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
somehow, academic publishers have contrived to create an even more useless version of NFTs
🤬 How old does this academic journal publisher think I am? Five? And they're actually paying someone to come up with the idea and then someone else to execute it. I despair.
January 16, 2026 at 8:53 PM
somehow, academic publishers have contrived to create an even more useless version of NFTs
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Once upon a time I had the idea of writing a book called ‘The Ageing Intellectual’s Book Shelf’ with 100 titles (non fiction) bookish people maybe a little older than me would have had. Might slowly do it here, though without the discussion. Here’s the obvious first. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
May 11, 2024 at 9:53 PM
Once upon a time I had the idea of writing a book called ‘The Ageing Intellectual’s Book Shelf’ with 100 titles (non fiction) bookish people maybe a little older than me would have had. Might slowly do it here, though without the discussion. Here’s the obvious first. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
trying to catch up with the Will Stancil discourse, and uncovering layer after layer of mythology
January 14, 2026 at 8:20 PM
trying to catch up with the Will Stancil discourse, and uncovering layer after layer of mythology
public understanding of science depends on dialogue about current knowledge (and its limits)
However, given that corporations have spent decades manufacturing doubt about the harms of their products, I find it concerning that the claims of a lifelong chemist at Dow seem to be accepted at face value
However, given that corporations have spent decades manufacturing doubt about the harms of their products, I find it concerning that the claims of a lifelong chemist at Dow seem to be accepted at face value
‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body
Exclusive: Some scientists say many detections are most likely error, with one high-profile study called a ‘joke’
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:37 PM
public understanding of science depends on dialogue about current knowledge (and its limits)
However, given that corporations have spent decades manufacturing doubt about the harms of their products, I find it concerning that the claims of a lifelong chemist at Dow seem to be accepted at face value
However, given that corporations have spent decades manufacturing doubt about the harms of their products, I find it concerning that the claims of a lifelong chemist at Dow seem to be accepted at face value
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Indian authorities raided a prominent climate activist Harjeet Singh's home and office, accusing him of using foreign funding to campaign against fossil fuels in ways that could undermine the country’s energy security.
www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...
www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...
India arrests top climate activist for campaigning against fossil fuels
Financial crimes agency raids Harjeet Singh’s home and office after accusing him of using foreign funds to promote an international green initiative
www.independent.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 7:31 AM
Indian authorities raided a prominent climate activist Harjeet Singh's home and office, accusing him of using foreign funding to campaign against fossil fuels in ways that could undermine the country’s energy security.
www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...
www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...
Reposted by Rob Ralston
someone might have done this already, but I’d love to read a piece on how oil majors are having to adapt their lobbying strategies to accommodate an increasingly volatile and unstable regime
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
someone might have done this already, but I’d love to read a piece on how oil majors are having to adapt their lobbying strategies to accommodate an increasingly volatile and unstable regime
trying to get back into the habit of posting about papers I've been reading (all open access)
this paper by Goyal, Hickel and Jha shows how, as agricultural production has increasingly shifted to the global South, economic returns skew owards 'post-farm' activities in the global North
this paper by Goyal, Hickel and Jha shows how, as agricultural production has increasingly shifted to the global South, economic returns skew owards 'post-farm' activities in the global North
Increasing inequality in agri-food value chains: global trends from 1995-2020
Agri-food systems are increasingly globalised. In the last three decades, as national food systems have become more interdependent, the distribution o…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 11, 2026 at 2:30 PM
trying to get back into the habit of posting about papers I've been reading (all open access)
this paper by Goyal, Hickel and Jha shows how, as agricultural production has increasingly shifted to the global South, economic returns skew owards 'post-farm' activities in the global North
this paper by Goyal, Hickel and Jha shows how, as agricultural production has increasingly shifted to the global South, economic returns skew owards 'post-farm' activities in the global North
Reposted by Rob Ralston
This is a good read. Cory Doctorow on how Trump Tariffs are actually an opportunity for the rest of the world to break the grip of US tech companies.
Trump may be the beginning of the end for ‘enshittification’ – this is our chance to make tech good again | Cory Doctorow
The US president is weaponising tech, but his tariffs and Brexit provide a surprising opportunity to gain back digital control of our lives, says science fiction author, activist and journalist Cory D...
www.theguardian.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:20 AM
This is a good read. Cory Doctorow on how Trump Tariffs are actually an opportunity for the rest of the world to break the grip of US tech companies.
the smaug model of governance
Of course it's completely normal for the President of the United States to control all the money from the sale of between 30 to 50 million barrels of oil. Why, it's the most normal thing in the history of everything!
January 8, 2026 at 9:06 AM
the smaug model of governance
Reposted by Rob Ralston
Something I see a lot of folks missing in discussions about what's happening Venezuela, particularly around oil, is the role U.S. oil majors' interest in Guyana—and the threat Venezuela posed to it—has in all of it. Explainer here: drilled.media/news/guyana-...
The U.S.-Venezuela-Guyana Oil Triangle
The U.S. interest in Venezuela isn’t just about the oil there, but also about the oil next door in Guyana, and the U.S. oil companies that have staked their future on it.
drilled.media
January 5, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Something I see a lot of folks missing in discussions about what's happening Venezuela, particularly around oil, is the role U.S. oil majors' interest in Guyana—and the threat Venezuela posed to it—has in all of it. Explainer here: drilled.media/news/guyana-...
despite now being inured to how unprincipled this government is, I am still amazed that senior figures don’t think they need to condemn the violation of international law
utterly spineless
utterly spineless
No 10 suggests UK would not vote for UN security council resolution condemning US arrest of Maduro – as it happened
PM’s spokesperson did not contest report claiming that the UK will abstain on a possible UN vote
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:35 PM
despite now being inured to how unprincipled this government is, I am still amazed that senior figures don’t think they need to condemn the violation of international law
utterly spineless
utterly spineless
the last few days on here really underline how naive some people are around corporate political strategy
The fossil fuel companies are insisting they're not interested in increasing oil extraction in Venezuela but their investors / shareholders don't seem to believe them
January 5, 2026 at 12:09 PM
the last few days on here really underline how naive some people are around corporate political strategy
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 🎵✨