Rob Ralston
@policyrelevant.bsky.social
Lecturer in Public Policy at Edinburgh Uni researching corporate power and planetary health - currently global plastics treaty | ‘most improved PhD student’ 2017-18 | part-time Kieran Tierney Ultra
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Accidentally messaged the subaltern periphery group chat "may your new year be full of imperial superprofits" and the metropole labor aristocrat group chat "may Babylon finally fall this year," so 2025 is starting off great 😒
January 1, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Accidentally messaged the subaltern periphery group chat "may your new year be full of imperial superprofits" and the metropole labor aristocrat group chat "may Babylon finally fall this year," so 2025 is starting off great 😒
Reposted by Rob Ralston
I am SO late to this but this @emdashsanders.bsky.social piece (edited by @emorwee.bsky.social) is great: a deep dive into Exxon's use of dodgy CCS promises to justify fossil gas fuelled power stations to run data centres
A set of keywords that makes me click so hard my mouse shatters into pieces 💥
A set of keywords that makes me click so hard my mouse shatters into pieces 💥
Exxon’s new greenwashing ploy
The oil giant claims it can eliminate more than 90 percent of emissions from gas-powered AI facilities. Critics say that’s nonsense.
www.exxonknews.org
December 27, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I am SO late to this but this @emdashsanders.bsky.social piece (edited by @emorwee.bsky.social) is great: a deep dive into Exxon's use of dodgy CCS promises to justify fossil gas fuelled power stations to run data centres
A set of keywords that makes me click so hard my mouse shatters into pieces 💥
A set of keywords that makes me click so hard my mouse shatters into pieces 💥
Reposted by Rob Ralston
George Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016.
He will be remembered for his incredible songwriting talent, his gorgeous vocals and for the greatest non-apology video of all time, following his arrest for cottaging.
He will be remembered for his incredible songwriting talent, his gorgeous vocals and for the greatest non-apology video of all time, following his arrest for cottaging.
December 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
George Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016.
He will be remembered for his incredible songwriting talent, his gorgeous vocals and for the greatest non-apology video of all time, following his arrest for cottaging.
He will be remembered for his incredible songwriting talent, his gorgeous vocals and for the greatest non-apology video of all time, following his arrest for cottaging.
Reposted by Rob Ralston
fair play to anyone physically able to cycle 500km in the week over christmas, but I remain baffled as to who the target demographic for this is beyond divorced surgeons with 12 grand cervelos
December 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
fair play to anyone physically able to cycle 500km in the week over christmas, but I remain baffled as to who the target demographic for this is beyond divorced surgeons with 12 grand cervelos
last day at work is going reallly well, why do you ask
December 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
last day at work is going reallly well, why do you ask
as someone who values @propublica.org reporting on issues like climate and plastics polllution, there is absolutely no way I’m financially supporting them to produce AI slop over proper investigative journalism
1/ At bargaining yesterday, @propublica.org management said that they should have 100% discretion to replace workers with AI and would not commit to labeling future AI-generated content.
December 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
as someone who values @propublica.org reporting on issues like climate and plastics polllution, there is absolutely no way I’m financially supporting them to produce AI slop over proper investigative journalism
I came to have a nice boat tour around Copenhagen, not live out my personal hell
December 15, 2025 at 2:53 PM
I came to have a nice boat tour around Copenhagen, not live out my personal hell
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
be the co-author you want to see in the world
December 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
be the co-author you want to see in the world
kind of fitting that the FIFA peace prize is one of the most cursed objects I've ever seen
December 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
kind of fitting that the FIFA peace prize is one of the most cursed objects I've ever seen
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Here’s my Spotify Wrapped 🎵✨
December 3, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Here’s my Spotify Wrapped 🎵✨
incredible that VCs have collectively strategised on the threat of the far-right and democratic backsliding, and somehow the lesson from Columbia, Harvard, UCSF etc is that appeasement works
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 10:21 AM
incredible that VCs have collectively strategised on the threat of the far-right and democratic backsliding, and somehow the lesson from Columbia, Harvard, UCSF etc is that appeasement works
has anyone read any good pieces on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) announced at COP30?
particularly interested in the role of consultants, private philanthropy and 'de-risking' debates
particularly interested in the role of consultants, private philanthropy and 'de-risking' debates
November 27, 2025 at 10:28 AM
has anyone read any good pieces on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) announced at COP30?
particularly interested in the role of consultants, private philanthropy and 'de-risking' debates
particularly interested in the role of consultants, private philanthropy and 'de-risking' debates
Reposted by Rob Ralston
'One of the programmes...closed entirely was on public policy, and the two women leading it left. Staff claim “there are no longer any women in research leadership positions”, which the institute did not respond to directly, though it stressed its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.'
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:47 AM
'One of the programmes...closed entirely was on public policy, and the two women leading it left. Staff claim “there are no longer any women in research leadership positions”, which the institute did not respond to directly, though it stressed its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.'
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Meta’s 2020 research project, Project Mercury, “gauge[d] the effect of ‘deactivating’ Facebook & Instagram, according to Meta docs obtained via discovery…’ppl who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness & social comparison,’ internal docs said.”🧪
November 23, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Meta’s 2020 research project, Project Mercury, “gauge[d] the effect of ‘deactivating’ Facebook & Instagram, according to Meta docs obtained via discovery…’ppl who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness & social comparison,’ internal docs said.”🧪
a thing you quickly learn when researching business power, is the lengths to which seemingly ‘legitimate’ corporations will go to extend markets and maximize profits
"Meta internally projected late last year that it would earn about 10 per cent of its overall annual revenue — or $16bn — from running advertising for scams and banned goods, internal company documents show" - Reuters www.ft.com/content/4560...
We have to be able to hold tech platforms accountable for fraud
Algorithms ensure that people who click on scams are likely to see more of them
www.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:29 AM
a thing you quickly learn when researching business power, is the lengths to which seemingly ‘legitimate’ corporations will go to extend markets and maximize profits
Trump out here systematically dismantling every complex theory of policy making we have
November 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Trump out here systematically dismantling every complex theory of policy making we have
my platonic ideal of a secondhand bookshop - just absolute chaos
November 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
my platonic ideal of a secondhand bookshop - just absolute chaos
new article (building on old fieldwork) in the Journal of Critical Public Health
an attempt to apply theories of post-politics to multistakeholder governance which highlights how norms of inclusion paradoxically lead to the exclusion of critical voices
an attempt to apply theories of post-politics to multistakeholder governance which highlights how norms of inclusion paradoxically lead to the exclusion of critical voices
New 'online first' paper from Rob Ralston @policyrelevant.bsky.social - on 'multi-stakeholderism' in food policy, and how this renders power of corporations less visible
journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jc...
journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jc...
The post-politics of partnership: Understanding corporate power in multistakeholder governance
| Journal of Critical Public Health
journalhosting.ucalgary.ca
November 20, 2025 at 12:27 AM
new article (building on old fieldwork) in the Journal of Critical Public Health
an attempt to apply theories of post-politics to multistakeholder governance which highlights how norms of inclusion paradoxically lead to the exclusion of critical voices
an attempt to apply theories of post-politics to multistakeholder governance which highlights how norms of inclusion paradoxically lead to the exclusion of critical voices
surreal watching us qualify for the world cup with a chip from the halfway line
this will never be topped
this will never be topped
November 18, 2025 at 10:17 PM
surreal watching us qualify for the world cup with a chip from the halfway line
this will never be topped
this will never be topped
virtually indistinguishable from the plot of an A24 psychological horror
I really want to believe that there’s no market for these ghoulish AI apps
I really want to believe that there’s no market for these ghoulish AI apps
November 14, 2025 at 1:31 PM
virtually indistinguishable from the plot of an A24 psychological horror
I really want to believe that there’s no market for these ghoulish AI apps
I really want to believe that there’s no market for these ghoulish AI apps
Reposted by Rob Ralston
'Proximity to drilling wells, processing plants, pipelines + other fossil fuel facilities elevates the risk of cancer, respiratory conditions, heart disease, premature birth + death, as well as posing grave threats to water supplies + air quality, + degrades land.'
Other than that, great stuff
Other than that, great stuff
Exclusive by me: A quarter of the world’s population lives within three miles (5km) of operational fossil fuel projects, threatening the health of more than 2bn people as well as critical ecosystems, according to first-of-its-kind research.
@amnesty.org
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
@amnesty.org
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Fossil fuel projects around the world threaten the health of 2bn people – report
Exclusive: ‘Deep-rooted injustices’ affect billions of people due to location of wells, pipelines and other infrastructure
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:32 PM
'Proximity to drilling wells, processing plants, pipelines + other fossil fuel facilities elevates the risk of cancer, respiratory conditions, heart disease, premature birth + death, as well as posing grave threats to water supplies + air quality, + degrades land.'
Other than that, great stuff
Other than that, great stuff
new open access paper on the right to science and pollution with several fantastic colleagues including
@bcarneyalmroth.bsky.social @jptilsted.bsky.social and @taraolsen.bsky.social
@bcarneyalmroth.bsky.social @jptilsted.bsky.social and @taraolsen.bsky.social
Protecting the right to science in multilateral environmental agreements addressing chemicals and plastics pollution
Scientific evidence supports dominant institutional understandings of the global socio-ecological crises of the triple planetary crisis-climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution-demonstrating...
www.tandfonline.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
new open access paper on the right to science and pollution with several fantastic colleagues including
@bcarneyalmroth.bsky.social @jptilsted.bsky.social and @taraolsen.bsky.social
@bcarneyalmroth.bsky.social @jptilsted.bsky.social and @taraolsen.bsky.social
Reposted by Rob Ralston
🔴 NEW 🔴
Mapped: Big Food’s Routes to Influence at COP30
Interactive map shows the food & farming corporations, trade groups and initiatives at COP30 in Brazil and how these are set to navigate the summit
📝 @rachelsherrington.bsky.social & Gil Alessi👇
www.desmog.com/2025/11/10/m...
Mapped: Big Food’s Routes to Influence at COP30
Interactive map shows the food & farming corporations, trade groups and initiatives at COP30 in Brazil and how these are set to navigate the summit
📝 @rachelsherrington.bsky.social & Gil Alessi👇
www.desmog.com/2025/11/10/m...
Mapped: Big Food’s Routes to Influence at COP30
In the city of Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil has kicked off the COP30 climate conference, a summit framed as a pivotal moment to reduce emissions and keep the Paris Agreement al...
www.desmog.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:30 AM
🔴 NEW 🔴
Mapped: Big Food’s Routes to Influence at COP30
Interactive map shows the food & farming corporations, trade groups and initiatives at COP30 in Brazil and how these are set to navigate the summit
📝 @rachelsherrington.bsky.social & Gil Alessi👇
www.desmog.com/2025/11/10/m...
Mapped: Big Food’s Routes to Influence at COP30
Interactive map shows the food & farming corporations, trade groups and initiatives at COP30 in Brazil and how these are set to navigate the summit
📝 @rachelsherrington.bsky.social & Gil Alessi👇
www.desmog.com/2025/11/10/m...