Hector Pollitt
@hectorpollitt.bsky.social
Economist and macroeconomic modeller, working mainly on climate change. Advocate of economic pluralism. #CambridgeTradition #Complexity
Bill Gates… the point is we don’t know what will happen when the climate warms. Every 0.1C increases chance of disaster.
But he probably thought nothing could go wrong with every Microsoft product.
But he probably thought nothing could go wrong with every Microsoft product.
October 28, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Bill Gates… the point is we don’t know what will happen when the climate warms. Every 0.1C increases chance of disaster.
But he probably thought nothing could go wrong with every Microsoft product.
But he probably thought nothing could go wrong with every Microsoft product.
Necessary for meeting carbon targets and with potentially huge social benefits. It surely is time for the UK to address the gap between gas and electricity prices.
My colleague @mashley.bsky.social argued recently that directly reducing electricity bills (to reverse the levies) may be a better use of government money than cutting VAT.
Why? Because it opens up an affordable route to get off gas and further lower bills, via electric heating
Why? Because it opens up an affordable route to get off gas and further lower bills, via electric heating
Is removing VAT really the best way to cut energy bills?
Targeting electricity bills, subsidising bill-funded schemes, or a one-off debt forgiveness program offer more effective, fair, and sustainable solutions
www.nesta.org.uk
October 16, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Necessary for meeting carbon targets and with potentially huge social benefits. It surely is time for the UK to address the gap between gas and electricity prices.
I found Joel Mokyr's Culture of Growth interesting and well worth reading. It benefited from looking beyond standard economic issues. The bits trying to reconcile with textbook economics were painful... clearly appreciated by others though...
October 13, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I found Joel Mokyr's Culture of Growth interesting and well worth reading. It benefited from looking beyond standard economic issues. The bits trying to reconcile with textbook economics were painful... clearly appreciated by others though...
Reposted by Hector Pollitt
We're recruiting new associate editors at @climate-policy.bsky.social . Come and join our great team and contribute to our mission to advance an effective response to climate change
climatepolicyjournal.org/2025/08/11/c...
climatepolicyjournal.org/2025/08/11/c...
climate policy is recruiting new associate editors
Climate Policy is a world-leading peer-reviewed academic journal, publishing high quality research and analysis on all aspects of climate policy. Climate Policy aims to make high-quality resea…
climatepolicyjournal.org
August 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
We're recruiting new associate editors at @climate-policy.bsky.social . Come and join our great team and contribute to our mission to advance an effective response to climate change
climatepolicyjournal.org/2025/08/11/c...
climatepolicyjournal.org/2025/08/11/c...
The Economist is going big on transformational scenarios at the moment. Three weeks ago it was AI, this week climate tipping points.
These are exactly the sorts of questions economists should be looking at - but often shy away from.
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
These are exactly the sorts of questions economists should be looking at - but often shy away from.
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
The shutdown of ocean currents could freeze Europe
When climate change poses a strategic threat, it needs a strategic response
www.economist.com
August 14, 2025 at 8:55 PM
The Economist is going big on transformational scenarios at the moment. Three weeks ago it was AI, this week climate tipping points.
These are exactly the sorts of questions economists should be looking at - but often shy away from.
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
These are exactly the sorts of questions economists should be looking at - but often shy away from.
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
Thread on this paper in @climate-policy.bsky.social last month. For so long we’ve heard about the ‘costs’ of reducing emissions. This paper adds to the growing evidence it doesn’t have to be like that.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The effects of low-carbon transitions on labour productivity: analysing UK electricity, heat, and mobility with a techno-economic simulation model
The low-carbon transition is generally portrayed as involving costs to the economy through lower productivity and generating benefits through avoided impacts of climate change. This mainstream econ...
www.tandfonline.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Thread on this paper in @climate-policy.bsky.social last month. For so long we’ve heard about the ‘costs’ of reducing emissions. This paper adds to the growing evidence it doesn’t have to be like that.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Recent post on LinkedIn about the importance of interdisciplinary research - and not just for climate change.
It also introduces ICENS lab, which takes a broader perspective.
Thoughts and comments welcome!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-in...
It also introduces ICENS lab, which takes a broader perspective.
Thoughts and comments welcome!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-in...
Why interdisciplinarity matters
This is a post to introduce ICENS lab, a new interdisciplinary initiative: https://www.linkedin.
www.linkedin.com
August 5, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Recent post on LinkedIn about the importance of interdisciplinary research - and not just for climate change.
It also introduces ICENS lab, which takes a broader perspective.
Thoughts and comments welcome!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-in...
It also introduces ICENS lab, which takes a broader perspective.
Thoughts and comments welcome!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-in...
Reposted by Hector Pollitt
Based on fossil fuel growth rates from the IEA Coal Mid-Year Update, July Oil Market Report, & Gas Market Report Q3, fossil CO2 emissions would grow around 0.8% in 2025, reaching another record high...
We are only half way through the year, but don't build too much expectation for peak emissions.
We are only half way through the year, but don't build too much expectation for peak emissions.
July 28, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Based on fossil fuel growth rates from the IEA Coal Mid-Year Update, July Oil Market Report, & Gas Market Report Q3, fossil CO2 emissions would grow around 0.8% in 2025, reaching another record high...
We are only half way through the year, but don't build too much expectation for peak emissions.
We are only half way through the year, but don't build too much expectation for peak emissions.
Glad to be finally setting up here! I will mostly be covering ways to improve economics and modelling, especially on climate and energy issues. But expect some previews from the forthcoming book with Jean-Francois Mercure. And my return to blogging...
July 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Glad to be finally setting up here! I will mostly be covering ways to improve economics and modelling, especially on climate and energy issues. But expect some previews from the forthcoming book with Jean-Francois Mercure. And my return to blogging...