Paddy Hillyard

@paddyzemia.bsky.social

680 followers 460 following 82 posts

Emeritus Professor of Sociology. Human Rights and climate activist, former chair of Independent Water Review Panel, Zemiologist. Latest book: Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and its Legacy. https://www.beyondthepalebooks.com/ .. more

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Political science 40%

Sociology 21%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · 8d

UK Supreme Court Thompson decision will lead to further cover-up of killings by state agents in the conflict in N. Ireland. Shockingly, just 4 are now known to have been involved in over 160 murders in MI5’s secret policy of running agents without a legal framework. See my book: Decades of Deceit.

Reposted by John Barry, Paddy Hillyard

Patrick Bresnihan @pbresnihan.bsky.social · 11d

I had to re-read this a few times because it is hard to believe.

Demand from proposed new data centres might be as high as 5.8GW, equivalent to *peak electricity demand for the entire country*.

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

New data centres may need additional electricity supply close to Ireland’s peak demand

Expected new demand for data centres of 5.8GW would exceed Ireland’s 2030 offshore wind target of 5GW

www.irishtimes.com

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Mike Tomlinson @miketqub.bsky.social · 17d

Fiduciary Duty out the window then.

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Thomas Leahy @thomasdmleahy.bsky.social · 17d

On BBC Radio Wales after 6pm talking about the Kenova report

Reposted by Tom Griffin

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · 17d

Kenova Report notes that MI5 tried to cover up truth over 'Stakeknife' spy in IRA. For background detail see my Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and its Legacy.

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 18d

Reeves’ £150 cut in energy bills will be nuked by Sizewell costs.

Levies on bills to fund gas pipelines, electricity grid to rise.

Customers to pay years before construction even begins. Companies raise capital from customers, shareholders keep profits.

Privatisation facilitates rip off practices

Reeves’ cut in energy bills will be nuked by Sizewell costs, ex-Labour donor claims

Dale Vince’s claims over the impact of paying for Sizewell C on energy bills is one of a number of hidden costs which could see consumers pay higher bills - instead of £150 less

www.independent.co.uk

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · 19d

The first terrorism act was introduced by the Labour government in 1974 with Temporary Provisions in the title. It was described by Roy Jenkins, SoS Home Dept, as ‘draconian’ and ‘unprecedented in peacetime’. How are we to describe Order 803 under the latest iteration?

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Mike Tomlinson @miketqub.bsky.social · 19d

Philippe Sands on the chilling effect of order 803:
"Readers, poets and writers who wish to protest, take note! Peaceful protest and expression should not ever be an act of terror or a crime."

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · Nov 25

Modern houses in Hobart Hall, near Comber, but no heat pumps unlike in the Republic where they are standard in all new build. When will Northern Ireland get serious about climate change?

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · Nov 23

What a farce of a rugby match! As an ex Bath player, sad to see the game being ruined by weight power and constant rucking on the try line. Small nations will never be able to complete with those that have enough heavies to bring on at 60 mins. Reduce sides to 13 and introduce weight limits!

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Reposted by Alessandro Tagliabue, David Johnson, Paddy Hillyard

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · Nov 22

Was there any coverage of the recent record warmth in both the Arctic and Antarctic? Multiple global datasets now confirm these records, and I think it's really quite striking.

Here's some very quick plots showing NOAAGlobalTempv6 data from October too. And see my earlier posts.

A line graph shows the time series of Arctic mean surface temperature anomalies for each October from 1850 through 2025. There is a long-term increasing trend and large year-to-year variability. The mean surface temperature anomaly in October 2025 was 3.78°C for this region. Anomalies are computed relative to a 1910-2000 climate baseline. All data is from NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0 on this graphic.

A line graph shows the time series of Antarctic mean surface temperature anomalies for each October from 1850 through 2025. There is a long-term increasing trend and large year-to-year variability. The mean surface temperature anomaly in October 2025 was 1.43°C for this region. Anomalies are computed relative to a 1910-2000 climate baseline. All data is from NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0 on this graphic.

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · Nov 19

The Telegraph churns out these stories almost daily, but this one about the reduced range of tumble dryers is v funny. Reduced range simply means that people in NI can't buy inefficient models which can't be sold in EU. And no, Robin Swann, by definition that means folk can't buy them from Ireland:

Reposted by John Barry, Paddy Hillyard

Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · Nov 19

The Irish State is dumping €450 million of wind energy a year, despite 29% of households suffering fuel poverty, because 'there's no market'.

If you're struggling to get your head around that, it's called capitalism.
share.google/k9gHug8xaazA...

Up to €2.7m worth of energy ‘wasted’ every day by State, committee told

Wind farms wound down or shut down at night while households are in fuel poverty, says energy charity chief

share.google

Reposted by Stacy D. VanDeveer, Paddy Hillyard

Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · Nov 18

Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Iceland deems possible Atlantic current collapse a security risk

Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.

www.reuters.com

Reposted by Axel Bruns, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott , and 3 more Axel Bruns, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott, Rebecca Williams, Molly Scott Cato, Paddy Hillyard

Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · Nov 15

Interesting to see so many great British patriots right now begging an American president to bankrupt one of Britain’s last remaining truly national institutions.

Reposted by Peter M. Cox, Paddy Hillyard

PIK_climate @pik-potsdam.bsky.social · Nov 11

"As a scientist, I've never had reason to be so concerned as I am today for the future we are facing," states PIK Director Johan Rockström as #COP30 kicks off in Belém, Brazil. The first ever Planetary Science Pavilion, under the mandate from COP30 Brazil, and together with Carlos A. Nobre,... 1/2

Raising the Voice of Science: COP30’s New Planetary Science Pavilion in Belém

YouTube video by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research PIK

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Diane Ravitch, Gerald Friedman, Molly Scott Cato , and 3 more Diane Ravitch, Gerald Friedman, Molly Scott Cato, Nancy M. Wingfield, Paddy Hillyard, David Darmofal

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · Nov 10

Two-thirds of California's power comes from clean energy.

For 9 in 10 days so far this year, we were 100% powered for some part of the day by clean energy.

The Golden State has become the world's fourth-largest economy because of our climate leadership, not in spite of it.

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

John Hanger @jrfhanger.bsky.social · Nov 10

Wood Mackenzie confirms new natural gas generation is expensive!

$126/MWh in 2030!

New solar plus batteries are less than half the cost of new gas!

New nuclear ($139/MWh) also is getting close to being cheaper than new gas!

Gas too is dirty, biggest CO2 electricity polluter. #energysky

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · Oct 30

3C of global warming means many feet of sea level rise, fundamentally altering coastlines and swamping megacities home to 100s of millions. It means heatwaves that in humid regions could become, literally, unsurvivable for those outdoors without access to active cooling. [11/n]

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Jeff Berardelli @weatherprof.bsky.social · Oct 27

#Melissa is now one of the strongest storms ever in the Atlantic!
In my career I can’t say I’ve seen a more text book structure.
Winds 175 mph, Gusts 200 mph
Pressure: 906 mb, Cat 5.
On its way to #jamaica tonight and tomorrow.
Prayers for all to stay safe!

Reposted by Juan Cole, Paddy Hillyard

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · Oct 26

Hurricane Melissa could be one of the most worst hurricanes on record for Jamaica...and it's a textbook example of how climate change is making hurricanes more dangerous: explosive intensification, slow movement, and massive rainfall.

If you know any there, please make sure they’re prepared 🙏

Did Climate Change Cause This Hurricane?

YouTube video by The YEARS Project

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Martin McKee, Stephan Lewandowsky, Steve Peers , and 2 more Martin McKee, Stephan Lewandowsky, Steve Peers, Anand Menon, Paddy Hillyard

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · Oct 26

The Trump Action Tracker has an update!

Main change is to break down the five authoritarian domains into ten - this allows for easier understanding of why actions have been logged and more tools for searching / filtering the now 1621 actions.

www.trumpactiontracker.info?

1/2

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

pmchoan.bsky.social @pmchoan.bsky.social · Oct 25

#SpéirGhorm #IrishBookWeek #Day8 📚💙

An Irish Book I discovered at a bookshop event.

I picked up #TheGhostLimb by @clairemitchell.bsky.social at the #DromoreBookFestival - organised by the legendary @bridgebooksdromore.bsky.social. Claire was joined onstage by @lindaervine.bsky.social that night.

Reposted by Henry Farrell, Paddy Hillyard

Fintan O'Toole @fotoole.bsky.social · Oct 25

Excellent review of For & Against a United Ireland by the ever-illuminating Katy Hayward
www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

For and Against a United Ireland by Fintan O’Toole and Sam McBride: Arguing to end apathy of ‘undecideds’

Fintan O’Toole and Sam McBride demonstrate the importance of free and reasoned deliberation

www.irishtimes.com

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · Oct 23

‘The verdict in Belfast is not the end of the Bloody Sunday story. It is merely the latest chapter in a decades-long struggle between truth and concealment, between families seeking accountability and a state that denied it.’
John Finucane, M.P.
Tribunemag.co.uk

Tribune

Tribune is Britain’s oldest democratic socialist publication, offering leftwing perspectives on politics, economics, and culture.

Tribunemag.co.uk

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Robin Percival @robinpercival.bsky.social · Oct 23

There are more questions which now need addressing. What action will be taken against those who committed perjury during the Saville inquiry? What action will be taken against the MoD who destroyed tge weapons used by tge murderers even after they were told not too by Saville

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Robin Percival @robinpercival.bsky.social · Oct 23

The acquittal of soldier F came about according to Justice Lynch because F would not give evidence & refused to answer police questions. Also the statements of other soldiers who had been with soldier f had committed perjury and altered their statements under pressure of the MP.

Reposted by Paddy Hillyard

Robin Percival @robinpercival.bsky.social · Oct 23

The Bloody Sunday massacre was the biggest mass murder of British citizens since Peterloo, Manchester in 1819. Let that sink in. Not only was no one convicted of the murders but the colonel in charge of the Paras was given an honour.

Paddy Hillyard @paddyzemia.bsky.social · Oct 23

Soldier F found not guilty in Bloody Sunday murder trial.

So no convictions for the murder of 13 people during an anti-internment March in Derry in 1972. So much for the rule of law in the UK?

‘And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in winter.’
The Road to Derry, Séamus Heaney, 1972.

Bloody Sunday: Soldier F found not guilty of all charges in Bloody Sunday murder trial

Soldier F - who cannot be named - was accused of murdering two people in Londonderry in 1972, plus five counts of attempted murder.

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