Kelly Macnamara
LightNews LightNews
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
Kelly Macnamara
@kellymacnamara.bsky.social
720 followers 2.2K following 100 posts
Climate and environment correspondent @AFP
Previously ➡️ Hong Kong ➡️ Yangon ➡️ Bangkok
Co-founder @kitetalesMM non-profit Myanmar storytelling project
Posts Replies Media Videos
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
But armies worried about fossil fuel dependence long before climate change became a priority.
'Fuel convoys are an easy target for roadside bombs, which have accounted for nearly half of American deaths in Iraq and close to 40% in Afghanistan'
www.consilium.europa.eu/media/69607/...
Operations and combat assets, particularly Air, Space and Sea capabilities, along with heavy land forces, raise major challenges in terms of decarbonisation. However, they also stand to gain from the transition towards sustainability. The military's heavy reliance on fossil fuels creates significant vulnerabilities, not least by diverting combat power away from essential functions in order to safeguard convoys. Fuel convoys are an easy target for roadside bombs, which have accounted for nearly half of American deaths in Iraq and close to 40% in Afghanistan. While renewable energy is not yet entirely suitable for combat, its higher efficiency and potential for on-site production could reduce dependence on vulnerable convoys.
April 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
Some armies have also started to try to tackle their own emissions, which are substantial as this European report from last year shows.
www.consilium.europa.eu/media/69607/...
Although determining the exact carbon ‘boot print’ of the armed forces is challenging, various estimates suggest the sector may be responsible for up to 5.5% of the world’s total CO2 emissions2. To put this in perspective, if the world’s militaries were a country, they would rank as the fourth-largest global emitter. A particularly stark example of the impact of the military is the Pentagon, which constitutes the world’s single largest consumer of petroleum products. Its total emissions are greater than those of entire countries such as Sweden, Denmark, or Portugal
April 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
And this is from Britain's Ministry of Defence

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67dc3b...
3. Climate change and pressure on the environment. Human impact on the natural environment and climate system continues to have far-reaching consequences, putting significant pressure on societies and economies and threatening the very existence of some states. Rapidly growing efforts to mitigate and adapt to its impacts are likely to become an increasing priority for governments. In some cases, governments may need to divert resources from economic and social development towards climate change response policies, especially if investment continues to be delayed. The extraction of key resources, including fossil fuels and critical minerals, will continue in a global society that demands technological progress, improved lifestyles and wider and more convenient digital access. Pollution, habitat destruction and overexploitation continue to threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services and are likely to increase.
April 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
Given the state of *everything* I have started to see more pieces about people worried about climate change and feeling overwhelmed and isolated

(I often think of this graphic from the IPCC 2023 report)
April 2, 2025 at 11:51 AM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
I am trying to remember to slow down and just enjoy the beauty of this city in Spring. Particularly glad I made it to the Pompidou before it closes
March 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
A light in 'dark times'. That is how the COP16 president Susana Muhamad described the deal on a plan for nature funding reached in Rome on the second attempt. She was given a standing ovation as the UN talks closed in the early hours of Friday. Already feels a long time ago.
March 1, 2025 at 4:14 PM
kellymacnamara.bsky.social
A key recommendation was... regulation. So people don't have to spend all their time swimming through utter rubbish
Regulation may have a key role to play in helping ensure a healthy information eco-system in the AI age. Policymakers are already looking at this area. For example Ofcom has recently published research that shows that audiences that consume news from Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) have higher trust in institutions, better knowledge of news and are less polarised. We believe it is vital that the accuracy of PSB news is preserved through the prism of AI assistants. It is essential that PSBs, AI companies, Ofcom and Government work together to secure an effective regulatory regime
February 11, 2025 at 10:10 AM