Cameron Roberts
@bikeademic.bsky.social
Sustainability transitions researcher in Canada.
I know everyone is aware that Noah Smith is ridiculous, but I accidentally stumbled on this today and it really is a new low even for him.
www.noahpinion.blog/p/degrowth-w...
These are mostly well established interdisciplinary journals.
#degrowth
www.noahpinion.blog/p/degrowth-w...
These are mostly well established interdisciplinary journals.
#degrowth
November 24, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I know everyone is aware that Noah Smith is ridiculous, but I accidentally stumbled on this today and it really is a new low even for him.
www.noahpinion.blog/p/degrowth-w...
These are mostly well established interdisciplinary journals.
#degrowth
www.noahpinion.blog/p/degrowth-w...
These are mostly well established interdisciplinary journals.
#degrowth
If you see this, post your getaway vehicle.
November 20, 2025 at 4:52 AM
If you see this, post your getaway vehicle.
I actually subscribe to rethinkx's mailing list (because, like many degrowthers, I like innovation). Lots of their predictions require a heavy grain of salt, but they have some interesting ideas.
So their email today about the book is full of additional thought terminating clichés.
So their email today about the book is full of additional thought terminating clichés.
October 16, 2025 at 11:14 AM
I actually subscribe to rethinkx's mailing list (because, like many degrowthers, I like innovation). Lots of their predictions require a heavy grain of salt, but they have some interesting ideas.
So their email today about the book is full of additional thought terminating clichés.
So their email today about the book is full of additional thought terminating clichés.
And a call for social scientists to accelerate AI deployment. So that people like him can make more pictures for their blogs?
Lol at "quantum" as a noun. Yes mate you sound very cool and in the know. 🙄
Generally good social science about technology looks beyond hype rather than reinforcing it.
Lol at "quantum" as a noun. Yes mate you sound very cool and in the know. 🙄
Generally good social science about technology looks beyond hype rather than reinforcing it.
August 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
And a call for social scientists to accelerate AI deployment. So that people like him can make more pictures for their blogs?
Lol at "quantum" as a noun. Yes mate you sound very cool and in the know. 🙄
Generally good social science about technology looks beyond hype rather than reinforcing it.
Lol at "quantum" as a noun. Yes mate you sound very cool and in the know. 🙄
Generally good social science about technology looks beyond hype rather than reinforcing it.
This already exists! It's called innovation research and it has several major research centers and flagship journals dedicated to it! *Bangs head on desk*
Every few years, tech bros reinvent trains and econ bros reinvent innovation studies.
Every few years, tech bros reinvent trains and econ bros reinvent innovation studies.
August 29, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This already exists! It's called innovation research and it has several major research centers and flagship journals dedicated to it! *Bangs head on desk*
Every few years, tech bros reinvent trains and econ bros reinvent innovation studies.
Every few years, tech bros reinvent trains and econ bros reinvent innovation studies.
Sounds like he wants to direct all finding to business schools.
Business schools are already well funded. By businesses. Who benefit directly from the study of business.
Business schools are already well funded. By businesses. Who benefit directly from the study of business.
August 29, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Sounds like he wants to direct all finding to business schools.
Business schools are already well funded. By businesses. Who benefit directly from the study of business.
Business schools are already well funded. By businesses. Who benefit directly from the study of business.
Once again this is empirically questionable. See: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
August 29, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Once again this is empirically questionable. See: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Economic contraction under neoliberalism is not degrowth!
Nice to know that a "high bar" against funding degrowth research will be implemented by a guy who can't define the word degrowth correctly.
Nice to know that a "high bar" against funding degrowth research will be implemented by a guy who can't define the word degrowth correctly.
August 29, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Economic contraction under neoliberalism is not degrowth!
Nice to know that a "high bar" against funding degrowth research will be implemented by a guy who can't define the word degrowth correctly.
Nice to know that a "high bar" against funding degrowth research will be implemented by a guy who can't define the word degrowth correctly.
This is an empirically testable proposition and there's good evidence it isn't true. It's an ongoing debated which Westlake is using the purse strings to tilt towards the side which he has simply assumed is correct.
Goes without saying that this is not the role of a research funding agency!
Goes without saying that this is not the role of a research funding agency!
August 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This is an empirically testable proposition and there's good evidence it isn't true. It's an ongoing debated which Westlake is using the purse strings to tilt towards the side which he has simply assumed is correct.
Goes without saying that this is not the role of a research funding agency!
Goes without saying that this is not the role of a research funding agency!
First off: Of course he uses ai-generated images to spruce up his blog posts. Of course he's that kind of guy.
"Line goeth up"
"Line goeth up"
August 28, 2025 at 2:33 PM
First off: Of course he uses ai-generated images to spruce up his blog posts. Of course he's that kind of guy.
"Line goeth up"
"Line goeth up"
Westgate tesloop station. Where the only shelter from the scorching Nevada sun while you wait 20 minutes doe your Tesla ride is an elevated rail track.
This is why it's important to teach engineering students the humanities. Otherwise they might accidentally design a metaphor.
This is why it's important to teach engineering students the humanities. Otherwise they might accidentally design a metaphor.
August 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Westgate tesloop station. Where the only shelter from the scorching Nevada sun while you wait 20 minutes doe your Tesla ride is an elevated rail track.
This is why it's important to teach engineering students the humanities. Otherwise they might accidentally design a metaphor.
This is why it's important to teach engineering students the humanities. Otherwise they might accidentally design a metaphor.
This is amazing.
August 6, 2025 at 12:14 PM
This is amazing.
In the USA the approach is often the opposite: Carve up the city so that downtown is a tiny little enclave whose Council lacks the authority to govern the city as a whole.
Check out this map of LA County. The city boundary of Los Angeles itself is completely deranged due to this process.
Check out this map of LA County. The city boundary of Los Angeles itself is completely deranged due to this process.
June 26, 2025 at 10:34 PM
In the USA the approach is often the opposite: Carve up the city so that downtown is a tiny little enclave whose Council lacks the authority to govern the city as a whole.
Check out this map of LA County. The city boundary of Los Angeles itself is completely deranged due to this process.
Check out this map of LA County. The city boundary of Los Angeles itself is completely deranged due to this process.
There are a few ways of doing this. Interestingly it seems to differ depending on the country in question.
In Canada, we've got massive urban boundary expansions which give suburbanites a majority in any municipal election. You can see this from the map of any Canadian city election result.
In Canada, we've got massive urban boundary expansions which give suburbanites a majority in any municipal election. You can see this from the map of any Canadian city election result.
June 26, 2025 at 10:31 PM
There are a few ways of doing this. Interestingly it seems to differ depending on the country in question.
In Canada, we've got massive urban boundary expansions which give suburbanites a majority in any municipal election. You can see this from the map of any Canadian city election result.
In Canada, we've got massive urban boundary expansions which give suburbanites a majority in any municipal election. You can see this from the map of any Canadian city election result.
Become ungovernable
February 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Become ungovernable
But unfortunately, this claim has legs. Particularly among the political left, who should be more serious about climate change.
It is used to challenge the of system or consumption change to mitigate climate change. All we need to do, according to the logic, is punish the companies.
It is used to challenge the of system or consumption change to mitigate climate change. All we need to do, according to the logic, is punish the companies.
December 4, 2024 at 5:00 PM
But unfortunately, this claim has legs. Particularly among the political left, who should be more serious about climate change.
It is used to challenge the of system or consumption change to mitigate climate change. All we need to do, according to the logic, is punish the companies.
It is used to challenge the of system or consumption change to mitigate climate change. All we need to do, according to the logic, is punish the companies.
The report also attributes Scope 3 emissions to the companies they assess. For those who don't know the jargon: Scope 3 refers to emissions that come about as a result of the product being burned. These amount to 90% of total company emissions.
December 4, 2024 at 4:56 PM
The report also attributes Scope 3 emissions to the companies they assess. For those who don't know the jargon: Scope 3 refers to emissions that come about as a result of the product being burned. These amount to 90% of total company emissions.
The claim originated from a report by the Climate Accountability Institute. You can find it here: climateaccountability.org/wp-content/u...
Here's the relevant quote. Note how it specifies INDUSTRIAL GHG emissions. So already the 71% figure is heavily qualified.
Here's the relevant quote. Note how it specifies INDUSTRIAL GHG emissions. So already the 71% figure is heavily qualified.
December 4, 2024 at 4:52 PM
The claim originated from a report by the Climate Accountability Institute. You can find it here: climateaccountability.org/wp-content/u...
Here's the relevant quote. Note how it specifies INDUSTRIAL GHG emissions. So already the 71% figure is heavily qualified.
Here's the relevant quote. Note how it specifies INDUSTRIAL GHG emissions. So already the 71% figure is heavily qualified.
For context: Here's the more recent paper, and a relevant quote detailing their methodology.
It also reveals a minor error in my previous post. They in fact searched for two keywords. My bad.
It also reveals a minor error in my previous post. They in fact searched for two keywords. My bad.
December 2, 2024 at 4:46 PM
For context: Here's the more recent paper, and a relevant quote detailing their methodology.
It also reveals a minor error in my previous post. They in fact searched for two keywords. My bad.
It also reveals a minor error in my previous post. They in fact searched for two keywords. My bad.
I've been reading up on the carbon pricing debate. Might write one or two papers on it if I have time.
While doing so, I found this interesting statement, by none other than Van den Bergh and Savin: authors of the recently published and very controversial critical review of #degrowth literature.
While doing so, I found this interesting statement, by none other than Van den Bergh and Savin: authors of the recently published and very controversial critical review of #degrowth literature.
December 2, 2024 at 4:42 PM
I've been reading up on the carbon pricing debate. Might write one or two papers on it if I have time.
While doing so, I found this interesting statement, by none other than Van den Bergh and Savin: authors of the recently published and very controversial critical review of #degrowth literature.
While doing so, I found this interesting statement, by none other than Van den Bergh and Savin: authors of the recently published and very controversial critical review of #degrowth literature.