Rob
@robertferry.bsky.social
Climate policy, society, and the built environment. Architect, LEED AP BD+C. https://landartgenerator.org
“On March 24, the Trump administration created a novel way for companies to avoid clean-air rules: Simply send an email to the E.P.A. requesting an exemption.”
A Top Source of Lead Pollution Faced Tighter Rules. Then Trump Intervened.
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM
“On March 24, the Trump administration created a novel way for companies to avoid clean-air rules: Simply send an email to the E.P.A. requesting an exemption.”
I’m seeing a lot of distracting debate about solar versus forests, which entirely misses the point.
Sure it’s preferable to not remove trees for solar farms and we don’t really need to, but in the cases where it does happen it is still net beneficial to the climate to do so.
Sure it’s preferable to not remove trees for solar farms and we don’t really need to, but in the cases where it does happen it is still net beneficial to the climate to do so.
December 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
I’m seeing a lot of distracting debate about solar versus forests, which entirely misses the point.
Sure it’s preferable to not remove trees for solar farms and we don’t really need to, but in the cases where it does happen it is still net beneficial to the climate to do so.
Sure it’s preferable to not remove trees for solar farms and we don’t really need to, but in the cases where it does happen it is still net beneficial to the climate to do so.
Because why would we want to keep doing the one thing that has been proven to actually work?
“Opponents consider it overly permissive” to providing our fellow citizens with the most basic of human needs.
Great Christmas Day top headline. WWJD, right‽
“Opponents consider it overly permissive” to providing our fellow citizens with the most basic of human needs.
Great Christmas Day top headline. WWJD, right‽
Trump Says ‘Housing First’ Failed the Homeless. Here’s What the Evidence Says.
www.nytimes.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Because why would we want to keep doing the one thing that has been proven to actually work?
“Opponents consider it overly permissive” to providing our fellow citizens with the most basic of human needs.
Great Christmas Day top headline. WWJD, right‽
“Opponents consider it overly permissive” to providing our fellow citizens with the most basic of human needs.
Great Christmas Day top headline. WWJD, right‽
Santa has always been a climate activist.
When you spend the year canceling previously issued wind energy permits and making it harder to build solar on federal lands you are going to get a lump of coal in your stocking.
When you spend the year canceling previously issued wind energy permits and making it harder to build solar on federal lands you are going to get a lump of coal in your stocking.
December 25, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Santa has always been a climate activist.
When you spend the year canceling previously issued wind energy permits and making it harder to build solar on federal lands you are going to get a lump of coal in your stocking.
When you spend the year canceling previously issued wind energy permits and making it harder to build solar on federal lands you are going to get a lump of coal in your stocking.
I wish Tracy Alloway would have given a good definition of “late-stage capitalism.” Maybe she chickened out? If she had, it would have provided much greater clarity about the confusing economic indicators we’re seeing these days.
‘This is Something that Traditional Economics Isn’t Prepared to Deal With’
Podcast Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 12/23/2025 · 1h 18m
podcasts.apple.com
December 24, 2025 at 8:38 PM
I wish Tracy Alloway would have given a good definition of “late-stage capitalism.” Maybe she chickened out? If she had, it would have provided much greater clarity about the confusing economic indicators we’re seeing these days.
Reposted by Rob
This is a great way to enable balcony solar even in states where it isn't legal (or in homes with old wiring that makes it unsafe). With this you could just put 3-4 solar panels (1500W) on a balcony and plug them right into this heat pump. No permit needed. #balconysolar
December 24, 2025 at 2:22 PM
This is a great way to enable balcony solar even in states where it isn't legal (or in homes with old wiring that makes it unsafe). With this you could just put 3-4 solar panels (1500W) on a balcony and plug them right into this heat pump. No permit needed. #balconysolar
What would happen if the New England states’ national guards were deployed to protect the wind farm workers, ignoring the EO entirely in a coordinated fashion? The states need this power desperately, the companies are bleeding cash, and it’s getting to the point where maybe they just call the bluff?
Democratic Governors Are Fighting Trump’s War on Wind Energy
www.nytimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:49 AM
What would happen if the New England states’ national guards were deployed to protect the wind farm workers, ignoring the EO entirely in a coordinated fashion? The states need this power desperately, the companies are bleeding cash, and it’s getting to the point where maybe they just call the bluff?
Reposted by Rob
It brings me no pleasure to report that my beat — offshore wind power — skyrocketed to the top of new sites today.
I just published a scoop about Trump's halt on 5 in-progress wind farms capable of powering 2.7 million homes.
Here's a mega🧵
🔗 2nd post is a link to my scoop
🎁 last post is a gift
I just published a scoop about Trump's halt on 5 in-progress wind farms capable of powering 2.7 million homes.
Here's a mega🧵
🔗 2nd post is a link to my scoop
🎁 last post is a gift
December 23, 2025 at 6:07 AM
It brings me no pleasure to report that my beat — offshore wind power — skyrocketed to the top of new sites today.
I just published a scoop about Trump's halt on 5 in-progress wind farms capable of powering 2.7 million homes.
Here's a mega🧵
🔗 2nd post is a link to my scoop
🎁 last post is a gift
I just published a scoop about Trump's halt on 5 in-progress wind farms capable of powering 2.7 million homes.
Here's a mega🧵
🔗 2nd post is a link to my scoop
🎁 last post is a gift
He must have missed last week’s insightful New York Times editorial board series on the Pentagon’s outdated planning—how all the experts say we are woefully unprepared for 21st century conflict because we keep building 20th century weapons.
Trump claims that ultimately he plans to build "20 to 25" new battleships
December 23, 2025 at 4:02 AM
He must have missed last week’s insightful New York Times editorial board series on the Pentagon’s outdated planning—how all the experts say we are woefully unprepared for 21st century conflict because we keep building 20th century weapons.
In the context of Yglesias vs Rep. Casten: The idea that any U.S. political candidate could honestly say to voters that there will be an increase in LNG exports under their leadership is make believe.
Even the leadership we have now can’t magically make global market demand grow.
Even the leadership we have now can’t magically make global market demand grow.
Energy Transfer has suspended its Lake Charles LNG project and is reallocating capital to higher return gas pipeline projects. The suspension indicates increasing industry concerns about LNG oversupply and poor returns. gasoutlook.com/news/u-s-lak...
U.S. Lake Charles LNG project suspended amid global supply glut - Gas Outlook
Energy Transfer has suspended its Lake Charles LNG project and is reallocating capital to higher return gas pipeline projects.
gasoutlook.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:51 AM
In the context of Yglesias vs Rep. Casten: The idea that any U.S. political candidate could honestly say to voters that there will be an increase in LNG exports under their leadership is make believe.
Even the leadership we have now can’t magically make global market demand grow.
Even the leadership we have now can’t magically make global market demand grow.
CO2 is amazing. While having just a little too much in the atmosphere is really bad, it may also be the best stuff to use for longer duration energy storage, which is key to keeping more of it out of the atmosphere. Simply convert CO2 back and forth from a liquid to gas.
energydome.com
energydome.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
CO2 is amazing. While having just a little too much in the atmosphere is really bad, it may also be the best stuff to use for longer duration energy storage, which is key to keeping more of it out of the atmosphere. Simply convert CO2 back and forth from a liquid to gas.
energydome.com
energydome.com
As Sammy points out, Yglesias is wrong even by his own standard.
Dems LOST in 2016 *despite* Obama's policy of soaring domestic production.
Biden WON four years later on a climate plan of 100% clean power by 2035 and net-zero by 2050.
Harris LOST in 2024 after totally losing the climate base.
Dems LOST in 2016 *despite* Obama's policy of soaring domestic production.
Biden WON four years later on a climate plan of 100% clean power by 2035 and net-zero by 2050.
Harris LOST in 2024 after totally losing the climate base.
Matthew Yglesias did it again
No, Democrats shouldn't embrace oil and gas.
www.climatecoloredgoggles.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:59 PM
As Sammy points out, Yglesias is wrong even by his own standard.
Dems LOST in 2016 *despite* Obama's policy of soaring domestic production.
Biden WON four years later on a climate plan of 100% clean power by 2035 and net-zero by 2050.
Harris LOST in 2024 after totally losing the climate base.
Dems LOST in 2016 *despite* Obama's policy of soaring domestic production.
Biden WON four years later on a climate plan of 100% clean power by 2035 and net-zero by 2050.
Harris LOST in 2024 after totally losing the climate base.
Legalsky: How does today’s order have any real impact on the ground if the previous order has already been struck down just two weeks ago? Can the Whitehouse just keep issuing the same EO with a new date on the top every time the courts strike the last one down?
Trump Halts Five Wind Farms Off the East Coast
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Legalsky: How does today’s order have any real impact on the ground if the previous order has already been struck down just two weeks ago? Can the Whitehouse just keep issuing the same EO with a new date on the top every time the courts strike the last one down?
Reposted by Rob
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
I don’t think most people reckon with the fact that the world will likely pass 2C by 2040.
If you buy a gas powered car or a new gas boiler today, if you vote for a politician who takes advice from Matt Yglesias or Third Way, if you keep ordering beef you are contributing to that dystopian future.
If you buy a gas powered car or a new gas boiler today, if you vote for a politician who takes advice from Matt Yglesias or Third Way, if you keep ordering beef you are contributing to that dystopian future.
I’m not going to hope 2026 is any better than 2025, I’ll just say you probably ought to try to enjoy it as 2027 will 1.7C hotter than our Goldilocks climate and that’s going to be system-collapse levels of madness
insideclimatenews.org/news/0402202...
insideclimatenews.org/news/0402202...
December 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I don’t think most people reckon with the fact that the world will likely pass 2C by 2040.
If you buy a gas powered car or a new gas boiler today, if you vote for a politician who takes advice from Matt Yglesias or Third Way, if you keep ordering beef you are contributing to that dystopian future.
If you buy a gas powered car or a new gas boiler today, if you vote for a politician who takes advice from Matt Yglesias or Third Way, if you keep ordering beef you are contributing to that dystopian future.
Reposted by Rob
On #AGVTV at #AGU25, Dr. Melissa Kenney and I talked about the opportunity for the entire scientific community to contribute towards climate assessment research. Submit your papers at USclimatecollection.org. youtu.be/7Kb-hfwIUxQ?...
Introducing the U.S. Climate Collection: Connecting Climate Science for a Brighter Future
YouTube video by WebsEdgeScience
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 1:14 AM
On #AGVTV at #AGU25, Dr. Melissa Kenney and I talked about the opportunity for the entire scientific community to contribute towards climate assessment research. Submit your papers at USclimatecollection.org. youtu.be/7Kb-hfwIUxQ?...
Policymakers could be relying more on “bright spots” research.
Our standard model is to identify problems and apply fixes. Bright spot research identifies the places where things are already working better, finds out why, and systematizes them.
Our standard model is to identify problems and apply fixes. Bright spot research identifies the places where things are already working better, finds out why, and systematizes them.
A decade of bright spots in conservation and ecology: Lessons, limits, and future directions
Over the last decade, the literature on bright spots (i.e., positive deviants) has flourished across conservation science and ecology, especially on c…
www.sciencedirect.com
December 22, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Policymakers could be relying more on “bright spots” research.
Our standard model is to identify problems and apply fixes. Bright spot research identifies the places where things are already working better, finds out why, and systematizes them.
Our standard model is to identify problems and apply fixes. Bright spot research identifies the places where things are already working better, finds out why, and systematizes them.
Here in the U.S. we have serious Supreme Court envy.
New Zealand's top court finds climate change must be considered in issuing oil and gas tenders because:
- climate is a big concern to NZ
- NZ has committed to reduce emissions
- oil and gas cause emissions
Seems obvious! But NZ is way ahead of Canada on this.
- climate is a big concern to NZ
- NZ has committed to reduce emissions
- oil and gas cause emissions
Seems obvious! But NZ is way ahead of Canada on this.
Supreme Court finds Govt must consider climate change when offering oil and gas tenders
The case was brought by university students who are part of Climate Clinic Aotearoa.
www.nzherald.co.nz
December 22, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Here in the U.S. we have serious Supreme Court envy.
I think we have to allow this slightly gratuitous use of aviation fuel. They were out for the solstice sunset which was pretty great this afternoon, at least from Pittsburgh.
Amazing work from whoever was up in N6914W over Ohio … www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
December 22, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I think we have to allow this slightly gratuitous use of aviation fuel. They were out for the solstice sunset which was pretty great this afternoon, at least from Pittsburgh.
Look at the LNG export emissions from the U.S. yikes! One might think since the infrastructure is newer that it would be cleaner.
Australia's government always pushes the 'our fossil fuels are cleaner than everyone else's' line but their own documents show that emissions intensity is the same as the global average, and worse than Qatar, PNG
December 21, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Look at the LNG export emissions from the U.S. yikes! One might think since the infrastructure is newer that it would be cleaner.
This is my experience as well. I don't think we're going to see the productivity gains that were promised. Companies that do adopt it widely will deliver lower quality products. It will never innovate because it can only return probable variations of that which has already been done.
Turns out that if you want to actually know stuff, at some point you’re going to have to do the work yourself, or you’re just cosplaying expertise. It’s selling a shortcut that is at best a simulacrum of knowledge.
December 21, 2025 at 6:27 PM
This is my experience as well. I don't think we're going to see the productivity gains that were promised. Companies that do adopt it widely will deliver lower quality products. It will never innovate because it can only return probable variations of that which has already been done.
More CO2 means more acidic oceans and that means shellfish and bivalves find it increasingly difficult to form shells. If you like clams, scallops, mussels, lobster, or crab, then you should want to stop burning fossil fuels as soon as possible.
Causes and Consequences of CO2-Induced Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification results from the fact that about 30% of our CO2 emissions have been absorbed by the ocean. Lean about the causes and consequences of ocean acidification
www.ecomena.org
December 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
More CO2 means more acidic oceans and that means shellfish and bivalves find it increasingly difficult to form shells. If you like clams, scallops, mussels, lobster, or crab, then you should want to stop burning fossil fuels as soon as possible.
For more about the early history of solar power, Mouchot and Ericsson, check out this summary. It is fascinating to think about an alternative path of human advancement where coal and oil had not been so geologically accessible in the places where it was.
December 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
For more about the early history of solar power, Mouchot and Ericsson, check out this summary. It is fascinating to think about an alternative path of human advancement where coal and oil had not been so geologically accessible in the places where it was.
The guy who basically invented the coal steamship and locomotive believed that "solar power offered the only way to avert an eventual global economic paralysis that would result in putting a stop to human progress.”
Steam transformed transportation & manufacturing, pulling humanity forward.
However requiring massive coal volumes.
Even then, worry…
‘John Ericsson, who probably contributed more to the ascendency of steam power than any other individual on earth…Said Europe must stop her mills for want of coal.’
However requiring massive coal volumes.
Even then, worry…
‘John Ericsson, who probably contributed more to the ascendency of steam power than any other individual on earth…Said Europe must stop her mills for want of coal.’
December 21, 2025 at 12:46 PM
The guy who basically invented the coal steamship and locomotive believed that "solar power offered the only way to avert an eventual global economic paralysis that would result in putting a stop to human progress.”
Not all climate “solutions” are created equal. Some actually do more harm than good like some of the top ones here. Bookmark the Drawdown Explorer in case you are ever not sure.
Some proposed climate “solutions” just don’t stack up against an objective, evidence-based perspective.
That’s why the Drawdown Explorer calls these “Not Recommended” climate solutions.
That’s why the Drawdown Explorer calls these “Not Recommended” climate solutions.
December 20, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Not all climate “solutions” are created equal. Some actually do more harm than good like some of the top ones here. Bookmark the Drawdown Explorer in case you are ever not sure.