Australia — Australian Public Law

Liz Hicks

www.auspublaw.org

2 7 23

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Michael Jakob @ct-economics.bsky.social · 16d

Yesterday there have been protests for accelerated climate policies around the world. Starting tomorrow, I will post one reason for climate optimism every week to encourage people to keep up the momentum.

Marchers gather in worldwide protest of financial institutions 'profiting off the climate crisis'

On the eve of New York Climate Week, activists and members of the public have gathered to protest the financial institutions that are “making our lives more expensive while profiting off the climate c...

apnews.com

1 2 4

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 22d

'“When you put together all the cases, it becomes apparent that the companies are using quite an aggressive legal strategy,” Bart-Jaap Verbeek said. “The arbitration clauses in the contracts the government signed with them allowed them to do this.”'

Story via @rishpardikar.bsky.social.

Exxon and Shell Sue The Netherlands in Secret Tribunals for Closing Europe’s Biggest Gas Field

Following billions in profits and over a thousand gas extraction-related earthquakes, the oil and gas giants filed claims against the Dutch state in four separate investor-state disputes concerning co...

drilled.media

2 19 28

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 25d

“And there’s a further asymmetry: a single post from a random, anonymous user online will be treated as a statement from “the left”, while the outpourings of the right’s most powerful voices, in politics or the media, and including the president himself, somehow get a free pass.”

2

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · 25d

“Different rules apply. After an act of violence, Democrats must be gracious, empathetic and call for calm on all sides, while Republicans can mock the victims, blame only one side and demand more violence.”

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The US is on the brink of another era of political violence – and Donald Trump ‘couldn’t care less’ | Jonathan Freedland

In their humane responses to the killing of Charlie Kirk, Democrats are observing the old norms. Things are different now: anger and division rule, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland

www.theguardian.com

1 1 3

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · Sep 7

“Those lofty words aged like milk this week as Albanese's government revealed its plans to water down Australia's transparency laws and make secrets easier to keep.”

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Albanese scoffed at Morrison's secrecy. Then he copied it

When he lashed Scott Morrison over the multiple ministries affair, Anthony Albanese said his predecessor "operated in darkness". But this week, a PM with a patchy transparency record of his own announ...

www.abc.net.au

1 4

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · Sep 5

“The New South Wales environment watchdog sat on a report for four years linking elevated levels of lead in children’s blood to current mining, and promised mining companies they would not do any “finger-pointing”, new documents tabled in state parliament show.”

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Environment watchdog buried report on lead in children’s blood to placate mining companies, emails show

Documents tabled in NSW parliament show state agency took four years to publish report and told miners it would be put online ‘quietly’ but EPA says it was released to community earlier

www.theguardian.com

2

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Hannah Hughes @hannahhughes.bsky.social · Sep 3

A really clear account of the cost of English language dominance in science to non-native speakers, Indigenous knowledge holders and to understandings of #climate and #biodiversity

insideclimatenews.org/news/0209202...

The Climate and Biodiversity Knowledge We Lose When Everything’s in English - Inside Climate News

Non-native English speakers often struggle to find a foothold in the academic publishing world. We could be overlooking important findings as a result, experts say.

insideclimatenews.org

2 3

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Adam Morton @adammorton.bsky.social · Sep 3

A column on a target

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Labor is poised to make a big call on our nation’s carbon emissions target. But who is Albanese going to listen to? | Clear Air

Australia’s 2035 target for cutting emissions will reveal how serious we are about addressing the climate crisis

www.theguardian.com

3 8 14

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Ben Eltham @beneltham.bsky.social · Sep 3

There's a giant gas tank leaking methane in Darwin and the regulators all know but have kept it secret and now won't do anything to make Santos repair it. Oh and CSIRO knew too but didn't tell anyone. STRAYA www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Federal agencies face backlash over role in hidden gas leak 'scandal'

The CSIRO says its advice to gas giant Santos over a major methane leak should stay secret to protect its "commercial activities". The Clean Energy Regulator says it has no records of its advice.

www.abc.net.au

11 140 310

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · Sep 2

“The rise in high-fronted SUVs poses a clear and growing threat to public safety, especially for children,” states the report. “With no benefit to society, it’s time for lawmakers at all levels to act.” Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com.

Cap SUV/truck hood heights. And ban unsafe designs.

EU Must Cap SUV Hood Heights Urges Report. Crash Test Body Says Not As Simple As That

Higher fronts on cars significantly increase the death rate when pedestrians and cyclists are struck, says new report. EuroNCAP says more complex than that.

www.forbes.com

15 130 350

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · Sep 1

Difficult to find an appropriate caption for this one

Paul Karp @paulkarp.bsky.social · Sep 1

AI to assess major projects, cut approval times in NSW
www.afr.com//politics/ai...

AI to assess major projects, cut approval times in NSW

Major residential developments will benefit from artificial intelligence as soon as the end of 2025, promises planning minister Paul Scully.

www.afr.com

3

Liz Hicks @lizhicks.bsky.social · Aug 30

“Making these copyright cases rather than privacy and defamation means that the public interest in the footage and any consumer rights to know, as well as animal rights, can rightly be ignored. This is clearly not the purpose of the Copyright Act…”

www.uts.edu.au/news/2025/08...

Game meats v Farm Transparency

Ranked Australia’s #1 young university. UTS offers globally recognised degrees, strong industry ties, and career-ready learning in the heart of Sydney.

www.uts.edu.au

1 3

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · Aug 29

Every country in the world that's less than 2% of the world's emissions adds up to 36% of the world's emissions (greater than China's proportion)

So we're clear: it is WORSE for a world leader to say something like than to start blabbering about CO2 being plant food. This stuff *sounds convincing*

a charge showing that the percentage of countries with less than 2% of the world's emissions adds up to 36%. The next highest being China, which is 32%. And then the US, which is about 11%

12 45

Reposted by Liz Hicks

Crikey @crikey.com.au · Aug 24

The same groups advising on how to disarm the intergenerational economic bombs that have started to explode are the same groups that helped set them, writes Amy Remeikis.

Australia's capital class remains too focused on profit to truly address productivity

www.crikey.com.au

16 34 110