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proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens
@proftimstephens.bsky.social
7.2K followers 7.9K following 1.1K 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

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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
3 19 72

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1h
"Queensland’s pandering to climate deniers is making it even tougher for Australia to drive down emissions"

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Queensland’s pandering to climate deniers is making it even tougher for Australia to drive down emissions | Clear Air
Queensland is Australia’s top polluter – even worse than Western Australia, which has no climate target and adores its fossil fuel industry
www.theguardian.com
1 2 12

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2h
And it seems only fair given this

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US revokes six foreigners’ visas over social media comments criticizing Charlie Kirk
State department says it has ‘no obligation’ to host foreign nationals who ‘celebrate heinous’ death of far-right activist
www.theguardian.com
1 6

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2h
Good.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Candace Owens: Australia’s high court backs government decision to deny visa to US rightwinger
Court supports home affairs minister’s 2024 decision to reject visa application for planned speaking tour on character grounds
www.theguardian.com
1 3 21

Reposted by Tim Stephens

crikey.com.au
Crikey @crikey.com.au · 2h
Exclusive | Scott Morrison has registered himself as having a relationship with a $2.5 trillion Saudi fossil fuel company whose board member was once appointed by Morrison to a COVID recovery taskforce.
Scott Morrison declares role with Saudi oil company
When he was prime minister, Morrison appointed a Saudi fossil fuel firm's board member to two different taskforce roles in 2019 and 2022.
www.crikey.com.au
22 29 61

Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Tim Stephens, Nathan P. Kalmoe

oregonian.com
The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 7h
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson calls Sunday's naked bike ride in protest of the Portland ICE facility and and Trump troop deployment "the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet"

www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
260 690 2.2K

Reposted by Carl T. Bergstrom, Janet Murray, Michael D. McDonald , and 5 more

theverge.com
The Verge @theverge.com · 13h
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults
ChatGPT is about to get flirty.
buff.ly
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proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 23h
"The proliferation of fake spider webs in the lead-up to Halloween is the real stuff of nightmares, according to bird lovers who are urging people to ditch the plastic ahead of October 31."

www.smh.com.au/environment/...
Those sticky Halloween cobwebs are killing our native wildlife
Plastics now comprise about 30 per cent of the material found in birds’ nests, as experts warn fake Halloween cobwebs sold at supermarkets are fuelling the problem.
www.smh.com.au
1 15 25

Reposted by Mark Lubell, Tim Stephens

michaelmazengarb.bsky.social
Michael Mazengarb @michaelmazengarb.bsky.social · 1d
“it is no longer defensible for companies proposing new or extended fossil fuel projects to claim the climate harms will be negligible. Our research shows the harms are, in fact, tangible and quantifiable – and no project is too small to matter.”
theconversation.com/for-the-firs...
For the first time, we linked a new fossil fuel project to hundreds of deaths. Here’s the impact of Woodside’s Scarborough gas project
The results challenge claims that the climate risks posed by an individual fossil fuel project are negligible or cannot be quantified.
theconversation.com
2 20 41

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
Prof Frank Bongiorno has written a great review (the last para is the kicker) www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
Australia: A History by Tony Abbott review – mostly celebratory account of ‘a land built by heroes’ | Frank Bongiorno
Former PM lauds his country’s progress to egalitarian democracy where ‘only the very unlucky’ miss out – yet judges it ‘materially rich but spiritually poor’
www.theguardian.com
1 3

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
“Greenhouse emissions linked to a gas field being developed by Australian fossil fuel company Woodside could lead to the death of at least 480 people and expose more than half a million to unprecedented heat, new research suggests.”

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Emissions linked to Woodside’s Scarborough gas project could lead to at least 480 deaths, research suggests
Scientists have examined the $16.5bn project’s climate impact and found it could expose more than half a million people to unprecedented heat
www.theguardian.com
6 16

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 1d
"Abbott was interviewed by several media outlets on Monday morning to promote his new book, Australia: A History"

I think we all know well in advance what the book will say, i.e. colonialism was great, the Liberal and National Parties are wonderful, Australia's climate has always changed etc
4 11

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
If the Coalition listens to Abbott they will be in Opposition forever.

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Ley reshuffles her frontbench again after Hastie exit as Abbott chimes in
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says the Coalition to redirect its focus as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley named her third frontbench in five months.
www.smh.com.au
9 25

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
“Australian household energy bills will halve by 2050 as solar panels, batteries and electric cars and appliances become the norm”

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia’s household energy bills will halve by 2050, modelling suggests
Grattan Institute report argues fall in costs will provide federal government room for more action on climate
www.theguardian.com
10 20

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 2d
“Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’”

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
1 9 13

Reposted by Samantha Brennan, Tim Stephens, David Darmofal

maddow.msnbc.com
Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 2d
"Hundreds of Catholic priests, nuns and lay people led a march from a Catholic church in Maywood to the ICE detention center in Broadview..."

www.fox32chicago.com/news/faith-l...
Faith leaders blocked from sharing Communion with detainees at Broadview ICE center
A large group of Chicago area Catholics marched to the ICE detention center in Broadview Saturday, hoping to share Communion with detainees.
www.fox32chicago.com
160 1.5K 5.1K

Reposted by Tim Stephens

strangerous.bsky.social
stranger @strangerous.bsky.social · 2d
I feel like today is a good day to remind everyone that just last year Barnaby Joyce called on a crowd of cookers to say “goodbye” to 3 Labor MPs inc the PM by getting ready to “load that magazine” & think of a “bullet” when casting their vote.
And received no penalty or censure.
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Reposted by Tim Stephens

timdickinson.bsky.social
Tim Dickinson @timdickinson.bsky.social · 2d
Here for the "emergency" naked bike ride in Portland
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Reposted by Erin O’Donnell, Tim Stephens

ingridm.bsky.social
Dr Ingrid M @ingridm.bsky.social · 2d
poor old Tony Abbott is on the public broadcaster dismissing the oldest and longest continuous oral histories in the history of humanity as “hearsay” how’s your morning going.
45 78 300

Reposted by Tim Stephens

chrisbowenmp.bsky.social
Chris Bowen @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social · 6d
When I see disinformation I will call it out.
12 10 56

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 6d
And with me!
2

Reposted by Tim Stephens

billmckibben.bsky.social
Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 6d
America is in crisis.

So it's a small relief that the rest of the world is actually getting remarkable stuff done with energy. We just passed a huge milestone globally!

Now back to work on America.
billmckibben.substack.com/p/something-...
Something extraordinary just happened
But of course there's a but. Or two.
billmckibben.substack.com
10 74 270

Reposted by Tim Stephens

chrisbowenmp.bsky.social
Chris Bowen @chrisbowenmp.bsky.social · 6d
The world is getting on with the energy transition. 

Renewable energy is the cheapest and quickest form of energy - it's clear why it is miles ahead of other electricity generation just this past year.
3 21

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 6d
News Corp, which has Fox in its stable and constantly pushes climate denial, is not coming to this issue with clean hands.

www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...
News Corp Australia chair says social media platforms are ‘true monsters’ and ‘torment our children’
Michael Miller also says media must unite against second ‘big steal’ by tech companies seeking changes to copyright law to access content for free
www.theguardian.com
2 9

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 7d
“New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk.”

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk, report finds
NZ$180bn worth of housing and $26bn of infrastructure at risk of flooding and storm damage, new government report finds
www.theguardian.com
7 14

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 7d
For background see bsky.app/profile/timm...
timmonsroberts.bsky.social
Timmons Roberts @timmonsroberts.bsky.social · Sep 7
So proud of this collaboration led by @cssn.org

110 top experts from around the world

13 chapters on who is blocking or slowing action on climate change

A quantum leap in our understanding of why society has failed to solve this

Will be free online Oct 14 1/x

global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Cover of new book Climate Obstruction: A Global Assessment from Oxford University Press. Shows cows, smokestacks, jets, oil refineries, cell phones and a man in a suit talking to an audience
2 4

Reposted by Markus W. Gehring

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 7d
"Political and media attacks on renewable energy and climate action in Australia in recent months have come 'out of the climate obstruction playbook' that has been honed over decades around the world by fossil fuel interests."

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Media and political attacks on Australia’s emissions targets ‘straight out of the climate obstruction playbook’, expert says
Prof Christian Downie points to the Business Council of Australia and News Corp newspapers as examples of deliberate obstruction
www.theguardian.com
3 11 26

Reposted by Erle C. Ellis, Ed Hawkins, Bram Büscher , and 6 more

davidho.bsky.social
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 7d
News that shocks no one: Carbon offsets do nothing for climate.
Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says
Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions
www.theguardian.com
21 370 930

Reposted by Tim Stephens

strangerous.bsky.social
stranger @strangerous.bsky.social · 8d
Chris Bowen taunts Dan Tehan following his visit to Nuclear sites in the US saying Tehan’s post-trip YouTube video shows “he did not visit any small modular reactors, advanced modular reactors or micro reactors, perhaps due to the small technical detail that none exist”🔥🤣 #QT
20 79 270

proftimstephens.bsky.social
Tim Stephens @proftimstephens.bsky.social · 8d
“The quickest way to generate more power is to roll out wind and solar. Trump is actively intervening to obstruct this.”

www.smh.com.au/business/the...
Trump is leading America into an energy crisis
The US is in danger of losing the global AI race for the most banal and careless of reasons.
www.smh.com.au
1 7 16

Reposted by Juan Cole, Cameron Brick, David Rosnick , and 1 more

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 8d
Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says
Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says
Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions The failure of carbon offsets to cut planet-heating pollution is “not due to a few bad apples”, a review paper has found, but down to deep-seated systemic problems that incremental change will not solve. Research over two decades has found “intractable” problems that have made carbon credits in most big programmes poor quality, according to the study. While the industry and diplomats have made efforts to improve the system, it found much-awaited rules agreed at a UN climate summit last year “did not substantially address the quality problem”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
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