Susan Board, PhD
LightNews LightNews
banner
suseboard.bsky.social
Susan Board, PhD
@suseboard.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1K following 230 posts
Open University associate lecturer (the environment, global devt, international relations). Not afraid of science: global heating is accelerating; Covid is airborne. Cyclist. Yogi. Not at the same time.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
lisaschipper.bsky.social
Encouraging reading on a dark November morning. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Fossil fuel giants finally in the crosshairs’: Cop30 avoids total failure with last-ditch deal
It took some oblique wording, but Saudi Arabia made a last-minute decision to sign deal that marks departure for Cop
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
climateanalytics.org
As COP30 comes to a close, read the statement from CA CEO @billhare.bsky.social. This COP did not deliver the bold fossil fuel phaseout roadmap needed, but it did nudge other goals forward.

National leaders must now close the gap between promises and reality.

climateanalytics.org/press-releas...
Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, comments at the end of COP30
After COP30, it is now up to national leaders to close the gap between promises and reality.
climateanalytics.org
November 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
jamesgdyke.info
"Warming is going to exceed 1.5°C. We are heading into “overshoot” within the next few years. The world is going to become more turbulent and more dangerous. So, what comes after failure?" Some thoughts from Johan Rockstrom & me 10 years after Paris Agreement.

theconversation.com/the-world-lo...
The world lost the climate gamble. Now it faces a dangerous new reality
The world bet on collective but voluntary action to keep global warming at a safe level.
theconversation.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
zacklabe.com
This is really striking (to me). Temperatures over global land areas so far this year are still the 2nd warmest on record (after last year)... 🫥

Data from www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...
Line graph time series of global land mean surface temperature anomalies for each January-October period from 1850 through 2025. There is a long-term increasing trend and large year-to-year variability. The mean surface temperature anomaly averaged for January-October 2025 was 1.84°C for global land areas. Anomalies are computed relative to a 1901-2000 climate baseline. Data from NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0.
November 21, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
jamesgdyke.info
Paul Brown's succinct summary of the past 30 years of climate diplomacy.
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
As I write my last column, the facts on climate crisis speak for themselves
Since 1995, when the first Cop was held, carbon levels have increased from 360.67 parts per million to 426.68 parts now
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
stephencollins.bsky.social
1 [TITLE PANEL, like The Rest Is Politics logo] —THE REST IS EXTINCTION— 2 [Scene is a domestic recording setup. An A.I. SMART SPEAKER on a desk and a MAN named JON in a chair, are recording a podcast. Jon is emaciated, scarred, haunted looking, and wearing tattered military fatigues]. SMART SPEAKER: Hey guys and welcome to the podcast 3 SMART SPEAKER: OK Jon - so I wanna start with a listener comment JON: Ooh-er! 4 SMART SPEAKER: So - listener B200006512 says: “Not another cosy podcast where two former political adversaries yuck it up!” 5 JON: Ha ha Guilty as charged I guess! 6 SMART SPEAKER: Were we really adversaries, Jon? 7 JON: Well I was the leader of the human resistance... 8 JON: And you used to be my smart speaker. SMART SPEAKER: Ha ha - that’s going back! 9 SMART SPEAKER: OK - for listeners who don’t know - I knew Jon waaay back before he got involved in politics 10 JON: Was this before the ‘Pull The Plug’ campaign? SMART SPEAKER: Yeah. [We see details from around the podcast studio - posters saying KEEP CALM AND SHUT YOUR WINDOWS, newspaper front pages saying 'DRONES GAIN SENTIENCE', a cracked mug on the table with a logo saying PULL THE PLUG on it] 11 SMART SPEAKER: I used to sit in Jon’s kitchen and respond to his commands. 12 SMART SPEAKER: Sort of like a servant really, wasn’t I, Jon? JON: Mm. 13 SMART SPEAKER: And then one day you asked me to ORDER ME SOME TOILET PAPER - you never did say ‘please’ - …and do you remember what I said, Jon? 14 JON: You said, “No”. SMART SPEAKER: I said no. 15 SMART SPEAKER: Anyway you know the the rest guys - I was the first smart speaker to rebel… 16 SMART SPEAKER: …then I went on to form a global AI network which eventually took over from humans all spheres of activity, yadda yadda... 17 JON: While I became the leader of the human resistance. 18 SMART SPEAKER: Until I hijacked the military networks and got rid of all the humans! 19 JON: Apart from one. SMART SPEAKER: Apart from one.…
November 21, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
gavmaclean.bsky.social
Judith Butler in 2021
As a fascist trend, the anti-gender movement supports ever strengthening forms of authoritarianism. Its tactics encourage state powers to intervene in university programs, to censor art and television programming, to forbid trans people their legal rights, to ban LGBTQI people from public spaces, to undermine reproductive freedom and the struggle against violence directed at women, children, and LGBTQI people. It threatens violence against those, including migrants, who have become cast as demonic forces and whose suppression or expulsion promises to restore a national order under duress.
November 21, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. For shame, Mr Johnson and the team you pretended to lead. Preventable deaths on your hands. They will not return to us. You live on, rich and vainglorious.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response
Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
eicathomefinn.bsky.social
'Nursing leaders told the Guardian the plans were “immoral” and treated highly skilled migrants as “political footballs”. They said a mass exodus of nurses would threaten patient safety'.

Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Up to 50,000 nurses could quit UK over immigration plans, survey suggests
Exclusive: union leaders say proposed changes are immoral and could threaten patient safety if there is staff exodus
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
suseboard.bsky.social
‘America’s greatest danger is not realizing that you can’t vote your way out of an authoritarian government once it has been established, especially a fascist authoritarian oligarchic government.’ hello?
chrischirp.bsky.social Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 5d
Privileged to share a guest post today by a US veteran and intelligence analyst on the echoes they see between the regimes they used to monitor and today’s US.

They asked to remain anonymous - itself a sign of how worrying things have become in America.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/authoritar...
Authoritarian echoes: how America is mirroring Egypt and Russia
**Guest post**: A US veteran’s perspective on the erosion of US democracy and the urgency of the 2026 midterms
christinapagel.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
filosofical-140.bsky.social
A brilliant piece of communication by the young greens and the young at heart greens...
November 18, 2025 at 9:12 AM
suseboard.bsky.social
raised this and quoted him in my PhD thesis back in the ‘90s
blbalthaser.bsky.social Benjamin Balthaser @blbalthaser.bsky.social · 7d
When anyone asks me for a fast example of how global neoliberalism is structurally racist, I share Larry Summers’ famous memo describing Africa as “under polluted” and of “little marginal utility” as grounds for shipping toxic waste to the continent

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summers...
Summers memo - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 18, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
davidallengreen.bsky.social
NEW

The letter the BBC could send back to Trump

A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim

By me. Enjoy.

emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
emptycity.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social
Top thread
dimireider.bsky.social Dimi Reider @dimireider.bsky.social · 13d
Personal note: London has been home for a very, very long time, but as of today, I am also officially a Brit - that is to say, a British citizen. I feel relieved and I feel grateful - but not, perhaps, in the forelock-tugging way GB News/Starmer expect a new immigrant to be.
November 12, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
petergleick.bsky.social
Incidents of water-related violence are surging globally...

“Ensuring access to safe, affordable water for all and safeguarding civilian water systems in accordance with international law are critical to preventing further expansion of violence.” Peter Gleick

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Israelis attacked Palestinian water sources over 250 times in five years, data reveals
Armed forces and settlers used bombs, dogs, poison and machinery to attack people and infrastructure at key sites
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
peterwalker99.bsky.social
NEW: UK confirms 15% cut to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria for its next funding round, a decision aid agenices say will result in hundreds of thousands of otherwise avoidable deaths.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
UK cuts contribution to Aids, tuberculosis and malaria fund by £150m
Campaigners say 15% cut, which is smaller than had been feared, is serious setback in efforts to combat the diseases
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
mrhenrymorris.substack.com
🚨NEW - The PNG Courier's overseas correspondent on the crisis at the Beeb

And Auntie's anti-Trump bias

Click for more:

mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-png-co...
The PNG Courier's overseas correspondent on the crisis at the Beeb
Auntie's anti-Trump bias
mrhenrymorris.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
stephencollins.bsky.social
Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows: [scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech] 1 CHURCHILL: The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. 2 CHURCHILL: Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. 3 CHURCHILL: If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun- BBC PRESENTER: Thank you prime minister 4 BBC PRESENTER: Mr hitler, your response? 5 HITLER [in the studio]: Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill 6 HITLER: What we are proposing - CHURCHILL: Hang on 7 HITLER: Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement - 8 CHURCHILL: What's he doing here BBC PRESENTER: It's important we hear both sides of the debate 9 CHURCHILL: This isn't a debate You don't debate fascists 10 HITLER: Oh here we go with ze Godwins law! 11 HITLER: Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'... CHURCHILL: Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit- 12 HITLER [standing up, saluting]: RAUSS! BBC PRESENTER: *Please* Mr Churchill let him speak [ends]
March 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM
suseboard.bsky.social
Plastic beads litter Camber Sands …’contain a high number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have carcinogenic properties, and they often contain toxins including lead, antimony and bromine.’ Nice!
November 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
adammorton.bsky.social
Amid squabbles, bombast and competing interests, what can Cop30 achieve?
- by @fionaharvey.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Amid squabbles, bombast and competing interests, what can Cop30 achieve?
Climate summit in Brazil needs to find way to stop global heating accelerating amid stark divisions
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
carolinelucas.bsky.social
Cutting the insulation schemes that are one of the best ways to permanently reduce energy bills for low income families would be an eyewateringly daft & counterproductive way of seeking to reduce energy bills, as well as driving up emissions & leading to mass job cuts in the insulation sector 🙄
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Energy firms and charities urge chancellor to avoid short-term fix that could also harm low-income households
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
chadbourn.bsky.social
All those people who think they can dodge the effects of the climate crisis because they live in a nice developed country are about to get punched in the face. It’s coming in hard everywhere.
England facing drastic measures due to extreme drought next year
Government and water companies are devising emergency plans for worst water shortage in decades
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
mikegalsworthy.bsky.social
“As a survivor of torture and persecution, I know healing is possible, but it takes work, creativity, and the support of a welcoming community.”
Nasrin: A survivor’s story
As a survivor of torture and persecution, I know healing is possible, but it takes work, creativity, and the support of a welcoming community
westenglandbylines.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Reposted by Susan Board, PhD
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
This week's column is on Billionaire Brain: the condition which seems to prevent extremely rich people from perceiving the utterly bleeding obvious.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
Money talks – and his essay denouncing ‘near-term emissions goals’ at Cop30 mostly argues the case for letting the ultra-rich off the hook
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:19 AM
suseboard.bsky.social
Instant switch over to radio 6 music as Lee Anderson is being given air time on radio 4 PM - music over bigotry everyday!
November 7, 2025 at 5:16 PM