Vanfanel
@vanfanel.bsky.social
Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious - Oscar Wilde
Reposted by Vanfanel
Reposted by Vanfanel
Your regular reminder that by throwing away nature, we throw away *everything*.
November 7, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Your regular reminder that by throwing away nature, we throw away *everything*.
Reposted by Vanfanel
No matter which party is in charge, the shots are being called by powerful donors, not ordinary voters.
No wonder most people feel so cynical about politics – they’re dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, while politicians from both parties are on the take.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
No wonder most people feel so cynical about politics – they’re dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, while politicians from both parties are on the take.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Democracy for Sale
A new report from the Autonomy Institute lays bare how Britain’s political and economic elites are entangled.
substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
No matter which party is in charge, the shots are being called by powerful donors, not ordinary voters.
No wonder most people feel so cynical about politics – they’re dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, while politicians from both parties are on the take.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
No wonder most people feel so cynical about politics – they’re dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, while politicians from both parties are on the take.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Reposted by Vanfanel
This calm, cool decency is dangerously absent from our discourse at the moment. Almost everyone is embracing, normalising or ignoring the 'cruel bigotry, compulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism.'
We need more Bertrands.
We need more Bertrands.
October 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
This calm, cool decency is dangerously absent from our discourse at the moment. Almost everyone is embracing, normalising or ignoring the 'cruel bigotry, compulsive violence, and the sadistic persecution which has characterised the philosophy and practice of fascism.'
We need more Bertrands.
We need more Bertrands.
Reposted by Vanfanel
Gas plays dwindling role in UK power price as #renewables roll-out accelerates www.edie.net/gas-plays-dw...
Gas plays dwindling role in UK power price as renewables roll-out accelerates - edie
The rollout of wind power is diluting the link between gas and electricity wholesale prices, pushing older and more expensive ‘peaker’ generation plants off the grid, a new analysis shows.
www.edie.net
October 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Gas plays dwindling role in UK power price as #renewables roll-out accelerates www.edie.net/gas-plays-dw...
Reposted by Vanfanel
We are in the foothills of a solar-wind-battery civilisation. This is our best chance of avoiding catastrophe. But it threatens the profits of fossil fuel companies & nations - so these are pouring money into right-wing populism to stop the transition. This seems to me the biggest story in politics.
October 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
We are in the foothills of a solar-wind-battery civilisation. This is our best chance of avoiding catastrophe. But it threatens the profits of fossil fuel companies & nations - so these are pouring money into right-wing populism to stop the transition. This seems to me the biggest story in politics.
Reposted by Vanfanel
This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥
We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪
Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇
open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...
We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪
Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇
open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...
October 1, 2025 at 2:56 PM
This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥
We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪
Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇
open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...
We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪
Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇
open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...
Reposted by Vanfanel
Yes, and how do you know that the climate has changed before?
Erm, I listened to the climate scientists
Erm, I listened to the climate scientists
October 1, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Yes, and how do you know that the climate has changed before?
Erm, I listened to the climate scientists
Erm, I listened to the climate scientists
Reposted by Vanfanel
With Labour's approval of a second runway at Gatwick airport - and Reeves and Starmer pursuing growth at all costs - we NEED @graceblakeley.substack.com in our lives to explain why certain types of growth don't benefit most of us
September 24, 2025 at 8:18 AM
With Labour's approval of a second runway at Gatwick airport - and Reeves and Starmer pursuing growth at all costs - we NEED @graceblakeley.substack.com in our lives to explain why certain types of growth don't benefit most of us
Reposted by Vanfanel
Power is the rock on which truth founders. The mainstream media, with a few exceptions, is a single-issue lobby group, whose purpose is to assert the rights of capital.
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I have now been a journalist for 40 years. The forces ranged against my profession have never been so powerful | George Monbiot
Once, I believed that humanity’s problem was an information deficit. Now, I know you can’t speak truth to power if power controls your words, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
September 20, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Power is the rock on which truth founders. The mainstream media, with a few exceptions, is a single-issue lobby group, whose purpose is to assert the rights of capital.
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Vanfanel
The ECHR is flawed, but be warned: it would be unwise to entrust human rights to an ‘elective dictatorship’ |
The ECHR is flawed, but be warned: it would be unwise to entrust human rights to an ‘elective dictatorship’ |
Brexit removed many checks and balances from the UK government. That’s why leaving the European convention on human rights would be a huge risk, says constitutional expert Vernon Bogdanor
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 11:54 AM
The ECHR is flawed, but be warned: it would be unwise to entrust human rights to an ‘elective dictatorship’ |
Reposted by Vanfanel
How do we fix this mess?
September 16, 2025 at 6:34 AM
How do we fix this mess?
Reposted by Vanfanel
So about $26T incremental spend over 25 years to hit net zero, or about 1% of global GDP each year for 25 years.
That's an incredible deal. Previous estimates, not so long ago, were closer to 4% GDP, if I remember correctly.
h/t @heatmap.news
That's an incredible deal. Previous estimates, not so long ago, were closer to 4% GDP, if I remember correctly.
h/t @heatmap.news
September 6, 2025 at 7:36 PM
So about $26T incremental spend over 25 years to hit net zero, or about 1% of global GDP each year for 25 years.
That's an incredible deal. Previous estimates, not so long ago, were closer to 4% GDP, if I remember correctly.
h/t @heatmap.news
That's an incredible deal. Previous estimates, not so long ago, were closer to 4% GDP, if I remember correctly.
h/t @heatmap.news
Reposted by Vanfanel
I often think about this letter to the New Statesman.
It's from a 1960s Tory, and neatly summarises how British politics has shifted massively to the right, and taken Starmer's Labour party with it.
#PoliticsLive
It's from a 1960s Tory, and neatly summarises how British politics has shifted massively to the right, and taken Starmer's Labour party with it.
#PoliticsLive
September 3, 2025 at 8:32 AM
I often think about this letter to the New Statesman.
It's from a 1960s Tory, and neatly summarises how British politics has shifted massively to the right, and taken Starmer's Labour party with it.
#PoliticsLive
It's from a 1960s Tory, and neatly summarises how British politics has shifted massively to the right, and taken Starmer's Labour party with it.
#PoliticsLive
Reposted by Vanfanel
Focusing on bats and newts is a cynical attempt to reframe nature as nothing more than a triviality
But nature is our life support system
Conservation isn't just about helping other species - it's also about maintaining the conditions that allow us to thrive
But nature is our life support system
Conservation isn't just about helping other species - it's also about maintaining the conditions that allow us to thrive
Let's say it again, "the economy" is entirely dependent on the environment.
No economy on a dead planet, no #PublicHealth on #biodiversity-depleted islands
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
No economy on a dead planet, no #PublicHealth on #biodiversity-depleted islands
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves to cut ‘bats and newts’ in boost to developers
Chancellor considers making it harder for concerns about nature to stand in the way of infrastructure projects, in an effort to boost the economy
www.thetimes.com
August 18, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Focusing on bats and newts is a cynical attempt to reframe nature as nothing more than a triviality
But nature is our life support system
Conservation isn't just about helping other species - it's also about maintaining the conditions that allow us to thrive
But nature is our life support system
Conservation isn't just about helping other species - it's also about maintaining the conditions that allow us to thrive
Reposted by Vanfanel
Motherfucking wind farms…
July 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Motherfucking wind farms…
Reposted by Vanfanel
Kind of fascinating framing from Australia's climate and energy minister @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social. Don't think I've ever seen it presented this way?
August 12, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Kind of fascinating framing from Australia's climate and energy minister @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social. Don't think I've ever seen it presented this way?
Reposted by Vanfanel
"America is acting like a doddering industrial giant — too hooked on oil and gas revenues, and the political power that results from them, to exercise the economic muscles it will need in the future." @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/o...
Opinion | Trump Is Destroying the Future of America to Own the Libs
www.nytimes.com
August 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM
"America is acting like a doddering industrial giant — too hooked on oil and gas revenues, and the political power that results from them, to exercise the economic muscles it will need in the future." @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/o...
Reposted by Vanfanel
“Allianz estimates that the cost of economic losses from natural catastrophes is typically around 10 times higher than the cost of adaptation.”
Sounds like a call for political leadership. I wonder how that’s going to work ….
Sounds like a call for political leadership. I wonder how that’s going to work ….
August 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
“Allianz estimates that the cost of economic losses from natural catastrophes is typically around 10 times higher than the cost of adaptation.”
Sounds like a call for political leadership. I wonder how that’s going to work ….
Sounds like a call for political leadership. I wonder how that’s going to work ….
Reposted by Vanfanel
Chief Exec of Ovo
“We’ve stumbled into a false debate. We talk endlessly about the cost of action and investing in net-zero – but the real crisis is the cost of inaction
“There is a clear economic reason for moving to clean energy sources.”
www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...
“We’ve stumbled into a false debate. We talk endlessly about the cost of action and investing in net-zero – but the real crisis is the cost of inaction
“There is a clear economic reason for moving to clean energy sources.”
www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...
Households could net thousands of pounds in savings from clean tech – report
A report from Ovo, however, warned that the initial costs of installing solar panels, heat pumps and batteries are prohibitive for many people.
www.independent.co.uk
August 5, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Chief Exec of Ovo
“We’ve stumbled into a false debate. We talk endlessly about the cost of action and investing in net-zero – but the real crisis is the cost of inaction
“There is a clear economic reason for moving to clean energy sources.”
www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...
“We’ve stumbled into a false debate. We talk endlessly about the cost of action and investing in net-zero – but the real crisis is the cost of inaction
“There is a clear economic reason for moving to clean energy sources.”
www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...
Reposted by Vanfanel
Experts in ecological tipping points have warned that billions of people are at risk as global warming is expected to exceed 1.5C within a few years.
Climate threatens 'cascade of tipping points'
World leaders must take 'immediate, unprecedented action' to prevent devastating climate tipping points, experts say.
theecologist.org
July 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Experts in ecological tipping points have warned that billions of people are at risk as global warming is expected to exceed 1.5C within a few years.
Reposted by Vanfanel
Our assignment? Take government back from corporations.
Capitalism doesn’t serve US. (It’s not designed to.)
We must build movements (labor, climate, racial & gender equity, peace) that exercise our collective power.
BE UNGOVERNABLE! ✊🏼✊✊🏾
@graceblakeley.substack.com, author of Vulture Capitalism
Capitalism doesn’t serve US. (It’s not designed to.)
We must build movements (labor, climate, racial & gender equity, peace) that exercise our collective power.
BE UNGOVERNABLE! ✊🏼✊✊🏾
@graceblakeley.substack.com, author of Vulture Capitalism
July 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Our assignment? Take government back from corporations.
Capitalism doesn’t serve US. (It’s not designed to.)
We must build movements (labor, climate, racial & gender equity, peace) that exercise our collective power.
BE UNGOVERNABLE! ✊🏼✊✊🏾
@graceblakeley.substack.com, author of Vulture Capitalism
Capitalism doesn’t serve US. (It’s not designed to.)
We must build movements (labor, climate, racial & gender equity, peace) that exercise our collective power.
BE UNGOVERNABLE! ✊🏼✊✊🏾
@graceblakeley.substack.com, author of Vulture Capitalism
Reposted by Vanfanel
This framing is misleading.
It's super important that we recognise that there's no 'new normal' until we stop burning fossil fuels - it just keeps getting worse & worse!
As the scientists quoted in the article say "today’s high temperatures are likely to be average by 2050, & cool by 2100"
It's super important that we recognise that there's no 'new normal' until we stop burning fossil fuels - it just keeps getting worse & worse!
As the scientists quoted in the article say "today’s high temperatures are likely to be average by 2050, & cool by 2100"
‘Profound concern’ as scientists say extreme heat ‘now the norm’ in UK
Frequency of heatwaves and flooding raises fears over health, infrastructure and how society functions
www.theguardian.com
July 14, 2025 at 8:02 AM
This framing is misleading.
It's super important that we recognise that there's no 'new normal' until we stop burning fossil fuels - it just keeps getting worse & worse!
As the scientists quoted in the article say "today’s high temperatures are likely to be average by 2050, & cool by 2100"
It's super important that we recognise that there's no 'new normal' until we stop burning fossil fuels - it just keeps getting worse & worse!
As the scientists quoted in the article say "today’s high temperatures are likely to be average by 2050, & cool by 2100"
Reposted by Vanfanel
I think most people (myself included) don’t have an intuition for orders of magnitude (e.g., the difference between millionaire and billionaire).
One way to appreciate this is time, since we all experience it. Here's the difference between a thousand, a million, and a billion seconds.
One way to appreciate this is time, since we all experience it. Here's the difference between a thousand, a million, and a billion seconds.
September 18, 2024 at 10:29 AM
I think most people (myself included) don’t have an intuition for orders of magnitude (e.g., the difference between millionaire and billionaire).
One way to appreciate this is time, since we all experience it. Here's the difference between a thousand, a million, and a billion seconds.
One way to appreciate this is time, since we all experience it. Here's the difference between a thousand, a million, and a billion seconds.