Recycling plastic is doing more harm than we realise – so what’s the alternative?

Published 29th May 2023, i news. For many of us, doing the recycling is now a normal part of housekeeping. We separate out our paper, glass and tins before putting them in the green bin. Increasingly, plastics have the recycling logo on them. So we rinse them out and save …

University of Exeter’s new partnership with Shell is a mistake

This week, the University of Exeter announced a new net zero collaboration with Shell. This five-year deal represents a significant amount of income to the University. This money will pay for research in the UK and Brazil that “is part of a wider Shell-led research programme focussed on carbon sequestration, …

Acknowledging global warming will exceed 1.5 does not mean we give up on the aims of the Paris Agreement

Are we going to limit global warming to no more than 1.5°C since pre-industrial times? Back in June I gave a talk at a TED event about carbon offsets and net zero in which I answered “no”. This week I was told that my talk at TED is being circulated …

Net zero article shortlisted for 2022 Covering Climate Now Journalism Award

The Conversation article “Concept of net zero is a dangerous trap” authored by Wolgang Knorr, Bob Watson and myself has been nominated for the Covering Climate Now Journalism Award. A bit of a surprise as I did not know we were nominated. Winners decided in May apparently. In any event, …

Degrowth & Ecosocialism: a discussion with David Schwartzman

David Schwartzman Professor Emeritus at Howard University, USA. He has done pioneering work on Earth system science and economics & policy as well as being involved in US and international politics. He visited the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter to give a seminar on degrowth and ecosocialism. …

Open letter from scientists to Rt Hon Greg Hands, Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth
and Climate Change

“Mr Rose, a 52-year-old software engineer who calls himself the ‘Uncle On Hunger Strike’, hasn’t eaten since March 14th and has now lost two stone. He has been outside Parliament every day protesting for such a briefing, which has so far been refused three times by Mr Hands, who met Angus on …

Letter to UK Ministers calling for regulation of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’

To: George Eustice MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 24 February 2020 Dear Secretaries of State, Re: Urgent Need for PFAS / Forever …

Letter to the Independent | As scientists, we are appalled at the government’s support for the polluting airline industry

Monday 20 January 2020. Available online here. We write as scientists who are appalled at the support of this government for the high-carbon emissions airline industry, and the grossly misleading statements made by Matt Hancock to justify this bailout. On 15 January, the health minister communicated his unqualified support for …

Letter to the Guardian |Disinformation on Australian bushfires should not be spread by ministers

14th January 2020. Online here. We write as scientists alarmed that a minister has ignored scientific evidence, relying instead on grossly misleading social media sources. In the House of Commons on 9 January, Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister Heather Wheeler answered a question about the Australian bushfires by stating: “Very …

We can’t wait for those in power to take the lead on climate change

i newspaper and inews online 18th September. Perhaps the most dangerous sentence in the English language right now is “What difference can I make?” Dangerous, because if that is the widespread response to the challenge of rapidly reducing carbon emissions, then we have already lost any chance of securing a …

This month millions will strike for climate justice- we will either make history, or through our inaction, end it

The i news online and i newspaper print edition 9th August 2019. A year ago, Greta Thurnberg was an anonymous school girl who every Friday sat outside the Swedish parliament with a home made sign protesting against inaction on climate change. Today politicians and celebrities hang on her words, the …

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