brendan's articles Environmental Science Dairy giant Arla’s climate ‘fairytale’ Plant-based The report states that Arla also fails to declare any reduction targets for material non-CO2 emissions, including methane, and does not publish detailed reporting on methane. This is despite the company declaring in its 2023 Annual Report that “methane emissions are a major challenge for the dairy industry”, and stating that methane comprises 43 per […] Written by brendan March 17, 2025March 17, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Class struggle in the climate crisis Holgersen rejects this impulse, instead proposing a more sober analysis. He argues that crises always have negative consequences for the welfare of the poorest. Crises are not opportunities to encourage, but threats to fight off. This prescient point is most clear when it comes to the climate crisis. The scale of threat to life on […] Written by brendan March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Irish flax in resilient food systems It’s not just linnets who are flocking to the fields once more. Neighbours, family, retired growers, and textile makers pass each other regularly on the narrow lane up to Mallon Farm. Community Having previously found farming a lonely business, the interest and support from others have been highlights for Helen. As well as company, these […] Written by brendan March 6, 2025March 6, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Climate policy at the crossroads Degradation Projections from Rystad Energy indicate that by 2030, Brazil’s oil production will exceed seven million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), elevating the country from the seventh to the fifth-largest oil producer in the world. In 2024, state-owned oil giant Petrobrás reached a staggering production level of 2.4 million barrels of oil per […] Written by brendan March 3, 2025March 3, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Gaia, cyborgs and the memory industry Lovelock, then, urges us not to worry too much: it will be in the self-interest of AI systems to be environmentally benevolent. In particular, he argues that they will want to stop the earth from overheating: like people, cyborgs would not want to ‘roast’ because that would be the end of them. But how can […] Written by brendan February 27, 2025February 27, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science The assembly revolution You may be relieved to know that my ultimatum last month paid off. I asked 100 readers of The Ecologist online to sign up for a mini-assembly. We got 200. So thanks to all of you who committed to this world-shattering process. Your individual actions are not just a drop in the ocean, but a crucial […] Written by brendan February 24, 2025February 24, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Data centres worsen water crisis We’ve not had much growth here, or across much of the developed world – the US excepted – for a while, and what little we have seen has tended to arrive in forms that most of us don’t immediately see the benefits from. Data centres, and AI in general, may not mean much in the […] Written by brendan February 16, 2025February 16, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Power lines Phelps is hopeful that putting the community at the heart of decision-making over the energy transition will make a real difference to the people of Barton Hill. “I feel more confident now about some sort of community energy element in how our community goes forward than I ever have done. We’ve got massive fuel poverty, […] Written by brendan February 13, 2025February 13, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science The poverty of extreme wealth Companies like JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, have been repeatedly linked to illegal deforestation, yet continue to enjoy financing from major banks and investors. These practices not only destroy ecosystems but also accelerate climate change and displace indigenous communities. The IPBES report underscores the urgent need to reform subsidies and investment patterns in these […] Written by brendan February 9, 2025February 9, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science ‘Ban bottom trawling now’ A Labour MP has called for a blanket ban on “bottom trawling” of seabeds in marine protected areas (MPAs), which she said destroys fragile ecosystems and habitats. Katie White compared bottom trawling, which is the act of dragging heavy nets across the seabed, with “ripping up an orchard to pick an apple”. One or two […] Written by brendan February 6, 2025February 6, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Punking Reeves’ climate denial donations Adverts criticising Rachel Reeves, the British chancellor, for accepting political donations from climate sceptic lobbyists have appeared without official sanction on several London Underground lines. READ: MEET THE GLOBAL WARMING POLICY FOUNDATION. The satirical posters say, “Your Chancellor, Sponsored by Climate Deniers: Rachel Reeves took £10,000 from them (so far).” A modified party logo reads: […] Written by brendan January 26, 2025January 26, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Environmental Science Climate impacts could wipe out profits Businesses must act now to address and adapt to growing climate risks such as extreme heat or face steep financial losses, a new report warns. The impact of climate change could drive fixed-asset losses of up to $610 billion per year across listed companies by 2035, according to the report ‘Business on the Edge: Building […] Written by brendan January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Loading Load more
Environmental Science Dairy giant Arla’s climate ‘fairytale’ Plant-based The report states that Arla also fails to declare any reduction targets for material non-CO2 emissions, including methane, and does not publish detailed reporting on methane. This is despite the company declaring in its 2023 Annual Report that “methane emissions are a major challenge for the dairy industry”, and stating that methane comprises 43 per […] Written by brendan March 17, 2025March 17, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Class struggle in the climate crisis Holgersen rejects this impulse, instead proposing a more sober analysis. He argues that crises always have negative consequences for the welfare of the poorest. Crises are not opportunities to encourage, but threats to fight off. This prescient point is most clear when it comes to the climate crisis. The scale of threat to life on […] Written by brendan March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Irish flax in resilient food systems It’s not just linnets who are flocking to the fields once more. Neighbours, family, retired growers, and textile makers pass each other regularly on the narrow lane up to Mallon Farm. Community Having previously found farming a lonely business, the interest and support from others have been highlights for Helen. As well as company, these […] Written by brendan March 6, 2025March 6, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Climate policy at the crossroads Degradation Projections from Rystad Energy indicate that by 2030, Brazil’s oil production will exceed seven million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), elevating the country from the seventh to the fifth-largest oil producer in the world. In 2024, state-owned oil giant Petrobrás reached a staggering production level of 2.4 million barrels of oil per […] Written by brendan March 3, 2025March 3, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Gaia, cyborgs and the memory industry Lovelock, then, urges us not to worry too much: it will be in the self-interest of AI systems to be environmentally benevolent. In particular, he argues that they will want to stop the earth from overheating: like people, cyborgs would not want to ‘roast’ because that would be the end of them. But how can […] Written by brendan February 27, 2025February 27, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science The assembly revolution You may be relieved to know that my ultimatum last month paid off. I asked 100 readers of The Ecologist online to sign up for a mini-assembly. We got 200. So thanks to all of you who committed to this world-shattering process. Your individual actions are not just a drop in the ocean, but a crucial […] Written by brendan February 24, 2025February 24, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Data centres worsen water crisis We’ve not had much growth here, or across much of the developed world – the US excepted – for a while, and what little we have seen has tended to arrive in forms that most of us don’t immediately see the benefits from. Data centres, and AI in general, may not mean much in the […] Written by brendan February 16, 2025February 16, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Power lines Phelps is hopeful that putting the community at the heart of decision-making over the energy transition will make a real difference to the people of Barton Hill. “I feel more confident now about some sort of community energy element in how our community goes forward than I ever have done. We’ve got massive fuel poverty, […] Written by brendan February 13, 2025February 13, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science The poverty of extreme wealth Companies like JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, have been repeatedly linked to illegal deforestation, yet continue to enjoy financing from major banks and investors. These practices not only destroy ecosystems but also accelerate climate change and displace indigenous communities. The IPBES report underscores the urgent need to reform subsidies and investment patterns in these […] Written by brendan February 9, 2025February 9, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science ‘Ban bottom trawling now’ A Labour MP has called for a blanket ban on “bottom trawling” of seabeds in marine protected areas (MPAs), which she said destroys fragile ecosystems and habitats. Katie White compared bottom trawling, which is the act of dragging heavy nets across the seabed, with “ripping up an orchard to pick an apple”. One or two […] Written by brendan February 6, 2025February 6, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Punking Reeves’ climate denial donations Adverts criticising Rachel Reeves, the British chancellor, for accepting political donations from climate sceptic lobbyists have appeared without official sanction on several London Underground lines. READ: MEET THE GLOBAL WARMING POLICY FOUNDATION. The satirical posters say, “Your Chancellor, Sponsored by Climate Deniers: Rachel Reeves took £10,000 from them (so far).” A modified party logo reads: […] Written by brendan January 26, 2025January 26, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Environmental Science Climate impacts could wipe out profits Businesses must act now to address and adapt to growing climate risks such as extreme heat or face steep financial losses, a new report warns. The impact of climate change could drive fixed-asset losses of up to $610 billion per year across listed companies by 2035, according to the report ‘Business on the Edge: Building […] Written by brendan January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
