Duncan McLaren

@duncanmclaren.bsky.social

540 followers 180 following 160 posts

Independent Researcher, previously #UCLA, #Lancaster, climate politics, climate geoengineering, environmental justice.

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Environmental science 27%

Engineering 16%

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Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Jan 23

In a new article in Science this month www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... @olafcorry.bsky.social and I argue that the geopolitics of solar radiation modification (SRM) demands prior agreement on non-deployment to make space for well-governed research. (Abridged here, but still a long thread ... 2/33)

Solar geoengineering research faces geopolitical deadlock

The permissive “science first” approach has failed, but a nondeployment deal might yet enable responsible research

www.science.org

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · 15d

Making a bad system (offsetting) more efficient makes things worse… and here the unintended effect of validating fungibility between carbon and albedo is disastrous (as it risks legimating substitution of solar geoengineering for emissions cuts)!

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 15d

Some of the climate benefits of forestry and revegetation projects are erased by the fact that they reduce the reflectivity of Earth's surface. 🧪

Accounting for albedo in carbon market protocols - Nature Communications

The paper analyzes the impact of omitting biophysical effects from carbon credits on climate mitigation. It shows that some Voluntary Carbon Market projects may result in net warming due to albedo whi...

www.nature.com

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 15d

Some of the climate benefits of forestry and revegetation projects are erased by the fact that they reduce the reflectivity of Earth's surface. 🧪

Accounting for albedo in carbon market protocols - Nature Communications

www.nature.com

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Duncan McLaren

ClimateBook @climatebook.bsky.social · 16d

I can't emphasize this too much. Scientists who may be well intentioned and favor solar geoengineering research because "it's just research" and do not approve of deployment will not be the ones who decide whether to deploy whatever ... www.gravityisgone.com/letting-sili...

Letting Silicon Valley Geoengineer the Atmosphere Will End Badly

We already have plenty of evidence of what happens when things better left to governments — which in this case might decide to never flip the switch at all — are ceded to private industry.

www.gravityisgone.com

Reposted by Andrew K. Jorgenson, Jean‐Frédéric Morin, Juan Cole , and 7 more Andrew K. Jorgenson, Jean‐Frédéric Morin, Juan Cole, Dominik Wiedenhofer, Jussi T. Eronen, Silvia Secchi, Martijn Duineveld, Duncan McLaren, Tim Stephens, Prakash Kashwan

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

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Aug 22

Thanks for highlighting the source. Nature should be ashamed to publish this hype-ridden excuse for analysis. The first test of any evaluation of AI is if it defines what it includes in that term. This fails…

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · Aug 22

This is a really good @desmog.com post on this topic btw, featuring a bunch of friendly norwegian fossil fuel people

www.desmog.com/2025/08/13/c...

Can AI Slash Pollution? Fossil Fuel Industry Is Investing in Boosting Oil Production, Profits Instead

DeSmog reveals that Big Oil says they’re using AI to produce more fossil fuels, while utilities are exploring how “AI agents” could take over key power grid functions.

www.desmog.com

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Jul 11

Strong analysis, but still hoping that impacts will stimulate action. Unfortunately everything so far suggests that growing impacts exacerbate denial to the point that systems are too broken to take action… we need a narrative of social and ecological repair www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Democrats and climate groups ‘too polite’ in fight against ‘malevolent’ fossil fuel giants, says key senator

Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island gives 300th climate speech on the US Senate floor

www.theguardian.com

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Jul 10

If you’re worried that the world is sliding into solar geoengineering… you might want to read my new article, critiquing the loose use of “risk-risk” claims about climate intervention (#geoengineering). Brief summary and full article link here www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-f...

From Frying Pan to Fire: wrestling with the risks of solar geoengineering

Ideas of solar geoengineering are getting a lot of attention these days. Moves to ban the technology based on conspiracy theories about existing deployment have proliferated across the USA.

www.linkedin.com

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Julian Agyeman @julianagyeman.bsky.social · Jul 7

Abstracted notions of equality, diversity and inclusion are almost entirely absent in plans developed by deprived communities which are more likely to focus on tangible issues of local importance such as access to affordable housing, health and service provision. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Towards everyday conceptions of justice in community-led planning

This paper draws upon a novel analytical framework to review a sample of community-led plans produced across the four nations of the United Kingdom. It explores how communities interpret issues of ...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by David Burrows, Duncan McLaren

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 7

Politicians are retreating from net zero because they think the public doesn’t care. But they’re wrong | Rebecca Willis

Our research shows people are strongly in favour of measures to tackle the climate crisis. They just need to be listened to, says professor of energy and climate governance Rebecca Willis

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · Jun 10

Oh look, tech company emissions are already up 150%, and the AI data center build out has just gotten started.

15:37
Energy
Monitor
•ll 5G 4
News
Tech giants' carbon emissions up 150% with Al growth
Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta have experienced a surge in their global indirect emissions.
June 9, 2025
Share

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · May 29

AI doesn’t help you work less or get paid more, but does destroy the environment and climate.

Study looking at AI chatbots in 7,000 workplaces finds 'no significant impact on earnings or recorded hours in any occupation'

Despite AI’s promise to revolutionize white-collar work, most workers are using it sparingly—or hiding it from their boss.

fortune.com

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · May 26

Revealed preference WITHIN a system predicated on growing consumption, that is, amongst those lacking agency to change the system…

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · May 26

I don’t know whether this says more about ordinary Brits or about YouGov. Interesting results but poorly selected and framed questions…

YouGov @yougov.co.uk · May 19

What geoengineering might Britons support to counter climate change?

Planting forests: 92%
Painting roads and roofs light colours: 62%
Adding carbon-capturing nutrients to the ocean: 43%
Making clouds whiter: 31%
Dimming the sun: 18%
Adding gases into stratosphere: 16%

yougov.co.uk/health/artic...

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · May 20

A thoughtful analysis of the dangerous ideology behind the #geoengineering advocates of Silver Lining. cleantechnica.com/2025/05/18/s...

SilverLining’s Geoengineering Techno-Optimism Is Distracting From Real Climate Solutions - CleanTechnica

SilverLining's geoengineering advocacy reflects ecomodernist techno-optimism, diverting attention from urgent, proven climate solutions like wind and solar.

cleantechnica.com

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

YouGov @yougov.co.uk · May 19

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 21

I thought that was the mainstream, conventional interpretation not an “interesting take” …

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 21

Having said that, funding CDR development through offsets is a fool’s errand, resulting directly in mitigation deterrence, and sustaining counterproductive market ideologies in climate policy.

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 21

Not quite. Removal offsets could exist only for genuinely impossible to abate emissions. At the same time, taking net-zero seriously, with all possible-to-abate emissions eliminated, there could be no avoidance offsets (as no one would have further cuts they could make to generate credits).

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 17

With Kevin Surprise, @jenniecstephens.bsky.social, @inamoller.bsky.social, JP Sapinsky and @doreenstabinsky.bsky.social I warned about such profit oriented geoengineering recently ...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Profit-seeking solar geoengineering exemplifies broader risks of market-based climate governance

Despite uncertainties about its feasibility and desirability, start-up companies seeking to profit from solar geoengineering have begun to emerge. One…

www.sciencedirect.com

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 17

Worth the read: A well researched piece from Undark on Stardust Solutions and their secretive approach to promoting #solargeoengineering undark.org/2025/03/17/s...

How One Company Wants to Make Geoengineering Profitable

Stardust, an Israeli-U.S. startup, intends to patent its unique technology for temporarily cooling the planet.

undark.org

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

404 Media @404media.co · Mar 15

TSA Says Its Credit Cards for Bomb-Sniffing Dogs Are Cut Off

The statement follows an alleged internal email which said requests for dog food and vet visits had been put on hold.

TSA Says Its Credit Cards for Bomb-Sniffing Dogs Are Cut Off

The statement follows an alleged internal email which said requests for dog food and vet visits had been put on hold.

www.404media.co

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 12

“There is extreme danger in launching such field trials into an environment with neither national nor international governance in place.” But well governed research into geoengineering risks would be wise. The key question is why so many SRM advocates resist effective governance for research?

Leon Simons @leonsimons.bsky.social · Mar 12

You can't make this up:

The same person that has been actively keeping the public ignorant about the aerosol termination shock that we are currently experiencing, uses fear for a hypothetical future termination shock to discourage research in climate tipping point prevention..

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Leon Simons @leonsimons.bsky.social · Mar 12

Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social · Mar 11

Cities@Tufts and Shareable have put my recent talk on City CDR online - with a cute infographic version too ... www.shareable.net/cities_tufts...

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Shareable @share-able.bsky.social · Mar 11

Our latest @CitiesAtTufts episode is here!

Listen to "From City to Sink: Urban Carbon Removal as Promise and Practice with Duncan McLaren @duncanmclaren.bsky.social at the link below or where you get your podcasts.

shareable.net/cities_tufts...
Illustration @jessemilner76

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · Mar 2

The Trump administration's termination of probationary federal employees has devastated the Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) team. These terminations add to the uncertainty surrounding the $3.5 billion Direct Air Capture (DAC) hubs program.

Trump Hollowed Out the Government’s Carbon Removal Team

Widespread federal layoffs bring even more uncertainty to the DAC hubs program.

heatmap.news

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Cre8Fire @cre8fire.bsky.social · Mar 2

One to post where MAGA can see it:

Reposted by Caroline Levine, Duncan McLaren

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · Feb 27

Wow—Trump is firing and banning all trans people from the military, per DoD memo.

“Military service by members and applicants for military service who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria is incompatible with military service.”

Part of memo:

ATTACHMENT
Service Members and Applicants for Military Service who Have a Current Diagnosis or History of, or Exhibit Symptoms Consistent with, Gender Dysphoria
1. Policy. It is DoD policy that:
a. Service in the Military Services is open to all persons who can meet the high standards for military service and readiness without special accommodations.
b. It is the policy of the United States Government to establish high standards for Service
1s inconsistent with the medical
is inconsistinest the medical, surgi, al, and mental he, un constraints on individuals wiplicy
gender dysphoria or who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria.
c. Military service by Service members and applicants for military service who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria is incompatible with military service. Service by these individuals is not in the best interests of the Military Services and is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security.
d. Individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are no longer eligible for military service, except as set forth in sections
4.1.c. and 4.3.c. of this attachment.
e. Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service in accordance with section 4.4. of this attachment. Characterization of service under these procedures will be honorable except where the Service member's record otherwise warrants a lower characterization.
f. The Department only recognizes two sexes: male and female. An individual's sex is immutable, unchanging during a person's life. All Service members will only serve in accordance with their sex, defined in Executive Order 14168, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to

i. Absent extraordinary operational necessity, the Military Services will not allow male Service members to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for females, nor allow female Service members to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for males.
j. No funds from the Department of Defense will be used to pay for Service members' unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with facilitating sex reassignment surgery, genital reconstruction surgery as treatment for gender dysphoria, or newly initiated cross-sex hormone therapy.
k. Consistent with existing law and Department policy, commanders shall protect the privacy of protected health information they receive under this policy in the same manner as they would with any other protected health information. Such health information shall be restricted to personnel with a specific need to know; that is, access to information must be necessary for the conduct of official duties. Personnel shall also be accountable for safeguarding this health information consistent with existing law and Departmental policy.
2. Applicability. This policy guidance applies to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD.

Reposted by Duncan McLaren

Guy Gavriel Kay @guygavrielkay.bsky.social · Feb 27

When I wrote in a novel, some years ago, ‘We live in the light that comes to us’ that carried within it, for me, the idea that sometimes there is very little, sometimes there is mostly darkness.

It is still our time, we do what we can.

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