Rob Ralston
@policyrelevant.bsky.social
Lecturer in Public Policy at Edinburgh Uni researching corporate power and planetary health - currently global plastics treaty | ‘most improved PhD student’ 2017-18 | part-time Kieran Tierney Ultra
how it feels to receive brutal feedback on your article / how you need to pretend to feel in your response to reviewers
January 21, 2026 at 4:39 PM
how it feels to receive brutal feedback on your article / how you need to pretend to feel in your response to reviewers
incredible that such naked political corruption has essentially become a footnote in the current discourse
January 17, 2026 at 11:06 AM
incredible that such naked political corruption has essentially become a footnote in the current discourse
trying to catch up with the Will Stancil discourse, and uncovering layer after layer of mythology
January 14, 2026 at 8:20 PM
trying to catch up with the Will Stancil discourse, and uncovering layer after layer of mythology
someone might have done this already, but I’d love to read a piece on how oil majors are having to adapt their lobbying strategies to accommodate an increasingly volatile and unstable regime
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
someone might have done this already, but I’d love to read a piece on how oil majors are having to adapt their lobbying strategies to accommodate an increasingly volatile and unstable regime
fair play to anyone physically able to cycle 500km in the week over christmas, but I remain baffled as to who the target demographic for this is beyond divorced surgeons with 12 grand cervelos
December 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
fair play to anyone physically able to cycle 500km in the week over christmas, but I remain baffled as to who the target demographic for this is beyond divorced surgeons with 12 grand cervelos
last day at work is going reallly well, why do you ask
December 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
last day at work is going reallly well, why do you ask
I came to have a nice boat tour around Copenhagen, not live out my personal hell
December 15, 2025 at 2:53 PM
I came to have a nice boat tour around Copenhagen, not live out my personal hell
be the co-author you want to see in the world
December 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
be the co-author you want to see in the world
kind of fitting that the FIFA peace prize is one of the most cursed objects I've ever seen
December 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
kind of fitting that the FIFA peace prize is one of the most cursed objects I've ever seen
my platonic ideal of a secondhand bookshop - just absolute chaos
November 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
my platonic ideal of a secondhand bookshop - just absolute chaos
the Cass Sunstein new yorker interview is as bad as everyone is saying, but I would say is not entirely unrepresentative of his work
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
September 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
the Cass Sunstein new yorker interview is as bad as everyone is saying, but I would say is not entirely unrepresentative of his work
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
6 years in and I have finally figured out the unwritten rules of academic CVs that nobody tells you about
September 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
6 years in and I have finally figured out the unwritten rules of academic CVs that nobody tells you about
Pretty significant breakthrough in tackling undue corporate influence in global climate governance
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
September 16, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Pretty significant breakthrough in tackling undue corporate influence in global climate governance
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
average nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 percent in Paris thanks to regulation and public policy
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
August 31, 2025 at 1:30 PM
average nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 percent in Paris thanks to regulation and public policy
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
my ‘not a dictator even though many people are asking for one’ shirt has a lot of people asking questions already answered by the shirt
August 25, 2025 at 8:48 PM
my ‘not a dictator even though many people are asking for one’ shirt has a lot of people asking questions already answered by the shirt
incredible visualization of the scale of global plastic production
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
August 11, 2025 at 9:56 AM
incredible visualization of the scale of global plastic production
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
reporting on the weighty issues at UN plastic treaty negotiations, which is that the UN AV logo that they have on all the cameras goes unnecessarily hard
August 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
reporting on the weighty issues at UN plastic treaty negotiations, which is that the UN AV logo that they have on all the cameras goes unnecessarily hard
as the battle over plastics resumes at the final round of UN plastic treaty negotiations, I will be fighting my own battle as a pale scottish person suffering through a heatwave in Geneva
August 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
as the battle over plastics resumes at the final round of UN plastic treaty negotiations, I will be fighting my own battle as a pale scottish person suffering through a heatwave in Geneva
[promotion panel]: can you tell us about your use of innovative teaching methods?
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
July 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
[promotion panel]: can you tell us about your use of innovative teaching methods?
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
this era is the pinnacle of cycling fashion in my view
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
July 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
this era is the pinnacle of cycling fashion in my view
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
replace ‘cookies’ with ‘new idea for an article’ and you have the liminal space of academia that is the month of july
July 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
replace ‘cookies’ with ‘new idea for an article’ and you have the liminal space of academia that is the month of july
‘The flat would benefit from upgrading and modernisation’
are you high ESPC
are you high ESPC
July 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
‘The flat would benefit from upgrading and modernisation’
are you high ESPC
are you high ESPC
back on my history of plastics / processed food research project, and have become fixated on why Pepsi was *obssessed* with farmyard animals in the 90s
July 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
back on my history of plastics / processed food research project, and have become fixated on why Pepsi was *obssessed* with farmyard animals in the 90s
on the eve of 'Dan Hannan Freedom Day' I decided to re-read his now classic brexit fan-fiction
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
June 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
on the eve of 'Dan Hannan Freedom Day' I decided to re-read his now classic brexit fan-fiction
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
it's been years at this point
June 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
it's been years at this point