Tag: 2023

Categories
United Kingdom

February 7, 2023 – DESNZ born; reshuffling the cards on the marked deck

Three years ago, on this day, February 7, 2023 – another departmental recombination…

Feb 7 2023 The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was established on 7 February 2023 by a cabinet reshuffle under the Rishi Sunak premiership. The new department took on the energy policy responsibilities of the former Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The department’s first Secretary of State was Grant Shapps; he was previously the final Secretary of State at BEIS. The current secretary is Ed Miliband. The department is scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee. 

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 421ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The broader context was that those running the UK Government periodically like to rebrand and reshuffle their departments. There can, of course, be very sound reasons for this.  Other times, it’s to allay public concern, or take the wind out of opponents sails etc.

The first “Department of the Environment” was founded in 1970 (A Wilson idea that the Heath Government continued with after the Conservatives staged a surprise win).

The specific context was that by 2023 the wheels were falling off the whole “Green Industrial Revolution” stuff that Boris Johnson had been promising.  So, throw the pieces in the air, see what comes down.

What I think we can learn from this is that reshuffles can “work.” Time tells, as she almost always does.

What happened next:  “Red Ed” (reader, he’s not that red) Miliband has been beavering away, and drawing endless ire from the tabloids and the Telegraph (though, to be fair, the Telegraph is basically a tabloid now).

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

February 7, 1979 – Met Office boss bullshits about his carbon dioxide stance

February 7, 1995 – Australian Treasurer claims UNFCCC treaty contains loopholes and get-out clauses – All Our Yesterdays

February 7, 1995 – Business Council of Australia vs a carbon tax. Of course
Categories
Australia

January 13, 2023 –  Hot as hell in Australia (50.7 Celsius)

Three years ago today –

“The hottest Australian temperature ever recorded was 50.7C in the Pilbara town of Onslow on 13 January 2023.”

Heatwave scorches states from east to west as temperatures soar across Australia | Australia weather | The Guardian

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 320ppm. As of 2026 it is 428ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The broader context was that scientists have been warning us. Then shouting. Then pleading.  Also, lots of ordinary people who didn’t go to the right universities, don’t have the right qualifications.

The specific context was that there isn’t a specific context. This is just how it is going to be from now on. Except it will get worse, gradually and suddenly, suddenly and gradually, in fits and starts.

What I think we can learn from this is that this is just how it is going to be from now on. Except it will get worse, gradually and suddenly, suddenly and gradually, in fits and starts.

What happened next

The record hasn’t been broken. Yet. Watch this space. 

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

-January 13, 2004 – Bob Carr rallies states for emissions trading

January 13, 2005- UN Secretary-General calls for “decisive measures” on climate change

January 13, 2021 – New Scientist reports on types of intelligence required to deal with #climate change   

Categories
Geoeingeering United States of America

September 20, 2023 – Geo-engineering or (well, and) die

Two years ago, on this day, September 20th, 2023,

Billionaire investor Chris Sacca yesterday said that spraying particles into the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect the sun’s rays and slow global warming may now be the only way to save humanity.

Why it matters: The Lowercarbon Capital founder has helped turn a fringe idea into one now attracting serious attention.

Driving the news: “We have no opportunity for survival on this planet unless you reflect back sunlight,” Sacca said at a summit in New York City organized by venture capital firm Equal Ventures.

“If we don’t do it as a species, it’s all over.”

Climate: 🧂 Sacca gets salty

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 421ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was the rich have always loved geo-engineering, because it sidelines questions of justice (it doesn’t really, but in the short term it does) and appeals to their messiah/god complexes.

The specific context was that the COP process was obviously dead (again) and the “well, let’s Hail Mary” this was in the air. 

What I think we can learn from this is that rich people are not necessarily smarter than anyone else.  May even become dumber by the time they’ve surrounded themselves with sycophants, if they weren’t at the start.

What happened next – the geo-engineering debate bubbles on, much like the methane in the clathrates.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

September 20, 1848 – the AAAS is born… – All Our Yesterdays

September 20, 1893 – first American-made gasoline-powered car hits the road.

September 20, 1982 – “Carbon Dioxide, Science and Consensus” event – All Our Yesterdays

September 20, 2013 – CCS project mothballed/killed.

Categories
Renewable energy United Nations

September 12, 2023 – Gone with the wind

Two years ago, on this day, September 12th, 2023,

“No bids were received by offshore wind developers due to what companies said were unrealistically low prices.

Afterwards, wind farm manufacturers said they held positive discussions with Claire Coutinho, the new Energy Security Secretary, but were left bewildered days later by a meeting with Graham Stuart, the Net Zero Minister, who appeared to play down the auction results.

His comments during a meeting on Tuesday [12 September 2023] left some attendees unsure whether the Government was committed to addressing the issues in next year’s auction, multiple sources said. 

Oliver, M. 2023. “Industry on hold after auction flop spooks developers. Sunday Telegraph, September 17”

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QLlam1rJWJ76VZ66kfh81SwlRhxeZwnO8BuxaJj7CxA/edit?usp=sharing

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 376ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that offshore wind was the accidental success story of UK renewable energy policy.  There was a de facto ban on on-shore wind, thanks to the government of David “cut the green crap” Cameron, so offshore began to look attractive….

The specific context was that by this time two years ago (god it feels like forever) the Sunak government had decided that pissing on the environment might be a vote winner.

What I think we can learn from this is that we are stumbling into some very nasty situations. With our eyes open. Oh well.

What happened next

There’s another auction – with results due in December or so (everything’s delayed at present).

UK to Launch Seventh CfD Auction in August, Offshore Wind Has Its Own AR7 Timeline | Offshore Wind

Here’s Reform’s Richard Tice on the latest auction

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

September 12, 1958 – Letter in The Times about … carbon dioxide build-up

September 12, 1994 – Greenpeace lays into Keating government over climate failure – All Our Yesterdays

 September 12, 2003 – Newcastle Herald thinks the future of coal looks ‘cleaner’…

Categories
United Kingdom

July 29, 2023 – Sunak all in on oil and gas drilling

Two years ago, on this day, July 29th, 2023,

The Prime Minister announced on Monday that his Government will grant potentially hundreds of new licences for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea in a dramatic departure from the Government’s stance on fossil fuels. https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tory-backlash-as-rishi-sunak-vows-to-max-out-north-sea-oil-and-gas-reserves-2517491

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 421ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that the UK had been an early “leader” on climate policy, or so it liked to tell itself. Funny though, it never stood up to the American vandalism in the early 1990s, for fear of damaging the “Special Relationship”. So, for example, was climate on the agenda of the G7 in London in 1991? Well no, no it wasn’t.

Meanwhile, thanks to the reduction in the amount of coal in the electricity mix, and deindustrialisation (factories shipped to cheaper places), the UK looked like it was doing its bit, or more than its bit (which is narrowly true, so long as you don’t look too closely, or think about consumption emissions). 

So, thanks to all this, there was a broad but turns-out-thin “consensus” on the need/desirability for further climate action. And then came Rishi…

The specific context was that Sunak had become Prime Minister thanks to Liz Truss (and that six weeks is beginning to take on the aura of a cheese dream). And Sunak, who is clever but dim, thought he could use the perceived “ahead of the curve” ness of UK decarbonisation as cover for business as usual.

What I think we can learn from this is that the British political elite – like the Australian political elite and probably any other you care to mention – wouldn’t know a Keeling Curve if it bit them on the ass. They think the only reality is spreadsheets. They have doomed us all to fiery death. Ah well, so it goes.

What happened next – Sunak was turfed by the electorate and replaced by the towering political colossus, with unimpeachable political instincts and deep respect for human rights and the environment – known as Keir Starmer.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

July 29, 1974 – the World (will be heating) according to GARP

July 29, 2013 – unreadable denialist screed published.

Categories
Activism United Kingdom

April 20, 2023 – tabloid smear job of climate activist – Hypocrite-Zealot Trap

Two years ago, on this day, April 20th, 2023, the Scum , sorry “The Sun” “newspaper” published a hit job on XR co-founder Gail Bradbrook (whose ‘what next’ essay you can read here). The “journalists” sprang a version of the hypocrite zealot trap on her because – gasp – she drives a car and she buys food. 

The context was that the Sun in 2007 had come within a whisker of endorsing strong climate action. Then head office had got cold feet. The split between the Murdochs on the climate issue among others, is famous, but until that is resolved, with the Dirty Digger being dug six foot under, the Scum will continue to be knuckle dragging on climate.

This is not to say that you have to endorse XR as a loyalty test. 

What we learn is that activists are always vulnerable to this sort of hat job. It is the hypocrite zealot trap. If you are anything approaching a normal human being in terms of your travel, your eating, your ”lifestyle” you will be accused of being a hypocrite because by raising your voice to say ‘we all need to change’ you’re lecturing other people about how they should live their lives.,

Whereas, if you are consistent, if you’re a vegan who doesn’t get in internal combustion engine cars, etc, then you are a zealot, but you’re still a hypocrite. If you’ve ever, for example, used or been able to been saved by the NHS. 

So this is a classic attempt to play the man, not the ball, or in this case, the woman, by people who, on some level, must know that their opponents are right and that they are wrong. They can’t cope with it so they revel in this sort of nonsense. 

It also should be said that it’s kind of a cyber equivalent of sticking someone’s corpse on a pike or their dead body and a gibbet. It’s to send a message to other people who were thinking about maybe sticking their head above the parapet. This is what will happen to you. 

What happened next

The state corporate attacks on climate activism continued, and escalated. By early 2025 their war of attrition had ‘succeeded.’

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

April 20, 1998 – National Academy of Sciences vs “Oregon petition” fraud

April 20, 2006 – David Cameron does “hug-a-husky” to detoxify the Conservative “brand”

April 20, 2009 – World has Six Years to Act, says Penny Sackett – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Cultural responses United Kingdom

March 12, 2023 – the opera ain’t over, but the fat lady is warming up….

Two years ago, on this day, March 12th, 2023

The Greenhouse Effect

Barbican Centre (2023)

Starring:

Yshani Perinpanayagam,

Laura Moody,

Linda Jankowska,

Marcus Vergette,

Matthew Bourne

12 March 2023(2 performances)

The Greenhouse Effect review – bells, birdsong and a bubble-wrapped piano | Classical music | The Guardian

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 419ppm. As of 2025 it is 427ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was artists want to feel Relevant, while still being Artistic.

What I think we can learn from this. Artists, like almost everyone else, have been late and largely empty-handed to the party.  Human, all too human.

What happened next.  The opera ain’t over, but you can hear the fat lady in the wings, doing her warm ups.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

March 12, 1974 – Clean Coal advert in the Wall Street Journal

Categories
Economics of mitigation United States of America

December 2, 2023 – Exxon’s boss vs IEA, planet

One year ago, on this day, December 2nd, 2023,

DUBAI, Dec 2 (Reuters) – Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods on Saturday rejected the International Energy Agency’s recent claim that using wide-scale carbon capture to fight climate change was an implausible “illusion”, saying the same could be said about electric vehicles and solar energy.

“There is no solution set out there today that is at the scale to solve the problem,” Woods told Reuters on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 423ppm. As of 2024 it is 423ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that the oil industry chief execs were turning up in force to COP28, the one with the so-called “Stocktake”. And the chief executives have a habit of saying inconvenient things or truthful things.

What I think we can learn from this. From the mouths of babes. And not-terribly-bright greedheads…

What happened next

MARC TO WRITE IN DECEMBER

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

References

Xxx

Also on this day: 

December 2, 1964 – Mario Savio’s “bodies on the gears” speech at Berkeley..

December 2, 1981 – “Is the world getting warmer?” (YES)

December 2, 1991 – “Ecologically Sustainable Development” bites the dust…

Categories
Carbon Dioxide Removal Europe

November 21 2023 – EU: CDR AOK

One year ago, on this day, November 21st, 2023 the European Union basically said, “Yeah, carbon dioxide removals are a fun thing. And we can add them into the whole carbon trading model, because you know, how else are we going to hit our entirely fictitious targets while still growing the economy?” 

2023 nov 21 – EU votes on cdr certification framework https://carbonherald.com/eu-parliament-approves-the-carbon-removal-certification-framework-and-net-zero-industry-act/

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 423ppm. As of 2024 it is 423ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

The context was that there was an ongoing push – see this from the year before –

BRUSSELS, Nov 30 2022 (Reuters) – The European Union set out plans on Wednesday to certify removals of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while leaving key details to be worked out later – including how these removals will be counted towards EU climate change targets. https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/eu-takes-first-step-certify-removing-co2-atmosphere-2022-11-30/

What I think we can learn from this. The EU is not gonna save us. No-one and nothing is gonna save us.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

November 21, 1994 – Skeptic invited to engage with IPCC (Spoiler, he doesn’t)

November 21, 2013 – “Cut the Green Crap” said UK Prime Minister

Categories
Science

November 17, 2023 – two degrees warmer, for the first time…

One year ago, on this day, November 17th, 2023, the globe was, according to one data set, two degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels for the first time in human history.

We now have results from a modern reanalysis product (ERA5) that shows November 17th was in fact the first day the world has experienced that was 2C above the preindustrial (1850-1900) average. 

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 423ppm. As of 2024 it is 423ppm, but check here for daily measures. 

A year ago today, we broke two degrees for the first time. 

At time of writing (or narrating) this in December 2023 it looks like a pretty sure bet that those temperature records will fall again, because we have an El Nino year on the way, and our emissions are higher. And we are about to get seriously smacked between the eyes. As Matt Damon, as Jason Bourne, said to the journalist at Waterloo, “you have no idea what you’re into”.

And as of November 2024 – yeah,the El Nino ended but the tempatures did not come down as some expected. Have a look at this

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/opinion/climate-change-heat-planet.html

[I will update this post closer to the time that I will also leave this text in. It’s the safest predictions I’ve made. I will be astounded if we don’t break that record.]

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

November 17, 1968 – UK national newspaper flags carbon dioxide danger…

November 17, 1980 – International meeting about carbon dioxide build up.

November 17, 2018 – XR occupy five bridges in London