Mike Walker
@maerkelig.bsky.social
Doing amazing things by lunch time (while supporting winning #environment campaigns, organisations and actors) - Transparency registry: http://bit.ly/2JvozAh - powered by loud passionate #music, 🏃🏽 & 🍺
"... why does Europe seem so powerless? The deficits that are most often pointed to are military and financial ... The bigger problems are structural, political and even psychological ... it [🇪🇺] is incapable of acting quickly and ruthlessly like the European great powers of the past ..." that's good
November 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
"... why does Europe seem so powerless? The deficits that are most often pointed to are military and financial ... The bigger problems are structural, political and even psychological ... it [🇪🇺] is incapable of acting quickly and ruthlessly like the European great powers of the past ..." that's good
"In none of the nine countries surveyed did a majority of voters believe their national government was representing their views well ... [but they] backed action to protect #democracy, especially laws and enforcement to combat corruption, protecting the independence of the courts ..." #civilsociety
Nearly half of Western voters think democracy is broken, international poll finds
Ipsos finds that disappointment with electoral politics, and fears for its future, dominate voters’ views of democracy in nine countries.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 12:27 PM
"In none of the nine countries surveyed did a majority of voters believe their national government was representing their views well ... [but they] backed action to protect #democracy, especially laws and enforcement to combat corruption, protecting the independence of the courts ..." #civilsociety
"We’re looking at four more years of #deregulation [#simplification 💩]. They have accepted that rolling back much of the green deal is their mandate, and when you’re holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail” #Weber #EPP
EU conservatives join far-right to gut green rules
EU conservatives join far-right to gut green rules
The European Parliament’s biggest political group, the centre-right European People’s Party, has teamed up with the far right to roll back major parts of the EU’s green corporate rulebook.
euobserver.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:52 AM
"We’re looking at four more years of #deregulation [#simplification 💩]. They have accepted that rolling back much of the green deal is their mandate, and when you’re holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail” #Weber #EPP
"The #Parisagreement would be impossible to negotiate today, because of #Trump. It was always going to be more of a diplomatic triumph than a scientific victory. It has made a difference, but it is not yet nearly enough." time for aggressive #politics to match the environmental & human need
The Paris agreement is not perfect but don’t write it off
Despite limits of multilateralism the world would be much worse off without the historic climate accord
on.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:03 AM
"The #Parisagreement would be impossible to negotiate today, because of #Trump. It was always going to be more of a diplomatic triumph than a scientific victory. It has made a difference, but it is not yet nearly enough." time for aggressive #politics to match the environmental & human need
“What does Europe look like when independent #civilsociety — the organisations that exist to protect the public interest — is silenced, sidelined or slowly starved out of existence?” really important piece
What happens after Europe's NGOs are dismantled?
What does Europe look like when independent civil society is silenced, sidelined or slowly starved out of existence? This is not dystopian fiction. It is the logical end-point of a trend already visib...
euobserver.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:15 AM
“What does Europe look like when independent #civilsociety — the organisations that exist to protect the public interest — is silenced, sidelined or slowly starved out of existence?” really important piece
young people take #politics to the left
In the US, young Democrats' rebellion spreads across many states
New York, Maine, Missouri, Florida, Texas… In opposition to candidates backed by the party leadership, progressive youth are striving to bring forward a new generation of elected officials, focusing o...
www.lemonde.fr
November 5, 2025 at 6:42 AM
young people take #politics to the left
Understanding the tensions and dynamics of domestic #China 🇨🇳 #politics is as important and consequential as those of the #US 🇺🇸
'Pessimism has taken hold in a once-optimistic China'
COLUMN. China's economy is having difficulty advancing. Le Monde journalist Harold Thibault describes civil society as increasingly prone to doubt after the stop-and-go approach of Xi Jinping's author...
www.lemonde.fr
November 3, 2025 at 11:04 AM
The health and longevity of the German 🇩🇪 coalition, the GroKo, impacts all #EU politics, and the influence of the #farright
www.politico.eu
October 31, 2025 at 2:45 PM
The end of a #EUGreenDeal era, #Timmermans retires ... and the #Netherlands 🇳🇱 looks like it is moving leftwards (even if the next government ends up being centrist 🙌 #welcomeback
Geert Wilders faces shutout as centrists hail huge gains in knife-edge Dutch election
Far right is neck-and-neck with liberal D66 but all major mainstream parties have ruled out working with anti-Islam firebrand
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:18 PM
The end of a #EUGreenDeal era, #Timmermans retires ... and the #Netherlands 🇳🇱 looks like it is moving leftwards (even if the next government ends up being centrist 🙌 #welcomeback
there is a lot 💩 in our water 💧, "The @ec.europa.eu has based its findings on an evaluation of scientific studies that found that the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries are responsible for 66 percent and 26 percent, respectively, of toxicity in urban wastewater." and they don't agree 🤔
An E.U. Plan to Slash Micropollutants in Wastewater Is Under Attack
Earlier this year, a European Union directive mandated advanced treatment of micropollutants in wastewater, with the cost to be borne by polluters. But the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, whi...
e360.yale.edu
October 27, 2025 at 9:14 PM
there is a lot 💩 in our water 💧, "The @ec.europa.eu has based its findings on an evaluation of scientific studies that found that the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries are responsible for 66 percent and 26 percent, respectively, of toxicity in urban wastewater." and they don't agree 🤔
brilliant piece by the @eurcorrespond.bsky.social on the cost of #climatechange elaine.mayoris.com/go/wco5p8q4c...
October 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
brilliant piece by the @eurcorrespond.bsky.social on the cost of #climatechange elaine.mayoris.com/go/wco5p8q4c...
A report going in the opposite direction of #politics - #planetarycrisis @worldresources.bsky.social
State of Climate Action 2025
Published ahead of COP30, the State of Climate Action 2025 translates the Paris Agreement temperature goal into actionable targets for 2030, 2035 and 2050 across the world’s highest-emitting sectors –...
www.wri.org
October 23, 2025 at 5:34 PM
A report going in the opposite direction of #politics - #planetarycrisis @worldresources.bsky.social
Offshore renewable energy is having a rough time, "This has predominately driven by rising costs, but also an overarching political climate where the fight against #climatechange and the drive for decarbonisation and energy transition has somewhat slowed down ... ” Oct. 22 #dublinoceandinner
Offshore wind buffeted by economic and political storms
Higher interest rates, supply chain strains and Trump opposition stifle industry’s boom
www.ft.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Offshore renewable energy is having a rough time, "This has predominately driven by rising costs, but also an overarching political climate where the fight against #climatechange and the drive for decarbonisation and energy transition has somewhat slowed down ... ” Oct. 22 #dublinoceandinner
it will happen, but before then there will be an exciting & very topical #dublinoceandinner at the end of January
Grrrh. 👇🏼 Yet another #DublinOceanDinner I miss. Working hard to convince @maerkelig.bsky.social to have one in April, when @blueactionfund.org has its annual board meeting in Dublin 🇮🇪
Oct. 22 the next #dublinoceandinner on the contentious issue of #ORE, offshore renewable #energy, it is going to be a good one, you won't want to miss it
October 19, 2025 at 7:35 PM
it will happen, but before then there will be an exciting & very topical #dublinoceandinner at the end of January
indeed, ending or withdrawing is very rare, but getting locked into a sort of path dependency with follow up grants with non-performing projects is all too common
"Exit" like ending contractual agreement earlier? Usually this is only foreseen for very limited cases like bad faith, force majeure... (Check you last grant agreements ⚖️👩🏼⚖️). Very different question for follow up grants.
October 19, 2025 at 4:45 PM
indeed, ending or withdrawing is very rare, but getting locked into a sort of path dependency with follow up grants with non-performing projects is all too common
of course the other funder behaviour is failure to exit from non-performing projects i.e. eyes closed, fingers crossed keep funding and hope it delivers despite all evidence
Oooh this is an interesting piece. Thank you for the share @maerkelig.bsky.social @oceanknigge.bsky.social.
October 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
of course the other funder behaviour is failure to exit from non-performing projects i.e. eyes closed, fingers crossed keep funding and hope it delivers despite all evidence
#China 🇨🇳 extraordinary growth in renewable #energy infrastructure is having global impact … come learn how that is affecting 🇮🇪 offshore renewable energy build-out #dublinoceandinner Oct. 22
October 19, 2025 at 9:14 AM
#China 🇨🇳 extraordinary growth in renewable #energy infrastructure is having global impact … come learn how that is affecting 🇮🇪 offshore renewable energy build-out #dublinoceandinner Oct. 22
“Responsible exits warrant research attention …”, very valuable, there have been way to many poor exits, and ill advised entrances
Paper below provides valuable food for thought, including more systematic approach to highly complex issue.
@blueactionfund.org @oceanweigand.bsky.social
ogy.de/78wc
@blueactionfund.org @oceanweigand.bsky.social
ogy.de/78wc
Conceptualizing responsible exits in conservation philanthropy
Conservation philanthropy has grown significantly in the past decade. As the number of philanthropic-supported conservation initiatives increases, so too will the frequency of exits—the ending of fun...
ogy.de
October 19, 2025 at 9:08 AM
“Responsible exits warrant research attention …”, very valuable, there have been way to many poor exits, and ill advised entrances
Oct. 22 the next #dublinoceandinner on the contentious issue of #ORE, offshore renewable #energy, it is going to be a good one, you won't want to miss it
October 14, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Oct. 22 the next #dublinoceandinner on the contentious issue of #ORE, offshore renewable #energy, it is going to be a good one, you won't want to miss it
Like #WTF, flying to #Antarctica for a jolly while prepping for #nuclear armageddon: we get what we deserve
October 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Like #WTF, flying to #Antarctica for a jolly while prepping for #nuclear armageddon: we get what we deserve
“The race is on to bring forward these positive #tippingpoints to avoid what we are now sure will be the unmanageable consequences of further tipping points in the Earth system” - #planetaryemergency
Planet’s first catastrophic climate tipping point reached, report says, with coral reefs facing ‘widespread dieback’
Unless global heating is reduced to 1.2C ‘as fast as possible’, warm water coral reefs will not remain ‘at any meaningful scale’, a report by 160 scientists from 23 countries warns
www.theguardian.com
October 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM
“The race is on to bring forward these positive #tippingpoints to avoid what we are now sure will be the unmanageable consequences of further tipping points in the Earth system” - #planetaryemergency
"While the environmental lobby’s influence plummeted after the 2024 election, von der Leyen still needs them to pass some legislation. Also, the big protests and political stunts they organize with their wide activist network get noticed." good to know, & tests "#politics is the art of the possible"
It's never a good idea to fight a war on several fronts.
But European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has no alternative: Danger lurks around every corner.
But European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has no alternative: Danger lurks around every corner.
The 5 tribes giving von der Leyen the biggest headaches
As the European Commission president faces the second set of no-confidence votes in three months, groups of people with very different views from each other are giving her angst. Some even want to …
ow.ly
October 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
"While the environmental lobby’s influence plummeted after the 2024 election, von der Leyen still needs them to pass some legislation. Also, the big protests and political stunts they organize with their wide activist network get noticed." good to know, & tests "#politics is the art of the possible"
Austria's 🇦🇹 unbearable #neutrality, is as untenable as Ireland's 🇮🇪
"La Matinale Européenne" has an English-speaking sister now!
In my first analysis, I've had a go at Austria's unbearable Neutralism - and the first little cracks appearing in this delusional veneer.
You can sign up for "Morning Post Europe" here ➡️ open.substack.com/pub/europemo...
In my first analysis, I've had a go at Austria's unbearable Neutralism - and the first little cracks appearing in this delusional veneer.
You can sign up for "Morning Post Europe" here ➡️ open.substack.com/pub/europemo...
October 6, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Austria's 🇦🇹 unbearable #neutrality, is as untenable as Ireland's 🇮🇪
"Europe [the #EU] is different. It has fewer extremely rich people and more of its wealth is managed with greater caution and conservatism. Its social model and cultural history is simply less conducive to recklessness." provocative stuff here i.e. what is the need for #competitiveness with 🇨🇳 & 🇺🇸
Europeans need to learn to love risk
A culture of financial caution stymies innovation and prevents the continent from competing with the US and China
www.ft.com
October 6, 2025 at 8:42 AM
"Europe [the #EU] is different. It has fewer extremely rich people and more of its wealth is managed with greater caution and conservatism. Its social model and cultural history is simply less conducive to recklessness." provocative stuff here i.e. what is the need for #competitiveness with 🇨🇳 & 🇺🇸
"But executives from 28 of the biggest companies in Europe are demanding more, amid a sense of urgency, including from the likes of Airbus, Carlsberg, Danfoss, Kongsberg, Maersk, Novo Nordisk, Saab, SAP, Siemens, Thales and ThyssenKrupp."
Industry titans woo EU leaders in Copenhagen with billions in deregulation drive
Industry titans woo EU leaders in Copenhagen with billions in deregulation drive
European leaders at their Copenhagen summit were wooed with promises by some of the continent's largest companies to pump billions into investments — in exchange for slashing regulation.
euobserver.com
October 2, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"But executives from 28 of the biggest companies in Europe are demanding more, amid a sense of urgency, including from the likes of Airbus, Carlsberg, Danfoss, Kongsberg, Maersk, Novo Nordisk, Saab, SAP, Siemens, Thales and ThyssenKrupp."