Royce Kurmelovs
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roycerk2.bsky.social
Royce Kurmelovs
@roycerk2.bsky.social
Journalist. Author of The Death of Holden (2016), Just Money (2020) and others.

Buy Slick: Australia's Toxic Relationship with Big Oil (2024) now: https://www.slickthebook.com.au/

For more me: https://www.roycekurmelovs.com/
This morning at #COP30 in Belém, Australian joined a group led by Colombia that will plan a fossil fuel phaseout outside the UN process, with the first meeting to be held next year in Santa Marta. It is the most significant statement AUS has made on future of fossil fuels to date.

Story to come.
November 21, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Its the morning post fire here at #COP30 and security gates on both sides have been erected at the pavilions in the exhibition hall to protect the belongings of those who had to get out quick. The area where the fire took hold has been blocked off with sheets of cloth.
November 21, 2025 at 10:53 AM
The COP Presidency has put out a statement regarding the fire at #COP30 this afternoon here in Belém.
November 20, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I was just sent this image of the aftermath.
November 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Security have locked arms and formed three person line to push back reporters attempting to re-enter the venue to get pictures of the fire's aftermath. There was an altercation between a security official and a reporter as they began to clear the media room.
November 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The fire appears to be out and we're back inside. A media scrum has formed in the hallways.
November 20, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Another video I have been sent shows men attempting to fight the fire.
November 20, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Another video from the #COP30 fire appears to show the start behind the East African Community Pavillion.
November 20, 2025 at 5:27 PM
More footage posted to a Whatsapp group shows the flames getting bigger as people flee, some attempting to fight the fire.
November 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Have just been sent this video from inside the pavilion area. Standing outside now as fire engines scream past to respond.
November 20, 2025 at 5:16 PM
BREAKING: COP30 Blue Zone venue is being evacuated after a firealarm was triggered. Smoke visible.
November 20, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Doorstop interview has been called.
November 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
This just in from @adammorton.bsky.social at The Guardian.

No word yet from the Australian Delegation, but as of 30 minutes ago the official line was "negotiations are still ongoing".

Apparently everyone is getting briefed!
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
It's 8.34am in Belem and I'm sitting outside the Delegation Offices waiting on confirmation that Australia has lost its bid to host COP31 in Adelaide. It'll probably be a while but here's some of the more reactive stuff I've been working on while I've been here.
November 19, 2025 at 11:33 AM
A reminder that COP31 defaulting to Bonn, Germany would be very bad for efforts to address climate change as there would only be six months to organise the event, this rush would result in a process with vastly diminished capacity.
November 17, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I'm on the ground here in Belem at COP30. Here is a quick video of part of the performance by Wiradjuri man Benjamin Thomson and Germaine Paulson gave after a press conference yesterday morning by civil society groups pressing the case for Australia to host the conference next year.
November 14, 2025 at 3:54 PM
South Australia has announced a $17.5m fund to subsidise half the cost of new gas projects in the state - the same state that leads the country in renewables uptake. The decision has been welcomed by Australian Energy Producers.
November 1, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen addressed the Centre for Independent Studies on climate change on Friday where he gave them a history lesson on Margaret Thatcher's views on climate change and hit them with Pascal's Wager.

Seems he also took the opportunity to troll them on coal.
October 24, 2025 at 4:14 AM
I hereby pledge to maintain this energy in all things.
October 22, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Me Nan passed away last week. Her funeral was yesterday. Reckon she would have liked Instagram entirely too much.
October 22, 2025 at 10:35 PM
This is also not the most egregious example. When making another application, I recently received a number from another South Australian government department that warned, were I to continue, my application would run me $16,629.60.

I had to read that twice to make sure I had that right.

/7
October 19, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Last Friday I appeared before a Senate committee to talk about the Commonwealth's proposed changes to FOI laws @withmeaa.bsky.social, in my capacity as a working freelance journalist. The changes copy FOI regimes at the state level -- two hours later, one of those states hit me with a charge:

/1
October 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
One of those developments that I need to know more about before commenting, but on the face of it, I have many, many questions.
October 17, 2025 at 1:12 AM
It's always great to sit down with The Australian for informed, balanced reporting on current events that is free from misinformation, disinformation or rabbit hole obsessions and cannot be found on social media.
October 8, 2025 at 6:31 AM
This is a remarkable moment.
October 2, 2025 at 7:33 AM