Ben Thom
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benthom.bsky.social
Ben Thom
@benthom.bsky.social
EU politics & carrot cake 🇪🇺
On the rumoured Commissioner portfolios, I think we’ve missed a good craic opportunity of having an Irish Commissioner for the Mediterranean.
September 5, 2024 at 9:43 PM
Home to the world’s first coal-fired power station, opened in London in 1882, the UK is set to be the first G7 country to stop using coal to generate electricity.

Coal supplied 80% of the UK’s electricity in 1990. Next month, it'll be 0%.

www.ft.com/content/5164...
Britain’s reliance on coal-fired power set to end after 140 years
Closure of final plant at the end of September marks a key step in decarbonising electricity by 2030
www.ft.com
September 4, 2024 at 8:42 AM
Reposted by Ben Thom
What a journey!

10 years ago almost 40% of UK electricity was from coal.

Today the UK's last remaining coal-fired power station is Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in Nottinghamshire, England, which is scheduled to close on September 30, 2024.
September 2, 2024 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Ben Thom
Renewable energy auction secures enough power for 11m UK homes
Renewable energy auction secures enough power for 11m UK homes
Annual auction awards contracts to support new windfarms, solar farms and tidal power projects
www.theguardian.com
September 3, 2024 at 6:51 AM
Reposted by Ben Thom
Brazilians flock to Bluesky after court bans Elon Musk’s X

https://www.ft.com/content/c15eef00-4b35-4dd6-83c1-88eea9a46dc4
Brazilians flock to Bluesky after court bans Elon Musk’s X
Platform registered almost 2mn new users after Supreme Court suspended bigger rival
www.ft.com
September 3, 2024 at 8:33 AM
Reposted by Ben Thom
Now might be a good time to announce that our next major app update will have video. 👀

More details soon!
August 29, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Ben Thom
This very interesting - and very sobering - study of 1,500 climate policies in 41 countries over the last 20 years suggests that just 63 of them led to big cuts in emissions. On the upside, it shows which measures work and why, and there’s a good dashboard tool to compare them all
🆕Evaluation of #climatepolicy over 2 decades: A global PIK study of 1,500 #climatepolicies, published in the journal Science, shows most failed to cut emissions. Only 63 cases saw a 19% average reduction. The key? Tax & price incentives in smart policies.
www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/late...
August 24, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Reposted by Ben Thom
The Atomium under construction at the World Expo, Brussels, 1957 by Dolf Kruger
August 23, 2024 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Ben Thom
BREAKING: @EuropeanSlpr to launch a Brussels-Venice train twice a week in February & March next year via the scenic Brenner Pass, with couchettes, sleepers & (yay!) dining-car. Fares tba, booking opens next month. Recommended Eurostar connection leaves London St Pancras at 11:04.
August 20, 2024 at 10:34 AM
First attempt at an EU climate policy list of people to follow on here #brussels #climate #EU

It'd be great to know if you think anyone is missing?

go.bsky.app/6LhvYgg
August 20, 2024 at 10:37 AM
First attempt at a list of people to follow here of relevance to general Brussels debates.

It'd be great to know if you think anyone is missing?

bsky.app/profile/did:...
August 20, 2024 at 10:19 AM
Good morning from #Brussels
August 19, 2024 at 8:13 AM
Reposted by Ben Thom
I’ll miss this unique stage of a social media platform’s development where we welcome new arrivals as if we’re a 9 year old child talking to another 9 year old child on their first day at school after having just moved to the area. "Now, this is where the toilet is. And that is where you do a wee."
August 18, 2024 at 3:35 PM
Has anybody got an EU, climate or Brussels list to follow?
August 18, 2024 at 11:44 AM