Will Brandreth

Why are people so mean on social media... Twitter and Bluesky the same. He's just another imperfect human trying to do a job.

Chinese triads and Mexican cartels exploit US cuts to wildlife aid Gangs involved in trading endangered species are ‘loving’ the closure of conservation programmes

One effect of cutting US and UK aid is that we hear about some of the work they did like HIV prevention, vaccines, nutrition, and now wildlife conservation. I'm still curious if the public perceive these as important issues to fund globally? Any polling on this?

www.ft.com/content/8339...

The metrics here are all negative for perseverance, distracted, careless, outgoing, helpful, trusting. People aren't born this way or getting there by freedom of choice. We are building digital information and entertainment systems that diminish ourselves as human beings.

The troubling decline in conscientiousness A critical life skill is fading out — and especially fast among young adults

During my undergrad the extent of digital distraction was Pro Evolution soccer with flatmates. Now as a PhD student and human being I'd argue that the ability to manage online tools is a critical and very difficult life skill - as we need to negotiate these tools.

on.ft.com/4m7PLaX

I'm curious because then won't any harvest of carbon stock in dead/diseased trees may well then should up in HWP or perhaps as someone else's (e.g. UK) bioenergy feedstock. The problem that net zero inventories have limitations for tracking biogenic carbon stocks and flows.

Thanks Glen - on the methodology have Germany updated tree/forest growth modelling to account for impacts such as beetle damage. This has reduced annual carbon removals due to reduced tree growth at the inventory level and hence the net of LULUCF emissions/removals increases?

Great post Robbie, thanks. On the carbon accounting this looks like net flux - what happens to the carbon stock in the trees once they damaged from beetle infestation. Does it get harvested for other uses e.g. HWP or bioenergy. Or does it become dead wood and decompose in the LULUCF account? Cheers

US crop and livestock exports to China are worth about $25bn and any tariffs would likely divert more trade to Brazil, with environmental risks. Interestingly, agricultural trade is actually quite bi-lateral and sticky so lost markets won't easily return to the US if future tariffs removed.

There's no climate ambition without addressing food and forests... annual emissions from net forest conversion in Brazil are about 650Mt (FAOSTAT) a figure larger than the UK's entire economy. And this is going to get worse as tariffs mean China turns more to Brazil for food and feed imports.

There's no climate ambition without this... annual emissions from net forest conversion in Brazil are about 650Mt (FAOSTAT) which is larger than the UK's entire economy. And this is going to get worse as tariffs mean China turns more to Brazil for food and feed imports.

Exactly my point.. more evidence of a person can give more than any other individual in history to advance human health treatments and still be cast as an evil billionaire.

This article is full of biased nonsense. For example, it states that Bill Gates set up a privately funded rival to the WHO whilst failing to acknowledge his foundation has voluntarily given the WHO $592M dollars and is its 3rd biggest funder.

2) Though I do think this is in part due to being a society that is increasingly prone to cynicism and preference for negative media stories. It's easier... and occurs across both political extremes.

1) I found that the fundamental concept behind international aid - that we have a moral duty to provide "the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress" to all to be one of the great ideas in modern society.

Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.

Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵

I'm suggesting CDR credits needs to be discussed within a context of what is an approach to decarbonize aviation. How could your uni address emissions from international student travel?

How to solve the travel emissions.... buy CDR credits?? This is the issue facing every net zero plan for an international business.

Agreed it's inadequate but I get why they do it... F1 NZ plan source renewable electricity for events, develop low-carbon fuels for the cars, and the big elephant is huge aviation emissions for logistics, transport (and fans but they are "Scope 3" so maybe F1 suggest they take the bus and ignore...)

Interested to know why David, in your opinion? The expansion of forests onto marginal and pasture land is potentially desirable for mitigation. But F1 isn't desirable... its boring and a waste of CO2.. CDR credits are a case of useful technology bad application?

Yes and when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing we need backup sources of dispatchable power.... which can include bioenergy?!

I don't understand it as black and white... using spoiled crops, by-products from forestry systems, dairy waste for biogas are a few examples of bioenergy systems that drive low or potentially negative GHG emissions. There can be good or bad bioenergy systems... same will be the case for BECCS.

About 2.4 billion people use biomass energy for heating and cooking..... meaning it's pretty essential as things stand.

This one makes me laugh every time...

A really nice article Aarne. I find the connection between people and landscapes as inspiring as the carbon stuff!

Four of the happiest years of my life were spent living and working in Cordoba. A wonderful city.

Howdy Leah - I'm A PhD researcher at Imperial College looking at food security, land use, and carbon dioxide removals.