stfnSep 20, 2025
Chris Smaje made a very good blog post, talking about how we are still burning too much fossil fuels, and so our transition to renewable energy sources is not really a transition yet.

While I don't agree exactly with his critique of veganism, he is in my opinion very right that localism and reducing energy usage overall are the best solutions for the global climate emergency.

Interesting read and I encourage everyone to take a look.

https://chrissmaje.com/2025/07/go-solar-go-vegan-and-still-collapse-beyond-the-global-environmental-problems-framework/

#degrowth #energydescent #renewables
Go solar, go vegan and still collapse: beyond the global environmental problems framework | Chris Smaje

The end of June is usually an exciting time for me. Summer holidays approaching? No, it’s when the Energy Institute publishes its annual Statistical Review of World Energy. Who doesn’t love a big fat spreadsheet landing in their downloads folder to analyse to their heart’s content? The answer to that, of course, is a good […]

Chris Smaje
Mark BurtonAug 15, 2025
To my surprise, Justin Webb, interviewer on BBC radio 4 this morning mentioned the Jeavons paradox.
It was in response to a data centre chief claiming they were getting more efficient.
Sadly he didn't push the point when the interviewer gave a weak, irrelevant answer.
@BBCRadio4
#Jeavons #DataCentres #ToxicTech #EnergyDescent
Show threadMark BurtonAug 7, 2025
@GeofCox @Simon318ppm
This point also made in a post on the Spain-based site, https://www.15-15-15.org/webzine/2025/08/06/las-costuras-en-el-ecologismo-y-el-decreto-antiapagones/
I think the distinction between 'Almost Business As Usual' Green Growthers (with their carbon tunnel vision) and Degrowthers (who understand multiple dimensions of the ecological crisis and call for energy descent) also correlates with the old left distinction between social democrats who'd manage capitalism better, and anti-commodification leftists, who'd abolish it.
#degrowth #EnergyDescent
Las costuras en el ecologismo y el decreto antiapagones

(Xabier Vázquez Pumariño) La transición que necesitamos es profunda, incómoda y llena de contradicciones. Hace falta menos soberbia y más política, menos dogma y más diálogo.

15/15\15
DegrowthUKJun 23, 2025

Surprise, surprise.
This is not an industrial strategy.
Whatever it is, it isn't fit for the coming era of energy descent and ecosystem collapse.

Lower energy costs part of government's 10-year plan for industry - BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ljnrrmd7jo

#IndustrialStrategy #UKPol #EnergyDescent #collapse

Lower energy costs part of government's 10-year plan for industry

Plans to slash energy bills by up to 25% for over 7,000 UK businesses will be announced alongside other plans to boost growth.

BBC News
DegrowthUKMay 23, 2025

A better name for wind farms, solar parks, big hydro:

"Non renewable systems for capturing renewable energy flows."

Term used by Pedro Petro (cited by @casdeiro in his "The uncomfortable truths about the energy transition" (in Spanish).
https://www.asociacion-touda.org/product/las-verdades-incomodas-de-la-transicion-energetica/

#renewables #EnergyDescent #EnergyTransition

Mark BurtonMay 22, 2025

Retrofitting homes for net zero - report

Energy Security and Net Zero Committee

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmesnz/453/report.html

#NetZero #retrofit #EnergyDescent

DegrowthUKApr 12, 2025

Data centres AI to add 20% to energy demand in 5 years.
In Spain's Aragon region, they'll use more than the population.

Inteligencia artificial | La demanda energética de los centros de datos de IA se cuadruplicará para 2030, según un informe - El Salto - Edición General
https://www.elsaltodiario.com/inteligencia-artificial/demanda-energetica-centros-datos-ia-se-cuadruplicara-2030-segun-un-informe
#Energy #EnergyDescent

La demanda energética de los centros de datos de IA se cuadruplicará para 2030, según un informe

Un estudio de la Agencia Internacional de la Energía predice que los centros de datos aumentarán la demanda de electricidad en un 20% de aquí a 2030 en el Norte global.

www.elsaltodiario.com
Mark BurtonMar 30, 2025

What sense can we make of #Trump's break?
What does it mean for Europe?
Energy-aware analysis by @turiel via @revista and translated by me.
Thought-provoking even if you don't agree with every detail.

Abandon All Hope: Dire Times for Europe – 15/15\15
https://www.15-15-15.org/webzine/2025/03/29/abandon-all-hope-dire-times-for-europe/

#USpol #renewables #EnergyDescent

Abandon All Hope: Dire Times for Europe

(Antonio Turiel) The European Union has no resources to contribute, and it does have a high level of consumption that is of no benefit to the USA. So for the USA, in a cynical way, the best thing to do is to let Europe get poorer.

15/15\15
Green House Think TankFeb 14, 2025

the Race for Artificial Intelligence --> the wrong race at the wrong time...

https://bothbrainsrequired.com/2024/05/25/the-perfect-folly-of-ai/

Green House Think Tank Report on 'Rethinking Energy Demand' grapples with what the right races maybe....

#EnergyDescent
#RethinkingDemand
#Energy #AI #SustainableCognition

The Perfect Folly of AI – Both Brains Required

Green House Think TankJul 28, 2024

This video is relevent to our rescent framing paper:
https://natehagens.substack.com/p/the-human-superorganism

Climate Emergency: Economics, Politics, Honesty
https://www.greenhousethinktank.org/gas/may-2024

"Change is required at all levels – ‘everything, everywhere, all at once’ – to disrupt the status quo. Otherwise, current vested interests and established power structures will prevail and will contribute to both ecological and social breakdown. Every aspect of our current system must be challenged."

#natehagens #energydescent #ourpredicament

The Human Superorganism

Animated video #2

The Great Simplification