Tim Stephens
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proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens
@proftimstephens.bsky.social
7.4K followers 8K following 1.3K posts

Professor of International Law, University of Sydney Law School.

Former Councillor, Inner West Council, Sydney.

www.sydney.edu.au/law/about/our-people/academic-staff/tim-stephens.html

orcid.org/0000-0001-9678-2227

Born at 331 ppm CO2 .. more

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Tim Stephens is Professor of International Law at the University of Sydney and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law. Stephens' main areas of research are the international law of the sea and international environmental law. .. more

Environmental science 40%
Political science 18%
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proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · Nov 12
Our edited collection on 'Geopolitical Change and the Antarctic Treaty System' will be out in January 2025.

A big thanks to co-editors Shirley Scott and Jeff McGee and to the contributors for making this project possible.

link.springer.com/book/9789819...
Geopolitical Change and the Antarctic Treaty System
This book explores all aspects of geopolitical considerations between key states of the Antarctica Treaty System (ATS) and lessons that can be gained.
link.springer.com

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 8h
youtu.be/Ei9iM_zzzQk?...
The Thick of It - I call app Britain
YouTube video by TheOncomingStorm
youtu.be

Reposted by Tim Stephens

ketanjoshi.co
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 9h
Close to 1 full goddamn gigawatt of gas (open-cycle, so the most inefficient kind) for the "Project Jupiter" site in New Mexico.

This whole article is a stunning illustration of how data centres are incentivising new fossil infrastructure:

eastdaley.com/daley-note/p...
Project Jupiter Reflects New Reality of Permian Development Energy Transfer, Kinder Morgan, Natural Gas, Permian, San Juan, The Daley Note Posted by: East Daley Analytics A massive data center planned by OpenAI and Oracle in southern New Mexico shows the new dynamic influencing pipeline investments in the Permian Basin. The two technology companies are partnering in Project Jupiter, a four-building data center campus located in Santa Teresa, NM. The facility in Doña Ana County will be developed and operated by BorderPlex Digital Assets and Stack Infrastructure, which plan to construct an onsite natural gas–powered microgrid capable of supplying 700–900 MW of generation directly to the campus. The companies intend to invest more than $165B over 30 years, making Project Jupiter one of the largest private technology investments proposed in the Southwest. In the Data Center Demand Tracker, East Daley Analytics expects the full campus to be in service by October 2029 and to consume 110–140 MMcf/d of gas once fully operational. Kinder Morgan’s (KMI) El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) system could benefit from this new demand. EPNG’s South Mainline runs through Doña Ana County and transports Permian gas across southern New Mexico (see basin and regional pipeline map from Energy Data Studio). However, East Daley’s West Coast Supply & Demand model shows the South Mainline is fully utilized seasonally. A second option is Energy Transfer’s (ET) new Desert Southwest expansion on Transwestern Pipeline, which is expected to add at least 1.5 Bcf/d of takeaway capacity from the Permian toward Arizona and Southern California. ET has been light on details for its latest pipeline, including the planned route. But in a project update on its website, ET lists Doña Ana County as a delivery point for Desert Southwest. Assuming the new pipeline traverses southern New Mexico, it could provide additional volumes to the county and support Project Jupiter’s demand. ET plans to start Desert Southw…

Reposted by Tim Stephens

aarnegranlund.bsky.social
Aarne Granlund @aarnegranlund.bsky.social · 9h
Reading Amitav Ghosh affected my thinking about nature and the climate predicament.

Most people in Western modernity have not seen nature as it has been on this planet for hundreds of millions of years - they are, at worst, afraid of it. We worship technology instead.
An ancient birch tree. The birch tree is sprawling upwards.

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 22h
"Conservation ecology professor Brendan Wintle said the reforms could deliver a significant boost for endangered animals if they are enforced, a major change from the status quo."

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Labor to fast-track nature law enforcement due to fears of land-clearing rush
Environment Minister Murray Watt is so worried that farmers will rush to bulldoze swaths of trees on their land that he is ordering laws signed off on Friday morning to come into force within days.
www.smh.com.au

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
"Australia finally acknowledges environment underpins all else. That’s no small thing" - Ken Henry

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Australia finally acknowledges environment underpins all else. That’s no small thing | Ken Henry
In what are dangerous times for democracies around the world, parliament’s overhaul of nature laws in the EPBC Act shows ambitious reform remains possible
www.theguardian.com

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
I listened to Sussan Ley with as open a mind as I could, but when she blamed the housing crisis on net zero she sounded extremely weird.

#auspol

podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/i...
Barnaby defects, Hanson offends and Sussan Ley comes on the podcast
Podcast Episode · Inside Politics · 27/11/2025 · 26m
podcasts.apple.com

Reposted by Tim Stephens

windjunky.bsky.social
Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 1d
Great BBC article on the psychology of why the BoM website update flopped. The site redesign revealed a ‘cultural blindness’ as to why Australians had a love for the old clunky site and the information it provided.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Bom: Why Australians are furious with their beloved weather website
Nicknamed the Bom, the country's weather agency has been heavily criticised over a recent redesign.
www.bbc.com

Reposted by Tim Stephens

adammorton.bsky.social
Adam Morton @adammorton.bsky.social · 1d
Worth reading this by Georgina Woods from Lock the Gate

- The rewriting of Australia’s nature laws comes as a relief, yet I can’t help feel a sense of foreboding

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The rewriting of Australia’s nature laws comes as a relief, yet I can’t help feel a sense of foreboding | Georgina Woods
The minister says quick approvals can happen while protecting the environment, but my experience tells me that haste brings unintended consequences
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Tim Stephens

adammorton.bsky.social
Adam Morton @adammorton.bsky.social · 1d
An explanation of what it all means by @lisacox.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Seven ways Australia’s nature laws are changing after Labor’s deal with the Greens
Legislation to reform the EPBC Act runs to hundreds of pages – here are the main changes
www.theguardian.com

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
Thanks for your work Amy!

Reposted by Simon Chapman, Tim Stephens

rowecartoon.bsky.social
rowecartoon.bsky.social @rowecartoon.bsky.social · 1d
barnaby

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
The Libs: Labor is failing to cut emissions fast enough and will never get to net zero.

Also the Libs: Labor is cutting emissions too fast and racing ahead of the world.

Can't get their story straight.

Reposted by Axel Bruns, Tim Stephens

joshtaylor.bsky.social
Josh Taylor @joshtaylor.bsky.social · 1d
lol X is a hellhole but sometime still amusing
A tweet from Senator Andrew Bragg asking "Why is YouTube being banned? Is this still Australia? #redtape" It has a community note stating: He voted for the bill that made it possible

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
The Coalition now has just 42 seats in the House of Representatives (Labor has 94).

#auspol

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Barnaby Joyce ‘strongly considering’ move to One Nation after quitting National party
Former leader Michael McCormack says he spent an hour with Joyce on Wednesday trying to convince him to remain
www.theguardian.com

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
On the news of the day – environmental reforms – he said: “The Coalition could have played an active role, but they chose not to. I can tell you, what few supporters they have left in the business community will just be horrified.”

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
"‘They’ve lost their way’: Turnbull unveils portrait, lets rip at former party"

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
‘They’ve lost their way’: Turnbull unveils portrait, lets rip at former party
Anthony Albanese revealed that Malcolm Turnbull had reached out to comfort him at a difficult time in his personal life.
www.smh.com.au

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen delivered the fourth Annual Climate Change Statement in Parliament earlier today

www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-chan...
www.dcceew.gov.au

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
The govt. passed the Climate Change Act in 2022, established the Net Zero Economy Authority, and today Aust recorded the biggest annual drop in emissions since the pandemic. It's obviously not everything (e.g. fossil projects have to end), but the Coalition would have done none of these things.

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
It is troubling, and I have no idea how to communicate the seriousness of the crisis in a way that hits home for the community. However, for the most part (e.g. the response to COVID), the vast majority of Australians are rational and are open to persuasion by authoritative voices (e.g. CSIRO).

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
This is all very indulgent and performative, and not fair for the voters in New England who may have made a different choice on 3 May had they known Joyce would pull up stumps mid-innings.

#auspol

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Barnaby Joyce resigns from Nationals
Barnaby Joyce has formally resigned from the Nationals, ending his 20-year parliamentary career with the party and clearing the way for him to join One Nation.
www.smh.com.au

Reposted by Tim Stephens

chrisbowenmp.bsky.social
Chris Bowen @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social · 2d
The modern Liberal party doesn't have a great relationship with facts, but it's simple:

When Coal breaks down, your bill goes up.

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Jonathan M. Gilligan, Smith , and 3 more

jael.bsky.social
jael holzman @jael.bsky.social · 2d
big late breaking news: the market monitor for the largest energy grid in the u.s., covering much of the midwest and mid-atlantic, has called to block new data centers connections to the grid, saying current course of growth assures regular blackouts
No more PJM data centers unless they can be reliably served: market monitor
The PJM Interconnection’s market monitor urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to rule that large data centers can only come online if the grid operator can still meet reliability metrics.
www.utilitydive.com

Reposted by Tim Stephens

amyremeikis.bsky.social
Amy Remeikis @amyremeikis.bsky.social · 2d
It's the last day of parliament and I am all out of fucks to give:
Party that refused to properly negotiate on laws now bitching about laws they refused to negotiate properly on live.thepoint.com.au/2025/11/the-...
The Point Live — Daily Updates
Stay updated with the latest from The Point.
live.thepoint.com.au

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
In a democracy politics is the art of the possible.

#auspol
larissawaters.bsky.social Larissa Waters @larissawaters.bsky.social · 2d
This bill is better than the laws we have now, and it is far better than what would have been delivered if the government had done a deal with the climate-deniers in the Coalition.

Reposted by Tim Stephens

ronpol.bsky.social
Ronald Mizen @ronpol.bsky.social · 2d
Labor strikes deal with Greens to overhaul environment laws
#auspol #ausbiz #auseco www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Labor strikes deal with Greens to overhaul environment laws
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese brokered an 11th-hour agreement with the minor party to pass the bill in the Senate.
www.afr.com

Reposted by Tim Stephens

strangerous.bsky.social
stranger @strangerous.bsky.social · 2d
BREAKING: Labor has secured the passage of its new environmental laws with the support of The Greens.
Albanese says the Liberals inc. Sussan Ley refused to meet him.
PM “I must say that the Greens showed maturity.”
Great result. ✅ #auspol

Reposted by Tim Stephens

larissawaters.bsky.social
Larissa Waters @larissawaters.bsky.social · 2d
This bill is better than the laws we have now, and it is far better than what would have been delivered if the government had done a deal with the climate-deniers in the Coalition.

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
It’s being reported that the new laws will require large emitting projects to disclose their carbon emissions. Good news.

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
“The Albanese government has secured a historic deal with the Greens to pass major reforms to national environment laws.”

#auspol #auslaw

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Albanese strikes deal with the Greens to pass environment protection bill
The Albanese government has secured a historic deal with the Greens to pass major reforms to national environment laws.
www.smh.com.au

Reposted by Tim Stephens

ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 2d
Interesting attire for a US Ambassador at a formal occasion.