Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 13h

I’m not a journalist, just work with them, but I’d say even big news organisations (eg BBC) don’t even have an energy reporter, still less a desk… so a battery reporter is fantasy land!

Reposted by George Smeeton

Richard Lowes @richardlowes.bsky.social · 1d

Such a depressing situation when solid wall insulation can have such an incredible positive impact when installed properly. Designing the policy to deliver it as cheaply as possible without appropriate safeguards was never going to end well: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Tens of thousands of homes insulated under government schemes need repairs

Insulation programmes costing billions of pounds have led to widespread problems with damp and mould.

www.bbc.co.uk

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 2d

Earth has reached its first catastrophic tipping point linked to greenhouse gas emissions, with warm water coral reefs now facing long-term decline and risking livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, finds report:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’

Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 5d

England has seen its second worst harvest on record, according to @eciu.net analysis of Government figures:

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

England sees second worst harvest on record, analysis shows

Provisional Government data suggests a much worse harvest than experts had so far predicted.

www.independent.co.uk

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Climate Centre @climatecentreuk.bsky.social · 5d

"We're building out renewables in a way that minimises the blackout risk."

@jessralston.bsky.social from @eciu.net tells LBC News that renewables have helped Britain reach its lowest risk of a winter power blackout in six years.

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 6d

UK’s national security under severe threat from climate change and looming collapse of vital natural ecosystems, with food shortages and economic disaster potentially just years away, UK’s intelligence chiefs to warn:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

National security threatened by climate crisis, UK intelligence chiefs due to warn

Report by joint intelligence committee delayed, with concerns expressed that it may not be published

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social · 6d

Officials in Downing Street have blocked publication of a report warning that the collapse of tropical rainforests could push up food prices in British supermarkets.

Story 👇
www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

No 10 blocks report on impact of rainforest collapse on food prices

Downing Street has vetoed release of an assessment that says the loss of the Amazon ecosystem could drive up food inflation as well as lead to mass migration

www.thetimes.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 7d

One year’s worth of bread has been lost in the UK since 2020 due to extreme weather destroying harvests, finds @eciu.net analysis:

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

One year’s worth of bread lost in UK to wrecked harvests since 2020, report finds

Worsening droughts and floods have destroyed wheat for 4bn loaves of bread and forced record levels of imports

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 8d

Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year finds @ember-energy.org analysis:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

www.bbc.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 9d

Majority of Conservative Party members support Britain’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, despite Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to scrap landmark climate legislation if Tories win next election:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Majority of Tory members oppose Kemi Badenoch’s net zero plans

More than half of Tory members said they support Britain’s target of reaching net zero by 2050

www.independent.co.uk

George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 13d

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal the Climate Change Act if the Conservatives win the next election:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal Climate Change Act

Tory leader says she would replace it with ‘cheap energy’ strategy, ending decades-long consensus on climate

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 13d

Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change:

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Pope Leo hits out at critics of global warming

In his first major statement on climate change, the pontiff criticises those who minimise climate change.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 15d

NEW: Something remarkable happened recently and hardly anyone noticed – GB electricity demand was 100% covered by clean power

We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before

🧵

www.carbonbrief.org/...
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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 14d

Growth in global carbon emissions has slowed to just 0.32 per cent a year in the decade since the Paris Agreement was signed in late 2015, shows @eciu.net analysis:

www.businessgreen.com/news/4519655...

'Brakes slammed': Global emissions growth has slowed drastically in decade since Paris Agreement

Global emissions have grown just 1.17 per cent since COP21 versus an 18.4 per cent increase in the decade to 2015, ECIU analysis shows

www.businessgreen.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 16d

European way of life is being jeopardised by environmental degradation, finds report.

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Environmental damage is putting European way of life at risk, says report

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 19d

On why Trump is wrong on climate, renewable energy, the next economic growth cycle, on powering data centres cost-efficiently, and on geo-economics. Very good by the FT‘s Gillian Tett.
on.ft.com/3KkjVcU

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 19d

US faces "twilight of shale”

“The US shale business is broken... What was once the world’s most dynamic energy engine has been gutted by political hostility and economic ignorance.”

via FT Energy Source:

ep.ft.com/permalink/em...

Howdy y’all and welcome to Energy Source.

ep.ft.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Alister Doyle @alisterdoyle.bsky.social · 21d

The only con job here is by Trump. The UN’s IPCC climate panel - whose finding are okayed by fossil fuel producers including Saudi Arabia, US, Russia, etc - says human-caused warming is «unequivocal». That’s more than «most scientists» www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Trump to address UN as he distances US from global cooperation

U.S. President Donald Trump will address the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday as world leaders grapple with crises from Gaza to Ukraine and question whether the United States, with its "America First" foreign policy, is still prepared to play a leadership role in global affairs.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 21d

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback

Growth rate slightly lower than previous first-half years but sector still strong and resilient, experts say

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 25d

Yet more embarrassment for the Times, which has printed a ludicrous – and almost certainly false – line about windfarms being “dismantled” near Trump’s Scottish golf course

But why pick up the phone, as I did, when you can print nudge-nudge rumours instead?

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 27d

Global water resources are under growing pressure from an increasingly “erratic” hydrological cycle, with two-thirds of all river basins suffering from abnormal conditions last year, says WMO:

www.ft.com/content/61cb...

Two-thirds of rivers suffered abnormal conditions in hottest year, says WMO

Europe had its most extensive flooding since 2013, with insurers estimating they would face up to €3bn in claims

www.ft.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · 28d

Human-made global heating caused two in every three heat deaths in Europe during this year’s scorching summer, an early analysis of mortality in 854 big cities has found:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Human-made global warming ‘caused two in three heat deaths in Europe this summer’

Researchers from Imperial College London say 16,500 deaths caused by hot weather brought on by greenhouse gases

www.theguardian.com

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George Smeeton @gsmeeton.bsky.social · Sep 12

Excellent piece, well written!

Reposted by George Smeeton

James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Really important polling today from Climate Outreach and More in Common showing that despite all the noises off there is still robust public support for climate action. www.businessgreen.com/news/4518762...

'Quiet sense of pride': Large majority of Brits back ambitious climate action

Poll of over 7,000 people reveals strong support for clean energy, nature restoration, and climate action - but a deep disillusionment with politics and the cost of living remains

www.businessgreen.com

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Reposted by George Smeeton

Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · Sep 4

Moving gas plants - which set the price of electricity- out of the market and into a nationally controlled reserve, would take £5bn off the UK’s energy bills

“Renewable energy is cheaper than gas but we’re not reaping all of the benefits clean power brings”

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Energy users ‘could save £5bn a year’ if gas plants are removed from market

Former energy tsar suggests the ‘radical step’ as one of the few options the government has for cutting bills

www.theguardian.com

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