Ronald Steenblik
@ronsteenblik.bsky.social
Retired OECD staff member. I post on trade, environment, energy (especially fossil fuel subsidies). Supporting QUNO's work on identifying & reducing subsidies to #plastics. Commenting in my personal capacity.
Once told by Mel Brooks: "You have no taste!"
Once told by Mel Brooks: "You have no taste!"
Pinned
Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Subsidies are intended to protect consumers by keeping prices low, but they come at a high cost. Subsidies have sizable fiscal costs (leading to higher taxes/borrowing or lower spending), promote inef...
www.imf.org
1⃣ Since 2013, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has published biennially global estimates of what they call "explicit" and "implicit" #FossilFuelSubsidies.
Those estimates are widely cited, but also widely misinterpreted & misrepresented. And some things they include shouldn't be.
A long 🧵.
Those estimates are widely cited, but also widely misinterpreted & misrepresented. And some things they include shouldn't be.
A long 🧵.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
The whole story about Karoline Leavitt’s brother is grosser than you think.
November 26, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The whole story about Karoline Leavitt’s brother is grosser than you think.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
These pellets are designed to maximise bacterial growth and when they are emitted from sewage treatment plants, that biofilm may carry harmful bacteria like E. coli & other pathogens harmful to humans, including “superbug” bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
theconversation.com/plastic-bio-...
theconversation.com/plastic-bio-...
Plastic ‘bio-beads’ from sewage plants are polluting the oceans and spreading superbugs – but there are alternatives
Small plastic pellets, used in wastewater treatment facilities since the 1990s, are more than just plastic pollution – they carriy potentially dangerous bacteria.
theconversation.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:15 AM
These pellets are designed to maximise bacterial growth and when they are emitted from sewage treatment plants, that biofilm may carry harmful bacteria like E. coli & other pathogens harmful to humans, including “superbug” bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
theconversation.com/plastic-bio-...
theconversation.com/plastic-bio-...
A not-so-common word today. That makes 9 times I’ve tied the Wordle Bot’s score in the last fortnight.
Wordle 1,622 4/6
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Wordle 1,622 4/6
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November 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
A not-so-common word today. That makes 9 times I’ve tied the Wordle Bot’s score in the last fortnight.
Wordle 1,622 4/6
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Wordle 1,622 4/6
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Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Let’s start with your first clue: survivors rarely get smallpox again. But you don’t know why. The only technology available is variolation – infect your child with a controlled dose of smallpox, but risk a 1-in-50 chance they die from the procedure.
Imagine you lived in the 18th century.
Smallpox kills 1 in 3 cases. Yet you can’t culture pathogens, don’t know germ theory, and have no idea what a virus is. How would you invent a vaccine?
In a new episode of HARD DRUGS, we trace the history of vaccines!
Smallpox kills 1 in 3 cases. Yet you can’t culture pathogens, don’t know germ theory, and have no idea what a virus is. How would you invent a vaccine?
In a new episode of HARD DRUGS, we trace the history of vaccines!
The history of vaccines
open.spotify.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Let’s start with your first clue: survivors rarely get smallpox again. But you don’t know why. The only technology available is variolation – infect your child with a controlled dose of smallpox, but risk a 1-in-50 chance they die from the procedure.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
![Comic: Typical Geologic core sample. [Cylindrical core sample with labels for difference sections from top to bottom] Topsoil, till, granite bedrock, bottomsoil, roof of subway car, floor of subway car, more granite, municipal water main [gouge in core sample], slightly different granite, piece of screaming spelunker’s forearm, cool crystals with no resale value, mangled fragments of drillbit from previous attempt, some boring intrusive rock that’s basically granite but has a name like “diorite” or “Andalite” that you always have to look up, netherrack, Balrog wing. [break between next chunk of core sample] Granite, topsoil, cement, floorboards, carpet, possessions of a confused and angry homeowner in the other hemisphere.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreicffnydtpbb2x24cfbblv2qtcwbr37zyw44vtqx47ocj2a26b2j2u@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Great podcast (as always) from @anjakrieger.bsky.social on how to go encourage the shift back to re-usable materials. Anja speaks with two people working in Southeast Asia: Froilan Grate, the Asia-Pacific Director of GAIA, and Salisa Traipipitsiriwat, a senior campaigner at @ejfoundation.org.
Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment
Emission dans Sciences · The podcast on plastic, people, and the planet by @anjakrieger. Plastics have become the basis for our modern lives, but they also pollute the planet. Will we be able to devel...
podcasts.apple.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Great podcast (as always) from @anjakrieger.bsky.social on how to go encourage the shift back to re-usable materials. Anja speaks with two people working in Southeast Asia: Froilan Grate, the Asia-Pacific Director of GAIA, and Salisa Traipipitsiriwat, a senior campaigner at @ejfoundation.org.
Many people refer to Trump as “demented”. If they mean it in the British sense — behaving wildly and irrationally on account of anger, distress, or excitement — OK. If they mean “suffering from dementia”, who’s to say?
His easier-to-observe problems, besides age, are ignorance and lack of empathy.
His easier-to-observe problems, besides age, are ignorance and lack of empathy.
SLEEPY DON is unfit for office: "Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office"
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Many people refer to Trump as “demented”. If they mean it in the British sense — behaving wildly and irrationally on account of anger, distress, or excitement — OK. If they mean “suffering from dementia”, who’s to say?
His easier-to-observe problems, besides age, are ignorance and lack of empathy.
His easier-to-observe problems, besides age, are ignorance and lack of empathy.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff has been outed as a Russian asset. This is traitorous stuff.
Steve Witkoff helped Russia derail Ukraine’s access to Tomahawk missiles. He tipped off the Kremlin about Zelensky’s U.S. visit, giving Moscow time to arrange a call that convinced Trump to block the deal. Witkoff actively works against Ukraine’s defense, in coordination with Putin’s regime.
November 26, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff has been outed as a Russian asset. This is traitorous stuff.
What the current U.S. Administration is turning the country — and the world — into.
Wordle 1,621 4/6
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November 26, 2025 at 6:46 AM
What the current U.S. Administration is turning the country — and the world — into.
Wordle 1,621 4/6
⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨
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Wordle 1,621 4/6
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Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Russian Business news 25/November/2025:
The US has granted an exemption to the Hungarian oil company MOL which operates refineries in Hungary and Slovakia to purchase oil from Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline till November 21st 2026.
www.kommersant.ru/doc/8230535
The US has granted an exemption to the Hungarian oil company MOL which operates refineries in Hungary and Slovakia to purchase oil from Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline till November 21st 2026.
www.kommersant.ru/doc/8230535
Для вас, MOL, исключение
США разрешили Венгрии и Словакии еще год покупать нефть у ЛУКОЙЛа
www.kommersant.ru
November 26, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Russian Business news 25/November/2025:
The US has granted an exemption to the Hungarian oil company MOL which operates refineries in Hungary and Slovakia to purchase oil from Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline till November 21st 2026.
www.kommersant.ru/doc/8230535
The US has granted an exemption to the Hungarian oil company MOL which operates refineries in Hungary and Slovakia to purchase oil from Lukoil via the Druzhba pipeline till November 21st 2026.
www.kommersant.ru/doc/8230535
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough.
Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern
A third unvaccinated infant in Kentucky has died of pertussis as public health officials urge Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the disease.
kentuckylantern.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough.
Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Again on theme. It’s what all Trump’s law-breaking sycophants will need to do once they’re out of office.
Wordle 1,620 3/6
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November 25, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Again on theme. It’s what all Trump’s law-breaking sycophants will need to do once they’re out of office.
Wordle 1,620 3/6
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Excellent analysis of the price effects of the EU's and other trading blocs' sanctions on goods that Russia imports (from China and Türkiye and several other countries). Short answer: the prices for those goods increased significantly and continue to increase.
Cc: @claireberlinski.bsky.social
Cc: @claireberlinski.bsky.social
Heli Simola and I wrote about the effect of sanctions on unit prices of Russia’s imports. I.e., how much does Russia have to pay more for goods EU & co have sanctioned, when it imports them from China, Türkiye and other countries?
@bofit.suomenpankki.fi DP 8/2025
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1/
www.bofit.fi/en/
@bofit.suomenpankki.fi DP 8/2025
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1/
www.bofit.fi/en/
November 24, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Excellent analysis of the price effects of the EU's and other trading blocs' sanctions on goods that Russia imports (from China and Türkiye and several other countries). Short answer: the prices for those goods increased significantly and continue to increase.
Cc: @claireberlinski.bsky.social
Cc: @claireberlinski.bsky.social
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
To clarify, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, and the USA participated in peer reviews of their efforts to phase out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies during the period 2016–18 (which the OECD chaired). Argentina & Canada agreed to follow, and then France & India. But those never happened.
While the G20 hasn't delivered much progress on subsidy reform, the commitment encouraged members to take some steps in the right direction.
➡️Canada delivered a framework to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies
➡️US, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, & Indonesia undertook subsidy peer reviews
2/5
➡️Canada delivered a framework to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies
➡️US, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, & Indonesia undertook subsidy peer reviews
2/5
November 23, 2025 at 2:49 PM
To clarify, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, and the USA participated in peer reviews of their efforts to phase out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies during the period 2016–18 (which the OECD chaired). Argentina & Canada agreed to follow, and then France & India. But those never happened.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
🚨 Only a pussy maces a man who is handcuffed. True story. Also, nobody who has EVER spent time at ANY shooting range holds a firearm like this fool. 1/2
November 23, 2025 at 2:39 AM
🚨 Only a pussy maces a man who is handcuffed. True story. Also, nobody who has EVER spent time at ANY shooting range holds a firearm like this fool. 1/2
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
COP30 TEXT ANALYSIS: One way to read dense COP text is to focus on the verbs. These are helpfully italicised – and for good reason.
MOSTLY INACTIVE: Carbon Brief analysis of the “global mutirão” text finds 69 inactive verbs, requiring no action, against 32 active verbs.
1/4
MOSTLY INACTIVE: Carbon Brief analysis of the “global mutirão” text finds 69 inactive verbs, requiring no action, against 32 active verbs.
1/4
November 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
COP30 TEXT ANALYSIS: One way to read dense COP text is to focus on the verbs. These are helpfully italicised – and for good reason.
MOSTLY INACTIVE: Carbon Brief analysis of the “global mutirão” text finds 69 inactive verbs, requiring no action, against 32 active verbs.
1/4
MOSTLY INACTIVE: Carbon Brief analysis of the “global mutirão” text finds 69 inactive verbs, requiring no action, against 32 active verbs.
1/4
Circa $5.7 T of that $7 T number from the IMF rare not subsidies but estimates of untaxed externalities related to FF consumption. The only way they, + $1.3 trillion in consumer price subsidies, would become a “fiscal pool” that could be repurposed is if all the 🌎’s govt’s imposed huge taxes on FFs.
The IMF finds global fossil-fuel subsidies in the trillions (≈$7T estimated recently), a fiscal pool that can be repurposed to finance retraining, guaranteed jobs, and community remediation if political will exists. Redirecting even a fraction funds huge, concrete programs.
November 22, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Circa $5.7 T of that $7 T number from the IMF rare not subsidies but estimates of untaxed externalities related to FF consumption. The only way they, + $1.3 trillion in consumer price subsidies, would become a “fiscal pool” that could be repurposed is if all the 🌎’s govt’s imposed huge taxes on FFs.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
The only guarantee of peace in Europe is a Ukrainian victory over russia.
November 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
The only guarantee of peace in Europe is a Ukrainian victory over russia.
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Surely Putin will respect his signature this time, right?
November 22, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Surely Putin will respect his signature this time, right?
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
I recall being excited when I first read about sand batteries in combination with PV. But... Since we just added 800 million new humans since 2015 (Paris), sand is dwindling fast.
Wie Sand am Meer?
www.unep.org/news-and-sto...
Wie Sand am Meer?
www.unep.org/news-and-sto...
The problem with our dwindling sand reserves
A new UNEP video captures how sand mining is a growing problem, exhausting a finite resource at a great cost to the planet.
www.unep.org
November 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
I recall being excited when I first read about sand batteries in combination with PV. But... Since we just added 800 million new humans since 2015 (Paris), sand is dwindling fast.
Wie Sand am Meer?
www.unep.org/news-and-sto...
Wie Sand am Meer?
www.unep.org/news-and-sto...
The 29 are: Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Neth., Panama, Palau, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switz., UK, and Vanuatu.
Where's NZ ?!
Where's NZ ?!
Full text of letter leaked to Guardian saying at least 29 nations won't agree a deal without a road map for a phase-out of fossil fuels
"true leadership is .. not lowering expectations to accommodate the most reluctant"
#cop30
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
"true leadership is .. not lowering expectations to accommodate the most reluctant"
#cop30
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Cop30 live: standoff over inclusion of fossil fuel phaseout in final text escalates
Following a dramatic fire yesterday, the climate summit is due to finish this evening, but disagreements over the final text look difficult to resolve
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
The 29 are: Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Neth., Panama, Palau, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switz., UK, and Vanuatu.
Where's NZ ?!
Where's NZ ?!
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
Um, no. Those are Hindu-Arabic numerals.
Arabic numerals are shown below. Those are also useful for school children in the USA to learn, both for appreciating other cultures and because knowing them can come in very handy when traveling in the Middle East and North Africa.
Arabic numerals are shown below. Those are also useful for school children in the USA to learn, both for appreciating other cultures and because knowing them can come in very handy when traveling in the Middle East and North Africa.
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Um, no. Those are Hindu-Arabic numerals.
Arabic numerals are shown below. Those are also useful for school children in the USA to learn, both for appreciating other cultures and because knowing them can come in very handy when traveling in the Middle East and North Africa.
Arabic numerals are shown below. Those are also useful for school children in the USA to learn, both for appreciating other cultures and because knowing them can come in very handy when traveling in the Middle East and North Africa.
If you see this, quote with the energy you bring to Bluesky:
November 21, 2025 at 3:43 PM
If you see this, quote with the energy you bring to Bluesky:
Reposted by Ronald Steenblik
When we think of a circular economy, #recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind. But recycling is just one of the elements in our toolbox, and not necessarily the most preferable one. Learn more from Arturo Castillo @scientistscoa.bsky.social
on.soundcloud.com/2t5jGAdZrMdV...
#plastic
on.soundcloud.com/2t5jGAdZrMdV...
#plastic
Beyond Recycling - The Many Meanings of the Circular Economy
When we speak about plastic pollution, a central idea to solve it is that of the circular economy. And when this idea of circularity is mentioned, recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind
soundcloud.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:20 AM
When we think of a circular economy, #recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind. But recycling is just one of the elements in our toolbox, and not necessarily the most preferable one. Learn more from Arturo Castillo @scientistscoa.bsky.social
on.soundcloud.com/2t5jGAdZrMdV...
#plastic
on.soundcloud.com/2t5jGAdZrMdV...
#plastic