Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Royce Kurmelovs

@roycerk2.bsky.social

8.5K followers 1.2K following 3.3K posts

Journalist. Author of The Death of Holden (2016), Just Money (2020) and others. Buy Slick: Australia's Toxic Relationship with Big Oil (2024) now: https://www.slickthebook.com.au/ For more me: https://www.roycekurmelovs.com/

www.slickthebook.com.au

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · Jun 6

Slick has been given a reprint --now with a fancy sticker on the cover. If you want to understand Why We Are Like This on climate change, or read about things like that one time the oil and gas industry spied on the son of a prime minister, and you haven't picked up a copy, now's your chance!

Photo of the cover of the reprint of Slick: Australia's Toxic Relationship With Big Oil, including a fancy new sticker noting it was short-listed in the non-fiction category at the New South Wales Literary awards.

4 58 160

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 7h

It's always great to sit down with The Australian for informed, balanced reporting on current events that is free from misinformation, disinformation or rabbit hole obsessions and cannot be found on social media.

Screenshot of front page of The Australian.

Screenshot of search for recent articles on "climate change" on The Australian website.

5 2 17

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 12h

What's that got to do with an university shutting down a significant research institute that deals with climate change for unspecified reasons?

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 13h

I asked the same question here:

Inside the Fight to Get Australia’s Monash University to Divorce Fossil Fuels for Good

One of Australia’s most prestigious universities promised to divest from fossil fuels in 2016. It later revised this decision to say it would only divest from coal, allowing the country’s biggest oil ...

drilled.media

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 13h

Huh.

'Completely flawed': Monash University is scrapping its flagship sustainability institute

The uni's plans to 'streamline operational services' by closing down its flagship institute dedicated to climate action and sustainability have sparked internal backlash.

www.crikey.com.au

3 7 9

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 14h

I've been looking for more reporting on this. NVIDIA has an increasing number of deals where it is paying companies to buy its chips. sounds very bubbly.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 14h

NVIDIA and OpenAi:

Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“

@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

29 120 400

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 7d

I teach a history of antifascism course @ruhistorydept.bsky.social and figured I'd start an ongoing thread this semester to share some insights from course readings and recommend some great works on antifascism.

🧵

12 170 440

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 1d

A complete flip of the usual pattern we see in these updates - China's and India's emissions fell, and EU and US emissions increased.....

ember-energy.org/latest-insig...

@ember-energy.org

Global CO2 emissions plateau
Global CO2 emissions from the power sector fell marginally by 12 MtCO2 (-0.2%) to 6,963 MtCO2 in the first half of 2025. The decline was possible because solar and wind power exceeded demand growth and led to a slight fall in fossil fuel use. Without solar and wind growth, emissions would have risen by an estimated 236 MtCO2 (+3.9%) globally, which is equivalent to almost all emissions (251 MtCO2) from Africa in H1-2025.

At the country level, there was significant variation. Among the four economies that account for the majority of global emissions (64%), emissions fell in China (-46 MtCO2, -1.7%) and India (-24 MtCO2, -3.6%), as clean electricity outpaced growth in demand in those countries.

In contrast, emissions rose in the EU (+13 MtCO2, +4.8%), where strong growth in solar was outweighed by shortfalls in wind, hydro and bioenergy, leading to higher gas and coal generation. Emissions also rose in the US (+33 MtCO2, +4.3%), as clean electricity growth was smaller than demand growth, leading to an increase in coal generation, which was exacerbated by gas-to-coal switching.

3 75 130

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 1d

"The National Press Club Statement declares that Chris Hedges’ appearance was “ tentatively agreed to”. This is untrue. AFOPA received written confirmation from the NPC’s Chief Executive on 8 September 2025 as follows [...]"

Statement on Cancellation of Chris Hedges’ confirmed appearance at the National Press Club of Australia — Australian Friends of Palestine Association

AFOPA is responding to the Statement published on 4 October 2025 by the National Press Club of Australia ( NPC) in relation to their cancellation of Chris Hedges’ confirmed appearance at the National ...

www.afopa.com.au

3 11 17

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Keith Alexander @keithalexander.bsky.social · 1d

“We must stop expecting carbon offsetting to work at scale. […] We have assessed 25 years of evidence and almost everything up until this point has failed.”

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says

Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions

www.theguardian.com

6 71 150

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Elaine Johnson @elainejohnson.bsky.social · 1d

“Australia is facing a steeper-than-anticipated 25% slump in LNG export earnings by next financial year, dragged down by a slide in crude oil prices and oversupply that is starting to hit global gas markets, according to the federal government’s commodities forecaster.”

www.afr.com/companies/en...

Australia faces 25pc slump in LNG export earnings

New data reveals an $11 billion drop in expected LNG revenue, with gold set to overtake gas as our second most valuable export.

www.afr.com

2 4 5

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Hend Amry @libyaliberty.bsky.social · 1d

Pretend you’re 65 & act accordingly: save your pennies, visit friends, enjoy slow walks in your neighborhood, shrug your shoulders at old beef between family & friends, grow a garden, forgive people because they’re “still young” even if they’re not but hold all politicians accountable. Get a cat.

essencesimmone.blacksky.app @essencesimmone.blacksky.app · 4d

Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?

13 48 340

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Patrick Reynolds for a greater Auckland @patrickreynolds.bsky.social · 3d

Not nearly enough is made of the incredibly impressive feat Indian Railways has made to electrify almost 100% of its 135,000km of track, while also growing renewable sourcing. Huge:

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/ind...

Indian Railways to achieve net zero targets in 2025 itself - 5 years ahead of 2030 goal - Times of India

India Business News: Indian Railways is set to achieve net-zero targets by year-end, surpassing its 2030 goal through extensive electrification. Aiming for 95% electric tr

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

10 170 520

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 2d

Global banking climate alliance folds four years after launch

- ‘Net zero’ financial sector group votes to cease operations after losing members under political pressure

#climatechange
Story by @kenzabryan.ft.com
HT @carbonbrief.org
www.ft.com/content/841f...

Global banking climate alliance folds four years after launch

‘Net zero’ financial sector group votes to cease operations after losing members under political pressure

www.ft.com

3 23 27

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 2d

‘The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year… Outside of the AI plays, even European stock markets have been outperforming the US this decade’
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US

America is now one big bet on AI

It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy

on.ft.com

7 62 130

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 2d

Because no one who matters likes a negative nancy. Powerful people would invite him to their parties and tell people to read him because he told everyone how we needed to give them all the power. And if you want to get ahead, it pays to pay attention to what the people in charge are thinking.

1 6

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 2d

Deloitte to pay money back to Albanese government after using AI in $440,000 report

Partial refund to be issued after several errors were found in a report into a department’s compliance framework * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Deloitte will provide a partial refund to the federal government over a $440,000 report that contained several errors, after admitting it used generative artificial intelligence to help produce it. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) confirmed Deloitte would repay the final instalment under its contract, which will be made public after the transaction is finalised. It comes as one Labor senator accused the consultancy firm of having a “human intelligence problem”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

7 39 93

Royce Kurmelovs @roycerk2.bsky.social · 2d

It seems Yarvin is beginning to recognise that power doesn't really believe in his ideas, and he has only been kept around as long as his ideas flatter the powerful.

SE Gyges @segyges.bsky.social · 2d

curtis yarvin seems somewhat unhappy

2 3 22

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

SE Gyges @segyges.bsky.social · 2d

curtis yarvin seems somewhat unhappy

180 210 1.6K

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 2d

"We discuss how an excess profit tax could be used to both lower inequality and accelerate the energy transition as increasing geopolitical tensions and #climate impacts threaten continued volatility in oil and gas markets"

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Best of times, worst of times: record fossil-fuel profits, inflation and inequality

The 2022 oil and gas crisis resulted in record fossil-fuel profits globally that rehabilitated the oil and gas industry, obstructed the energy transit…

www.sciencedirect.com

9 28

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Amy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 5d

This is one of the stronger stances I've seen from anyone in the climate community: @creatives4climate.bsky.social Ethical Agency Alliance stands against atrocity-washing &names some of the particular agencies working to "rehab" Israel's image in a genocide www.creativesforclimate.co/news/ethical...

Ethical Agency Alliance Stands Against Atrocity-washing — Creatives for Climate

Creative services are not neutral. Agencies must step up to protect information integrity. Read why we are taking a stand against atrocity-washing within the Ethical Agency Alliance.

www.creativesforclimate.co

9 26

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.bsky.social · 6d

Day after day, the desire to understand the planet compels people all over the world to don their snowsuits, wet suits and business suits in the service of climate science. Explore their efforts in Quanta’s photo gallery:

Photos Capture the Extreme, Beautiful Work of Climate Science | Quanta Magazine

Building an accurate model of Earth’s climate requires a lot of data. Photography reveals the extreme efforts scientists have undertaken to measure gases, glaciers, clouds and more.

www.quantamagazine.org

1 28 80

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Rex Patrick @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social · 3d

In an extraordinary submission to the Senate, the Public Service Commissioner has blamed transparency for #RoboDebt. He argues for more secrecy to make life easier for public servants as they advise and influence ministers on how we are governed. #auspol michaelwest.com.au/too-much-tra...

Fat Cats say what? Too much transparency caused Robodebt scandal - Michael West

In an extraordinary pitch for a public servant scrutiny void, senior public servants have blamed Robodebt on transparency.

michaelwest.com.au

10 64 120

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 4d

The Primary Energy Fallacy is the idea that all primary energy from fossil fuels must be replaced with equivalent amount of clean energy.

BUT: Not necessary because >2/3 of all primary energy is lost as waste heat.

Electrification+renewables are far more efficient.

medium.com/@jan.rosenow...

25 230 640

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

The Saturday Paper @thesaturdaypaper.com.au · 4d

The Senate inquiry into climate misinformation invited both News Corp and Advance to its hearings. Senators have received 5000 emails from Advance supporters, telling them to back off. satpa.pe/srdSJyK

News Corp and Advance called to misinformation inquiry

The Senate inquiry into climate misinformation invited both News Corp and Advance to its hearings – senators have received 5000 emails from Advance supporters, telling them to back off.

satpa.pe

1 5 10

Reposted by Royce Kurmelovs

Karen K. Ho @karenho.bsky.social · 4d

the media industry just breaks everyone's hearts over and over again

Dave Infante @dinfontay.com · 4d

“'The fact that we don't have money to pay journalists, but we have money to pay Bari Weiss between $100 and 200 million is indicative of what the Ellisons' true goal here is,' a network correspondent said. 'And it's not journalism.'"

CBS News staffers are ‘literally freaking out’ about Bari Weiss taking over newsroom

EXCLUSIVE: ‘People are using words like depressing and doomsday – feels like some sort of doomsday,’ one source told The Independent about the mood inside CBS News right now.

www.independent.co.uk

7 90 370