Chris Hopkins
@chrishopkins.bsky.social
Interim Policy Director @GECoalition.bsky.social, @IIED.bsky.social 💚 Personal views & 🌭🐶 content only.
Econ, env. policy, geopolitics, football 🤓 stuff. He/Him. Occasionally ChrisHopkins99.
Econ, env. policy, geopolitics, football 🤓 stuff. He/Him. Occasionally ChrisHopkins99.
Pinned
Chris Hopkins
@chrishopkins.bsky.social
· Nov 14
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We know what policies and laws are needed to build a green, fair future. But which countries are leading the way - and which are lagging behind?
greeneconomytracker.org
Will get around to a proper pinned post, but here's one interesting thing I do - the Green Economy Tracker.
greeneconomytracker.org
41 countries, 21 policies, crowd sourced assessment of green transitions. Evolution in progress... 🧬
greeneconomytracker.org
41 countries, 21 policies, crowd sourced assessment of green transitions. Evolution in progress... 🧬
Batteries! 🔋🪫
This is such a great overview of the emergence of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to ubiquitous lithium-ion.
From a scaling perspective, the most important consideration in here (aside from 'they work', and 'sodium abundance') is that they can be made on Li production lines.
This is such a great overview of the emergence of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to ubiquitous lithium-ion.
From a scaling perspective, the most important consideration in here (aside from 'they work', and 'sodium abundance') is that they can be made on Li production lines.
I’ve written about sodium-ion batteries and how they are likely to be positioned in today’s battery ecosystem.
Are sodium-ion batteries ready for prime time?
Where Na-ion stands in today's battery ecosystem
www.lithiumhorizons.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:15 AM
Batteries! 🔋🪫
This is such a great overview of the emergence of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to ubiquitous lithium-ion.
From a scaling perspective, the most important consideration in here (aside from 'they work', and 'sodium abundance') is that they can be made on Li production lines.
This is such a great overview of the emergence of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to ubiquitous lithium-ion.
From a scaling perspective, the most important consideration in here (aside from 'they work', and 'sodium abundance') is that they can be made on Li production lines.
'Mr President, sir. Climate change is no longer the single biggest threat to global prosperity over the next 10 years.
'Oh, that's great news.
'Well actually, when you think about it...
'Oh yes, I see. Could they be wrong though?
'That the new threat is worse than climate? Yes... Which is bad.
'Oh, that's great news.
'Well actually, when you think about it...
'Oh yes, I see. Could they be wrong though?
'That the new threat is worse than climate? Yes... Which is bad.
Breathing a huge sigh of relief: because media, politicians and institutions stopped talking about climate, the laws of physics governing Earth's heating accordingly changed, and now climate change is no longer a security threat.
It was close there for a moment folks but we're in the clear 😅
It was close there for a moment folks but we're in the clear 😅
February 12, 2026 at 4:32 PM
'Mr President, sir. Climate change is no longer the single biggest threat to global prosperity over the next 10 years.
'Oh, that's great news.
'Well actually, when you think about it...
'Oh yes, I see. Could they be wrong though?
'That the new threat is worse than climate? Yes... Which is bad.
'Oh, that's great news.
'Well actually, when you think about it...
'Oh yes, I see. Could they be wrong though?
'That the new threat is worse than climate? Yes... Which is bad.
RCP8.5. Don't take it literally, but do take it(s temperatures and damage function) regionally, locally, and seriously.
for 1 its not really that controversial for modeling localized impacts (if your scenario choice is dominating your uncertainty bars for local impacts in the not super distant future you are doing something wrong) but more importantly the OG dont use RCP 8.5 ppl are now like oops its really hot
February 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM
RCP8.5. Don't take it literally, but do take it(s temperatures and damage function) regionally, locally, and seriously.
Great interview - and it's incredibly telling from @doynefarmer.bsky.social that he focuses in on a technical problem (climate) and a political one (polarisation) as the big beasts.
Because you can build the best model in the world, advice to save trillions... But a decision maker still has to act.
Because you can build the best model in the world, advice to save trillions... But a decision maker still has to act.
Economics has failed the climate crisis: this complexity scientist has a mind-blowing plan
- @doynefarmer.bsky.social says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean world
#climatecrisis
Interview by me
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
- @doynefarmer.bsky.social says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean world
#climatecrisis
Interview by me
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Economics has failed on the climate crisis. This complexity scientist has a plan to fix that
Doyne Farmer says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean world
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Great interview - and it's incredibly telling from @doynefarmer.bsky.social that he focuses in on a technical problem (climate) and a political one (polarisation) as the big beasts.
Because you can build the best model in the world, advice to save trillions... But a decision maker still has to act.
Because you can build the best model in the world, advice to save trillions... But a decision maker still has to act.
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Power sector is biggest emitter and would have seen a rise but for clean energy growth
Both this and real estate are A key factor (neither is THE key IMO)
Both this and real estate are A key factor (neither is THE key IMO)
February 12, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Power sector is biggest emitter and would have seen a rise but for clean energy growth
Both this and real estate are A key factor (neither is THE key IMO)
Both this and real estate are A key factor (neither is THE key IMO)
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
NEW ANALYSIS: China's CO2 has now been 'flat or falling' for 21 months
* Down in 2025
* Still below Mar 2024
* Clean energy wave a key factor
If this is China's peak (TBC) it's the climate story of the century so far…
www.carbonbrief.org/...
* Down in 2025
* Still below Mar 2024
* Clean energy wave a key factor
If this is China's peak (TBC) it's the climate story of the century so far…
www.carbonbrief.org/...
February 12, 2026 at 7:38 AM
NEW ANALYSIS: China's CO2 has now been 'flat or falling' for 21 months
* Down in 2025
* Still below Mar 2024
* Clean energy wave a key factor
If this is China's peak (TBC) it's the climate story of the century so far…
www.carbonbrief.org/...
* Down in 2025
* Still below Mar 2024
* Clean energy wave a key factor
If this is China's peak (TBC) it's the climate story of the century so far…
www.carbonbrief.org/...
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
"Economics is too important to be left to economists." @rethinkecon.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Rethinking Economics, the movement changing how the subject is taught
Born of student disquiet after the 2008 crash, the group says it is reshaping economists’ education
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:17 PM
"Economics is too important to be left to economists." @rethinkecon.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
It's completely understandable that industry would get addicted to dense, transportable energy sources that we can dig out the ground
Less understandable is why dense transportable energy sources that we can't dig up, have to process ourselves at great expense, would be a substitute for that? 🏭
Less understandable is why dense transportable energy sources that we can't dig up, have to process ourselves at great expense, would be a substitute for that? 🏭
Jan is too modest. It's been 5 years since the hydrogen ladder came out. And at least 3 years since his conclusive meta-study of hydrogen studies. We were clear that hydrogen as a fuel was a terrible idea.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Using hydrogen as a fuel to replace natural gas has been strongly promoted by vested interest groups.
Many including myself raised serious concerns about scalability, cost and efficiency.
The more time passes, the more it looks like those concerns were well-founded.
Many including myself raised serious concerns about scalability, cost and efficiency.
The more time passes, the more it looks like those concerns were well-founded.
February 10, 2026 at 10:07 AM
It's completely understandable that industry would get addicted to dense, transportable energy sources that we can dig out the ground
Less understandable is why dense transportable energy sources that we can't dig up, have to process ourselves at great expense, would be a substitute for that? 🏭
Less understandable is why dense transportable energy sources that we can't dig up, have to process ourselves at great expense, would be a substitute for that? 🏭
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Jan is too modest. It's been 5 years since the hydrogen ladder came out. And at least 3 years since his conclusive meta-study of hydrogen studies. We were clear that hydrogen as a fuel was a terrible idea.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Using hydrogen as a fuel to replace natural gas has been strongly promoted by vested interest groups.
Many including myself raised serious concerns about scalability, cost and efficiency.
The more time passes, the more it looks like those concerns were well-founded.
Many including myself raised serious concerns about scalability, cost and efficiency.
The more time passes, the more it looks like those concerns were well-founded.
February 10, 2026 at 9:04 AM
Jan is too modest. It's been 5 years since the hydrogen ladder came out. And at least 3 years since his conclusive meta-study of hydrogen studies. We were clear that hydrogen as a fuel was a terrible idea.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Hydrogen promoters owe us billions in wasted money & years we can never recover.
Am I a joke to you, BlueSky galaxy mapper? 🦊📉🗳️
February 9, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Am I a joke to you, BlueSky galaxy mapper? 🦊📉🗳️
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
UK elected officials:
'I solemnly swear that I would rather burn to death in a metaphor for my own ruin, than have to work in a parliamentary building that *did not* have a gold plated underground education centre for the little uns, and instead left a few bn £ for *spits on the ground*... trams 🤬'
'I solemnly swear that I would rather burn to death in a metaphor for my own ruin, than have to work in a parliamentary building that *did not* have a gold plated underground education centre for the little uns, and instead left a few bn £ for *spits on the ground*... trams 🤬'
Do think people need to appreciate that it’s not merely a “do some expensive repairs to stop it falling down” job, but a “spending tens of billions to build a new improved giant temple” job
I'm sorry but it's ridiculous that the taxpayer is being asked to fund up to £40 billion pounds for urgent works to 'save Parliament burning down', which also yknow features Essential Improvements such as a brand new underground visitors centre
February 6, 2026 at 8:58 AM
UK elected officials:
'I solemnly swear that I would rather burn to death in a metaphor for my own ruin, than have to work in a parliamentary building that *did not* have a gold plated underground education centre for the little uns, and instead left a few bn £ for *spits on the ground*... trams 🤬'
'I solemnly swear that I would rather burn to death in a metaphor for my own ruin, than have to work in a parliamentary building that *did not* have a gold plated underground education centre for the little uns, and instead left a few bn £ for *spits on the ground*... trams 🤬'
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
February 5, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
Oof.
this is vicious and correct www.economist.com/britain/2026...
February 5, 2026 at 10:49 AM
Oof.
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
![The Simpsons Lionel Hutz Esq. Meme. But the business card reads:
Washington Post
Democracy[?] Dies in Darkness[!!]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3vfxclmdgvmsktw277p652gp/bafkreie6rqxfnolkkwfka2hczrn7r3tgpbxw5a35cnhjazcpjpbz4sqrd4@jpeg)
February 4, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
sorry to be sentimental but this is the most amazing heartwarming story
February 4, 2026 at 10:16 AM
sorry to be sentimental but this is the most amazing heartwarming story
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Updated Cannon Stats Premier League simulation after round 24. Arsenal are up over 90% after Manchester City and Aston Villa drop points at the weekend. The Champions League race looks like it will be the main one to watch the rest of the season.
February 3, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Updated Cannon Stats Premier League simulation after round 24. Arsenal are up over 90% after Manchester City and Aston Villa drop points at the weekend. The Champions League race looks like it will be the main one to watch the rest of the season.
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Jeffrey Epstein, taking time out of running the largest global child sex trafficking operation in human history to explain to his friend Prof. Larry Summers of Harvard, the former Treasury Secretary of the United States, that women have agency.
February 1, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Jeffrey Epstein, taking time out of running the largest global child sex trafficking operation in human history to explain to his friend Prof. Larry Summers of Harvard, the former Treasury Secretary of the United States, that women have agency.
I can't be the only one reading this and seeing the parallels to Israel's AI targeting tools and doctrine - which produced pretext for death/repression en-mass, subverting all the institutional/ social/human checks and balances on the way through ease of use.
The AI weapon wants to be fired. ⚠️
The AI weapon wants to be fired. ⚠️
A manual for ICE's immigrant-targeting computer system, Palantir ELITE, was leaked today.
Let's look at it, then step back to evaluate how far we've come along a dangerous road and where that road might take us. 🧵
Let's look at it, then step back to evaluate how far we've come along a dangerous road and where that road might take us. 🧵
Here is the User Guide for ELITE, the Tool Palantir Made for ICE
404 Media is publishing a version of the user guide for ELITE, which lets ICE bring up dossiers on individual people and provides a “confidence score” of their address.
www.404media.co
February 1, 2026 at 10:16 AM
I can't be the only one reading this and seeing the parallels to Israel's AI targeting tools and doctrine - which produced pretext for death/repression en-mass, subverting all the institutional/ social/human checks and balances on the way through ease of use.
The AI weapon wants to be fired. ⚠️
The AI weapon wants to be fired. ⚠️
Economic damage functions in climate econ are tricky, with massive error bars - which is why the prudential course is 'don't break your climate' - but this granular county approach looks like it has some interesting insights.
👀"Central estimates suggest that losses from climate change could already reach 12% of U.S. income. These estimates are comparable in magnitude to the estimated impact of proposed revisions to trade, monetary, and immigration policies"
January 30, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Economic damage functions in climate econ are tricky, with massive error bars - which is why the prudential course is 'don't break your climate' - but this granular county approach looks like it has some interesting insights.
I spent childhood holidays all over the Norfolk Broads, and I had no idea they were man-made - let alone abandoned fossil fuel extraction infrastructure.
The completely unknown and unknowable connection between extraction, burning, and eventual deluge shows one of history's ironic twists.
The completely unknown and unknowable connection between extraction, burning, and eventual deluge shows one of history's ironic twists.
In case we thought that ecological disasters were a special talent of modernity, let’s talk about how the 13th-century peat trade of Norfolk made it permanently vulnerable to flooding, including 3 catastrophic floods just since 2013.
#medievalstorytime
#medievalstorytime
January 30, 2026 at 7:49 AM
I spent childhood holidays all over the Norfolk Broads, and I had no idea they were man-made - let alone abandoned fossil fuel extraction infrastructure.
The completely unknown and unknowable connection between extraction, burning, and eventual deluge shows one of history's ironic twists.
The completely unknown and unknowable connection between extraction, burning, and eventual deluge shows one of history's ironic twists.
This is broadly correct - lots of people seems to think any big player can 'pick up the crown' of reserve currency.
No, it's not something that happens by default - it's a constructed institution that has many benefits, some costs, and has technical & practical requirements that are hard to meet.
No, it's not something that happens by default - it's a constructed institution that has many benefits, some costs, and has technical & practical requirements that are hard to meet.
Once again, I ask how the math of other currencies replacing the dollar is going to go so long as neither 🇪🇺 nor 🇨🇳 is willing to do any of the things required to actually replace the dollar:
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
ECB Would Need To Act If Euro Keeps Gaining, Says Austria’s C Bank Gov – FT
January 28, 2026 at 6:49 PM
This is broadly correct - lots of people seems to think any big player can 'pick up the crown' of reserve currency.
No, it's not something that happens by default - it's a constructed institution that has many benefits, some costs, and has technical & practical requirements that are hard to meet.
No, it's not something that happens by default - it's a constructed institution that has many benefits, some costs, and has technical & practical requirements that are hard to meet.
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
Once again, I ask how the math of other currencies replacing the dollar is going to go so long as neither 🇪🇺 nor 🇨🇳 is willing to do any of the things required to actually replace the dollar:
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
ECB Would Need To Act If Euro Keeps Gaining, Says Austria’s C Bank Gov – FT
January 28, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Once again, I ask how the math of other currencies replacing the dollar is going to go so long as neither 🇪🇺 nor 🇨🇳 is willing to do any of the things required to actually replace the dollar:
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Reposted by Chris Hopkins
"One of the things that I don’t think is getting talked enough about outside of Minnesota,” she said after a pause, “is how much this feels like ethnic cleansing. People are so afraid to go out and participate in public life regardless of their citizenship status. This isn’t about immigration.”"
January 27, 2026 at 4:33 PM
"One of the things that I don’t think is getting talked enough about outside of Minnesota,” she said after a pause, “is how much this feels like ethnic cleansing. People are so afraid to go out and participate in public life regardless of their citizenship status. This isn’t about immigration.”"