Jonathan J. Buonocore

Jonathan Buonocore

@jjbuonocore.bsky.social

2.1K followers 260 following 230 posts

Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Public Health. Climate, Energy, and Health. Born at 344 ppm CO2

Videos

Environmental science 51%

Geography 13%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Anthony Burke, Jonathan J. Buonocore

Kevin J. Kircher @kevinjkircher.com · 23h

Air pollution from burning fossil fuels causes 100,000 to 200,000 avoidable American deaths per year. At the EPA's statistical value of life of $10 million, these deaths cost America $1 to $2 trillion per year, every year. These costs far outweigh the costs of transitioning off of fossil fuels.

Air pollution deaths attributable to fossil fuels: observational and modelling study

Objectives To estimate all cause and cause specific deaths that are attributable to fossil fuel related air pollution and to assess potential health benefits from policies that replace fossil fuels wi...

www.bmj.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 4d

Renewable energy is public health. www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🛟 | #energysky

Act now to clean up air

New regulations are needed to deal with increasing environmental threats to lung health.

www.nature.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 6d

No David, I’m engaging in good faith intellectual inquiry, nay, a philosophical exploration, of the merits of all other possible counterarguments with the mere intent of really ensuring that all possible sides of this debate get a proper hearing 😬

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 6d

This @volts.wtf pod is so good I listened twice! However I realized it has one fatal flaw. They fail to ask the critical question - what if the reactionary centrists are right?

/satire

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 10d

Today on Volts: I'm joined by the great @michaelhobbes.bsky.social to discuss "reactionary centrism," an intellectual tendency that's come to dominate US public life. You know the type: would never view themselves as conservative, yet finds voluntary pronoun use vastly more aggravating than fascism.

All about "reactionary centrism"

Michael Hobbes joins me to diagnose the pundit class's obsession with scolding the left while the right burns down the house.

www.volts.wtf

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore, Nathan Richardson, Peter Jacobs

Richard Waite @waiterich.bsky.social · 7d

I regret to inform you that “1979” by Smashing Pumpkins was released in 1996, which is now 30 years ago. Meaning a similar song released in 2026 would be called “2009”

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 8d

@volts.wtf has done it again. This is brilliant. And I wish more renewable energy types would realize that politics is a determinant of their success or failure… podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/v...

All about

Podcast Episode · Volts · 01/30/2026 · 1h 48m

podcasts.apple.com

Reposted by Daniel Huppmann, James Goodwin, Jonathan J. Buonocore

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 10d

All about "reactionary centrism"

Michael Hobbes joins me to diagnose the pundit class's obsession with scolding the left while the right burns down the house.

www.volts.wtf

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Brian J. Enquist, Mark A. Lemley , and 9 more Rebecca Solnit, Brian J. Enquist, Mark A. Lemley, Simon Roux, Howard Williams, Hugo Mercier, Michael Kevane, Timothy Graham, Mauro Gatti, Jonathan J. Buonocore, Nathan Richardson, Todd Hedrick

Mistress Usili (Sage) 🏳️‍⚧️ @usili.bsky.social · 13d

Bilbo looking at his phone top

on bottom is ChatGPT

After all, why not? Why shouldn't I keep it?

You're absolutely right — you found it, it's been with you a long while, and it's only natural to feel fond of something that's served you so well, especially when someone like Gandalf suddenly seems to want it for himself.

Reposted by Erle C. Ellis, Richard Betts, Robbie M. Andrew , and 1 more Erle C. Ellis, Richard Betts, Robbie M. Andrew, Jonathan J. Buonocore

Zeke Hausfather @hausfath.bsky.social · 13d

As the world quickly approaches 1.5C, researchers have a call in Nature to rethink the utility of temperature targets – and to potentially replace them with more actionable and precise targets around clean energy:

As we breach 1.5 °C, we must replace temperature limits with clean-energy targets

Nature - Actionable goals are needed to guide the world towards what needs to happen most quickly: shifting economies to clean energy sources.

www.nature.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 14d

This isn't bad.. but yeah, I remember a more designed-up version of this and I swear it had oil...

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 14d

There was an infographic floating around ages ago comparing volumes of extraction of different types of resources. Was there one that compared rare earths to fossil fuels? I found this one for metals... elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/u... #energysky

All the Metals We've Mined in One Visualization

elements.visualcapitalist.com

Reposted by Peter Thorne, Richard Waite, Jonathan J. Buonocore

Kate Marvel @drkatemarvel.bsky.social · 17d

i post this every september

C. Thi Nguyen @add-hawk.bsky.social · 18d

Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out.

As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.

Here's what happened:

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 20d

Going to low growth does knock it down by 0.1C…

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 20d

Was playing around with En-ROADS in preparation for class, and apparently we need to dial everything to 100% to hit 1.5°C?

@mitsloansusty.bsky.social @climateinteractive.org

Screenshot of a climate policy tool with a bunch of sliders for renewable energy, carbon pricing, carbon dioxide removal, basically all climate solutions out there. The sliders show every slider maxed out to 100% and a temperature trajectory reaching 1.5°C

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH @jonathanpatz.bsky.social · 24d

Our @csfh-lab.bsky.social response to EPA's plan to remove human health from its cost/benefit analysis for #airpollution

@globalecoguy.bsky.social
@katharinehayhoe.com
@maibached.bsky.social
@jonlevybu.bsky.social
@yalee360.bsky.social
@davidfrum.bsky.social

captimes.com/opinion/gues...

Opinion | Trump EPA ignores health harms of air pollution

UW–Madison research shows that eliminating air pollution emissions in the U.S. energy system could prevent more than 50,000 premature deaths each year.

captimes.com

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Nick Mailloux, PhD @nckmllx.bsky.social · 24d

I have an op-ed in @captimes.com on EPA’s proposal to ignore the health harms of air pollution in agency rulemaking.

“By abandoning its longstanding practice of monetizing public health benefits of air pollution reductions, [EPA] is tilting its cost–benefit calculus in favor of polluting industry.”

Opinion | Trump EPA ignores health harms of air pollution

UW–Madison research shows that eliminating air pollution emissions in the U.S. energy system could prevent more than 50,000 premature deaths each year.

captimes.com

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability @bu-igs.bsky.social · 26d

A new study finds that almost 47 million people in the contiguous United States, many in cities, live within about a mile of at least one piece of fossil fuel infrastructure—and that it could be putting their health at risk. Co-authors include @jjbuonocore.bsky.social & @marydwillis.bsky.social.

More Than 46 Million in the US Live Within a Mile of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

New Boston University study suggests urban residents are disproportionately exposed to potentially harmful energy supply chain infrastructure

spr.ly

Reposted by Mark Priestley, Jonathan J. Buonocore, Tim Stephens , and 1 more Mark Priestley, Jonathan J. Buonocore, Tim Stephens, Karen O’Leary

Niklas Höhne @niklashoehne.bsky.social · 27d

2025 was the third hottest year ever.
Trend is worrying and faster than expected a few years ago.

Only when we stop burning coal, oil and gas, temperature will stop rising.

www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...

Reposted by Rupert Read, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Jonathan J. Buonocore

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 28d

I mean, what do you say any more?

E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · 28d

I agree!! This is like the public health version of saying the social cost of carbon is $0 @jonlevybu.bsky.social 🛟. 🔌💡

Nick Mailloux, PhD @nckmllx.bsky.social · 28d

This move is consistent with EPA’s draft regulatory impact analyses of vehicle greenhouse gas rules, which do not value the benefits of avoided greenhouse gases or air pollution, as @jjbuonocore.bsky.social and I and others detail here:

Expert Working Group on Climate Change and Health in the United States Comment on EPA's Proposed Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding

zenodo.org

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 28d

Breaking News: The EPA will stop considering lives saved when setting pollution limits and instead calculate only the cost to businesses.

E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved by Limiting Air Pollution

In a reversal, the agency plans to calculate only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, and not the monetary value of saving human lives, documents show.

nyti.ms

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Nick Mailloux, PhD @nckmllx.bsky.social · 28d

Expert Working Group on Climate Change and Health in the United States Comment on EPA's Proposed Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding

zenodo.org

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Nick Mailloux, PhD @nckmllx.bsky.social · 28d

The Trump administration is proposing to value the cost of air pollution deaths at $0.

It’s no wonder that Trump’s EPA would take this step: avoided premature mortality is regularly the largest category of monetized benefits used to justify Clean Air Act regulation.

E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved When Setting Rules on Air Pollution

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · Jan 9

I’d be really curious to hear what role he thinks the reactionary centrists have in the Bruno Latour realignment of politics idea. medium.com/bigger-pictu... Honestly I’d be curious about yours as well…

Out-of-This-World vs. Terrestrial: The New Political Divide

How climate change is already at the very core of the political divisions

medium.com

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · Jan 7

It looks like they have a whole series planned…

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · Jan 6

I know it’s overwhelming to look squarely at the moment we’re living in, knowing that we have to start phasing out fossil fuels now, but reality bites.

In any case, it is TRAGIC that so many supposed climate people are producing discourse that encourages more delay instead of strategizing to win.

Jonathan Buonocore @jjbuonocore.bsky.social · Dec 31

Listened to this while doing weatherization work (the irony, I know) but it looks like I’ll have to revamp a lecture or two, again, thanks to this episode. I think this will now make three @volts.wtf episodes in my class this spring…

David Roberts @volts.wtf · Dec 19

Today on Volts: I've got a nerdy one for you! I talk with political scientist @samuel-bagg.bsky.social about the epistemic crisis & its roots in social identity. He explains why factchecking & media literacy classes will never solve misinformation -- why something deeper & stronger is required.

The cure for misinformation is not more information or smarter news consumers

Political scientist Samuel Bagg explains why social identity is at the root of the misinformation crisis -- which calls for something deeper than factchecking.

www.volts.wtf

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Nick Mailloux, PhD @nckmllx.bsky.social · Dec 22

New preprint up assessing the air quality and health benefits that could have been possible under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Huge effort here with Erin Mayfield, Jamil Farbes, @jessedjenkins.com, Ryan Jones, Tracey Holloway, and @jonathanpatz.bsky.social.

Air quality and health effects of U.S. energy transitions

Transitioning the U.S. energy system has the potential to improve public health by reducing ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure. We develop an integrated modeling framework, coupling ener...

zenodo.org

Reposted by Jonathan J. Buonocore

Jon Levy @jonlevybu.bsky.social · Dec 22

Thank goodness there are no national security issues or geopolitical challenges related to oil or gas…

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Dec 22

Burgum: "Today we're sending notifications to the 5 large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns ... the Dept of War has come back conclusively that these large offshore wind programs create radar interference"

Add to Home Screen

Light up
your news

Add to Home Screen

Light upyour news

Sign in to Lightnews

Sign up to start reading

Connect Bluesky

Connect with Bluesky

Light up
your news