jbwriting
@jbwriting.bsky.social
writer; CSA survivor-activist; climate change activist (among other things)
http://johnbrookswriting.com
http://johnbrookswriting.com
Reposted by jbwriting
Today on Volts: you've probably heard that Australia has cheap rooftop solar power. You've probably also heard some rumors & myths about it. (Is it destabilizing the grid?) I called my favorite Australian energy expert to clear it all up. This is a fun one!
www.volts.wtf/p/whats-the-...
www.volts.wtf/p/whats-the-...
What's the real story with Australian rooftop solar?
Saul Griffith joins me to debunk the myths surrounding Australia's massive influx of solar energy.
www.volts.wtf
December 26, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Today on Volts: you've probably heard that Australia has cheap rooftop solar power. You've probably also heard some rumors & myths about it. (Is it destabilizing the grid?) I called my favorite Australian energy expert to clear it all up. This is a fun one!
www.volts.wtf/p/whats-the-...
www.volts.wtf/p/whats-the-...
Reposted by jbwriting
This @volts.wtf discussion with Saul Griffith has so much interesting info that I'll need to run through the PDF transcript with a highlighter. open.substack.com/pub/davidrob...
What's the real story with Australian rooftop solar?
Saul Griffith joins me to debunk the myths surrounding Australia's massive influx of solar energy.
open.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This @volts.wtf discussion with Saul Griffith has so much interesting info that I'll need to run through the PDF transcript with a highlighter. open.substack.com/pub/davidrob...
Reposted by jbwriting
Politicians and public utilities commissioner who are serious about making America great again should listen to or read this episode of @volts.wtf to see how Australia is doing it. We can do it too, but we need to tweak in our policies. 100% electric is the best path to America the Beautiful.
What's the real story with Australian rooftop solar?
Saul Griffith joins me to debunk the myths surrounding Australia's massive influx of solar energy.
open.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Politicians and public utilities commissioner who are serious about making America great again should listen to or read this episode of @volts.wtf to see how Australia is doing it. We can do it too, but we need to tweak in our policies. 100% electric is the best path to America the Beautiful.
Reposted by jbwriting
Thanks to @climatologist49.bsky.social for calculating the stats and generating the maps that tell the incredible story of how Christmas 2025 was - by far - the warmest Christmas on record. Some additional details and rather incredible factoids here: tinyurl.com/amvyycfc
Lower 48 has its warmest Christmas Day on record by a significant margin
Northeast remains the lone holdout and will experience a decent winter storm the next 36 hours.
tinyurl.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Thanks to @climatologist49.bsky.social for calculating the stats and generating the maps that tell the incredible story of how Christmas 2025 was - by far - the warmest Christmas on record. Some additional details and rather incredible factoids here: tinyurl.com/amvyycfc
Reposted by jbwriting
"I don’t know what else to do. I am at my wits’ end.”
Me and my mum briefly experienced homelessness when I was young. My heart breaks to hear some of the 10s of 1,000s of far worse stories now in Ireland, among the richest countries in the world.
This is so, so wrong.
share.google/93g9DFLWiL0h...
Me and my mum briefly experienced homelessness when I was young. My heart breaks to hear some of the 10s of 1,000s of far worse stories now in Ireland, among the richest countries in the world.
This is so, so wrong.
share.google/93g9DFLWiL0h...
‘I don’t know who else to turn to’: Letters for help to Minister from people affected by housing crisis
People write of ‘soul-destroying’ search for homes
share.google
December 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
"I don’t know what else to do. I am at my wits’ end.”
Me and my mum briefly experienced homelessness when I was young. My heart breaks to hear some of the 10s of 1,000s of far worse stories now in Ireland, among the richest countries in the world.
This is so, so wrong.
share.google/93g9DFLWiL0h...
Me and my mum briefly experienced homelessness when I was young. My heart breaks to hear some of the 10s of 1,000s of far worse stories now in Ireland, among the richest countries in the world.
This is so, so wrong.
share.google/93g9DFLWiL0h...
Reposted by jbwriting
Here come the Trump drones. My take on the new surveillance state. Join me on Substack: substack.com/@thefrankfig...
The Trump Administration's Eye in the Sky
Small drones are becoming the backbone of the Department of Homeland Security's domestic surveillance state.
substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Here come the Trump drones. My take on the new surveillance state. Join me on Substack: substack.com/@thefrankfig...
Reposted by jbwriting
"Experts say the cuts to the federal workforce and climate science funding could cause decades of loss in human knowledge and discovery." via @washingtonpost.com at www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
How Trump’s attacks on ‘climate alarmism’ have already transformed U.S. science
Experts say the cuts to the federal workforce and climate science funding could cause decades of loss in human knowledge and discovery.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
"Experts say the cuts to the federal workforce and climate science funding could cause decades of loss in human knowledge and discovery." via @washingtonpost.com at www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Reposted by jbwriting
As 2025 wraps, we’re looking back at some of the Climate Central team’s favorite Climate Matters from the past year.
From memorable graphics to go-to story resources, these are the releases that stuck with us.
🧵Let's stroll through the resource library ⤵️
From memorable graphics to go-to story resources, these are the releases that stuck with us.
🧵Let's stroll through the resource library ⤵️
December 22, 2025 at 10:44 PM
As 2025 wraps, we’re looking back at some of the Climate Central team’s favorite Climate Matters from the past year.
From memorable graphics to go-to story resources, these are the releases that stuck with us.
🧵Let's stroll through the resource library ⤵️
From memorable graphics to go-to story resources, these are the releases that stuck with us.
🧵Let's stroll through the resource library ⤵️
Reposted by jbwriting
The ice at Santa's workshop is melting away... #NorthPole 🎁🧑🎄
Check out my blog from November 2022 on this graphic at zacklabe.com/blog-archive...
Check out my blog from November 2022 on this graphic at zacklabe.com/blog-archive...
December 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
The ice at Santa's workshop is melting away... #NorthPole 🎁🧑🎄
Check out my blog from November 2022 on this graphic at zacklabe.com/blog-archive...
Check out my blog from November 2022 on this graphic at zacklabe.com/blog-archive...
Reposted by jbwriting
Things are really not good around the North Pole. Anomalous warmth continues, alongside record low #Arctic sea ice conditions. Nearly every time I check the data, there seems to be yet another new record this fall.
More graphics: zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...
More graphics: zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...
December 23, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Things are really not good around the North Pole. Anomalous warmth continues, alongside record low #Arctic sea ice conditions. Nearly every time I check the data, there seems to be yet another new record this fall.
More graphics: zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...
More graphics: zacklabe.com/arctic-tempe...
Reposted by jbwriting
Most of the #Arctic is experiencing warming temperatures over the last four decades in December. This is even larger over areas with a loss of sea ice cover, such as the Barents-Kara Seas region.
Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5. For more info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5. For more info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
December 24, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Most of the #Arctic is experiencing warming temperatures over the last four decades in December. This is even larger over areas with a loss of sea ice cover, such as the Barents-Kara Seas region.
Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5. For more info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Data from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social ERA5. For more info: doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Reposted by jbwriting
Christmas Eve ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the *lowest* on record (JAXA data)
• about 570,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,180,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,730,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,080,000 km² below the 1980s mean
➡️ zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
• about 570,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,180,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,730,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,080,000 km² below the 1980s mean
➡️ zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
December 24, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Christmas Eve ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the *lowest* on record (JAXA data)
• about 570,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,180,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,730,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,080,000 km² below the 1980s mean
➡️ zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
• about 570,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,180,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,730,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,080,000 km² below the 1980s mean
➡️ zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
Reposted by jbwriting
Christmas 2025 - temperature anomalies across the contiguous United States 🔥
Map from www.karstenhaustein.com/climate
Map from www.karstenhaustein.com/climate
December 25, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Christmas 2025 - temperature anomalies across the contiguous United States 🔥
Map from www.karstenhaustein.com/climate
Map from www.karstenhaustein.com/climate
Reposted by jbwriting
This is how society is supposed to work: we figure out collectively what we need then pool resources to get it.
The mechanism is government, be it tribal council or bureaucratic state.
Reagan & Thatcher termed such ideas radical, so now libraries seem like miracles & ppl demand USPS make a profit.
The mechanism is government, be it tribal council or bureaucratic state.
Reagan & Thatcher termed such ideas radical, so now libraries seem like miracles & ppl demand USPS make a profit.
I kind of can't believe that libraries exist. We get to go get all the books we want. For free.
December 24, 2025 at 8:10 PM
This is how society is supposed to work: we figure out collectively what we need then pool resources to get it.
The mechanism is government, be it tribal council or bureaucratic state.
Reagan & Thatcher termed such ideas radical, so now libraries seem like miracles & ppl demand USPS make a profit.
The mechanism is government, be it tribal council or bureaucratic state.
Reagan & Thatcher termed such ideas radical, so now libraries seem like miracles & ppl demand USPS make a profit.
Reposted by jbwriting
Can Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Help Save Our Planet?
EGS is a clean, renewable technology that can satisfy world energy demand for all purposes upon electrification of most energy.
~25% of world land is suitable for EGS
www.youtube.com/shorts/BPykj...
EGS is a clean, renewable technology that can satisfy world energy demand for all purposes upon electrification of most energy.
~25% of world land is suitable for EGS
www.youtube.com/shorts/BPykj...
Can Enhanced Geothermal Help Save Our Planet?
YouTube video by Mark Z. Jacobson
www.youtube.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Can Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Help Save Our Planet?
EGS is a clean, renewable technology that can satisfy world energy demand for all purposes upon electrification of most energy.
~25% of world land is suitable for EGS
www.youtube.com/shorts/BPykj...
EGS is a clean, renewable technology that can satisfy world energy demand for all purposes upon electrification of most energy.
~25% of world land is suitable for EGS
www.youtube.com/shorts/BPykj...
Reposted by jbwriting
EGS, which provides baseload electricity, eliminates the need for nuclear
EGS can be built from plan to operation in 3-5 y, v 12-23 y for nuc
EGS half the cost of nuc
EGS has no weapons prolif, meltdown, waste, underground U-mining lung-cancer, or CO2 risk as nuclear does
EGS can be built from plan to operation in 3-5 y, v 12-23 y for nuc
EGS half the cost of nuc
EGS has no weapons prolif, meltdown, waste, underground U-mining lung-cancer, or CO2 risk as nuclear does
December 24, 2025 at 7:50 PM
EGS, which provides baseload electricity, eliminates the need for nuclear
EGS can be built from plan to operation in 3-5 y, v 12-23 y for nuc
EGS half the cost of nuc
EGS has no weapons prolif, meltdown, waste, underground U-mining lung-cancer, or CO2 risk as nuclear does
EGS can be built from plan to operation in 3-5 y, v 12-23 y for nuc
EGS half the cost of nuc
EGS has no weapons prolif, meltdown, waste, underground U-mining lung-cancer, or CO2 risk as nuclear does
Reposted by jbwriting
Eyeries Cascades, nearby on the Kealincha River.
There's still some residual oak, rowan, willow, and other native tree species around, but I can't help imagining how magical this must have been when it was enclosed in thick, wild Atlantic rainforest.
Without sheep, it could be again.
#Rewilding 🌎
There's still some residual oak, rowan, willow, and other native tree species around, but I can't help imagining how magical this must have been when it was enclosed in thick, wild Atlantic rainforest.
Without sheep, it could be again.
#Rewilding 🌎
December 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Eyeries Cascades, nearby on the Kealincha River.
There's still some residual oak, rowan, willow, and other native tree species around, but I can't help imagining how magical this must have been when it was enclosed in thick, wild Atlantic rainforest.
Without sheep, it could be again.
#Rewilding 🌎
There's still some residual oak, rowan, willow, and other native tree species around, but I can't help imagining how magical this must have been when it was enclosed in thick, wild Atlantic rainforest.
Without sheep, it could be again.
#Rewilding 🌎
Reposted by jbwriting
More anti-renewables astroturfing from the BBC, quoting exactly three (3) villagers opposed to a solar farm, and zero data.
Plans to build a huge solar farm set to be opposed by villagers - BBC News
Villagers have expressed concern about plans to build a 373 acre solar farm nearby.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 8:39 AM
More anti-renewables astroturfing from the BBC, quoting exactly three (3) villagers opposed to a solar farm, and zero data.
Reposted by jbwriting
5/ The Russian Baltic Fleet is reportedly reforming its 336th Naval Infantry Brigade into the 120th Naval Infantry Division – the ninth new maneuver division that Russia has formed since 2022.
December 24, 2025 at 5:45 AM
5/ The Russian Baltic Fleet is reportedly reforming its 336th Naval Infantry Brigade into the 120th Naval Infantry Division – the ninth new maneuver division that Russia has formed since 2022.
Reposted by jbwriting
Even after the news last week, we are still doing great research here at NCAR. My group has released a new paper, led by John Schreck, on arxiv about an efficient method for generating calibrated AI weather ensembles with reproducible scale specific perturbations. arxiv.org/abs/2512.18815
Controllable Probabilistic Forecasting with Stochastic Decomposition Layers
AI weather prediction ensembles with latent noise injection and optimized with the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) have produced both accurate and well-calibrated predictions with far less ...
arxiv.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Even after the news last week, we are still doing great research here at NCAR. My group has released a new paper, led by John Schreck, on arxiv about an efficient method for generating calibrated AI weather ensembles with reproducible scale specific perturbations. arxiv.org/abs/2512.18815
Reposted by jbwriting
Some reflections after returning back from a conference at which I and 20,000 colleagues learned that the Trump administration intends to dismantle #NCAR. This outrage should not happen. deepconvection.substack.com/p/save-ncar
Save NCAR
Field notes from New Orleans, where I and 20,000 colleagues learned that Trump intends to destroy the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
deepconvection.substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Some reflections after returning back from a conference at which I and 20,000 colleagues learned that the Trump administration intends to dismantle #NCAR. This outrage should not happen. deepconvection.substack.com/p/save-ncar
Reposted by jbwriting
National Center for Atmospheric Research closure.
“Most academics in the weather and climate world have in some way passed through or connected with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.” - UCANR climate scientist, Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...
“Most academics in the weather and climate world have in some way passed through or connected with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.” - UCANR climate scientist, Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...
The U.S. Is on the Verge of Meteorological Malpractice
The Trump administration says it will dismantle a premier climate center, while somehow keeping weather forecasting intact.
www.theatlantic.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:04 PM
National Center for Atmospheric Research closure.
“Most academics in the weather and climate world have in some way passed through or connected with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.” - UCANR climate scientist, Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...
“Most academics in the weather and climate world have in some way passed through or connected with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.” - UCANR climate scientist, Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/science/2025...
Reposted by jbwriting
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
Reposted by jbwriting
A bipartisan group in Congress formally pushed back against administration plans to dismantle NCAR, while the country experiences a record warm Christmas week with monthly records - and CA braces for more serious flooding and wind (and eventually snow). More: tinyurl.com/3b2tsp7m
Bipartisan Congressional coalition formally requests continued funding for National Center for Atmospheric Research
Next in series of storm systems into California will likely be most impactful with potential flooding and strong winds through Christmas Eve, while incredible late December warmth spreads east
tinyurl.com
December 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
A bipartisan group in Congress formally pushed back against administration plans to dismantle NCAR, while the country experiences a record warm Christmas week with monthly records - and CA braces for more serious flooding and wind (and eventually snow). More: tinyurl.com/3b2tsp7m
Reposted by jbwriting
Natural gas explosions "killed two people and hospitalized at least five others, officials said Tuesday. Multiple people were unaccounted for, they said, cautioning that the numbers were still “in flux.”
December 24, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Natural gas explosions "killed two people and hospitalized at least five others, officials said Tuesday. Multiple people were unaccounted for, they said, cautioning that the numbers were still “in flux.”