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Fiona J Beck

@fjbeck.bsky.social
646 followers 382 following 29 posts

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇧🇼🇦🇺 Energy Transition, Engineer, Physicist, Grappling with economics and policy in Australia. Choosing radical optimism that humanity can manage a just energy transition.

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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
Woodside CEO says "human impact and the consumer’s role in driving energy demand and emissions absolutely is a missing space in the conversation" do we laugh or cry or scream www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Woodside boss says young people ‘ideological’ on fossil fuels while ‘happily ordering from Temu’
Meg O’Neill tells energy industry conference that individual consumers’ role in driving emissions is ‘missing’ in conversations about fossil fuels
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
One to share with any teachers you may know who are interested in understanding the latest critical issues facing us all as global citizens. #climate #energy nsc.anu.edu.au/event/course...
nsc.anu.edu.au
Evidence for educators: professional development program for teachers | National Security College
This program of 1-hour sessions will provide secondary teachers with expert insights on critical strategic issues, fostering informed classroom discussions and supporting professional development.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
#energyandclimate pretty damming summary of the ALP's Nature Positive fiasco. We need strong enviro laws more than ever as we accelerate the role out of #renewables www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Australian nature: if our laws don’t radically change, environmental degradation will continue | Adam Morton
Australia has a long history of taking its unique wildlife and landscapes for granted, but what has happened in this term of parliament is remarkable
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Monday inspo: pace yourself, understand the system and how it evolves, choose your battles, decide if you would be most suited to making change from the inside or outside. 💪🏻 theconversation.com/make-a-noise... 🔌💡#climate #energy
theconversation.com
Make a noise or work with the system? New research reveals 4 ways to create real change for nature
Researchers mined the knowledge of politicians, public servants and environmental advocates to understand how everyday people can achieve real change for nature.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
"individual climate-positive actions occur in relation to others taken globally, so it is a mistake to assume such actions are pointless" Insights from African philosophers and the concept of complementary. theconversation.com/think-your-e... #climate 🔌💡
theconversation.com
Think your efforts to help the climate don’t matter? African philosophers disagree
None of us act in isolation – and our choices have more influence than we think.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
From a few years ago but still relevant. How do we shore up democracy in the age of social media? Interesting to see that #auspol change of age limit for social media is suggested. Also to reflect on the rise of independents in this context www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
theatlantic.com
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
One way for China to deal with the US under Trump: work with the developing global south to drive decarbonisation and stimulate demand in technologies from China. Sounds like a good idea as long as some of the financing is concessional. Thoughts from the experts? www.afr.com//world/asia/...
afr.com
This is how China could lift growth while cutting global emissions
Just like the US’ Marshall Plan after the Second World War, China can help green development in the Global South with technological and financial support.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 22/12/2024
Super interesting look at China's innovation & manufacturing capabilities. On US innovators "You are really good” at taking products “from zero to one. We are good at going from two to 100.”" Not mentioned: China is making renewable tech for the world. 💡🔌 www.afr.com//world/north...
afr.com
China’s staggering manufacturing muscle needs to be seen to be believed
Since Trump was last in office, Beijing has doubled down on its efforts to gain global supremacy in electric cars, robots and rare materials. America could be toast if it doesn’t respond.
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Dylan McConnell @dylanjmcconnell.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Two completely unrelated headlines...... 🧐
Two headlines from the guardian. One reads Albanese approves four coalmines. The other reads Melbourne expected to hit 40c on boxing  day
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
To be fair, AFR has published pro and con opinions on nuclear, as well as an article questioning the costings followed by a rebuttal. Not a cheerleader for AFR but credit where it is due www.afr.com//policy/ener...
afr.com
Economics of Coalition’s nuclear modelling are worth nothing
There may well still be good reasons to favour nuclear. But on the basis of this modelling, the economics isn’t one of them.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
What to do about Australian climate policy: Less political point scoring, more evidence based decision making, and maybe even some humility in the face of such a difficult challenge www.afr.com//policy/ener...
afr.com
Nuclear costings put heat on uncosted renewables plan
Both sides of politics should end the charade of promising cheaper power prices while debating the least costly transition to a net zero economy.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
evidence shows that gas is not necessarily cleaner than coal, depending on where it comes. Some gas fields contain a lot of CO2 that needs to be stripped out of it during processing and methane leaks during processing, transmission and distribution can be large www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...
google.com
Exported gas produces far worse emissions than coal, major study finds
Research challenges idea that sending liquefied natural gas around the world is cleaner alternative to burning coal
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
So that's the plan then "The Coalition admitted on Friday that its nuclear plan, which would not see reactors up and running until next decade, would do nothing to bring down energy bills in the near or longer term." www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...
abc.net.au
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Scott Hamilton @sdhamiltonvic.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
‘Frontier’s report says it does not “present any results for the prices [of wholesale electricity] as this will depend on how the cost of new capacity will be treated in the future”. In other words, they don’t know what the cost of power will be.’ #nuclear #auspol
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
I wish I still had faith that expert opinion matters in the public debate www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Energy generators poke holes in Dutton’s nuclear plan as questions over costings pile up
‘No one really has the foggiest idea of what it will cost to develop nuclear in Australia,’ one expert says
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
And the best take on the nuclear costings goes to Jason Clare (If you don't laugh you'll cry) www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...
abc.net.au
Dutton's nuclear plan has 'shelf life of a seafood milkshake': Labor — as it happened
The government has lined up to dismiss Peter Dutton's nuclear plan. But the Coalition says its plan will be cheaper.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Wonderful that the Government has released the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy. Hope they back it up with actual resources. 🔌💡 Note the billions going into the Future Made in Australia - surely some of that should go to building capacity in community to enable economic benefit.
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James Hewett @jameshewett.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Yesterday, the COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge was finalized and endorsed by 58 countries and 48 non-state actors. The goal is 1.5TW of storage & 25M km (15.5M miles) of grid infrastructure development by 2030. Check it out #energysky: globalrenewablesalliance.org/signatories-...
globalrenewablesalliance.org
Signatories COP29 Global Energy Storage & Grids Pledge - Global Renewables Alliance
The COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge has already gained the support of 58 countries, including major players from all continents like Brazil,
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
First seeds of a positive change - could this mean less green washing and climate denial? Less vitriol and divisive reporting? Or am I kidding myself?? 💡🔌 #greensky www.theguardian.com/media/2024/d...
theguardian.com
Rupert Murdoch loses battle to control succession to his media empire
Media mogul’s three adult children will retain control despite attempt to give his son Lachlan complete control
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Dr Monique Ryan @mon4kooyong.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
It’s quite extraordinary that Newscorp papers are publishing front page stories, pushing gas, which are being sponsored by Santos, Tamboran, Jemena, and Australia Energy Producers, without attribution. The Newscorp media are utterly compromised.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
I keep getting asked by young folks working their way through higher ed: what career should they aim for to have the biggest impact on pushing through climate action? Private companies, advocacy, NGOs, policy maker, politician... I would love to hear the Blue sky energy/climate community take
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
"the students settled on an idea: Ask the World Court to issue an advisory opinion on the obligations of states to protect the climate against greenhouse gas emissions." One to watch www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...
abc.net.au
The 'David and Goliath moment' at The Hague that could change future climate talks
A landmark case that began in a Pacific classroom and could change the course of future climate talks is about to be heard in the International Court of Justice.
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Tim Baxter @timinclimate.naruresearch.com.au · 30/11/2024
Gorgon CCS is the world's largest pure carbon capture and storage operation. Since 2019, it has been weakly sputtering away out on Barrow Island at Australia's highest emitting industrial facility. You may have heard it's a failure. Do you know why it's a failure? A long article and accompanying 🧵
medium.com
Gorgon carbon capture and storage project: The failure of the world’s largest CCS facility
After decades of abject failure, these days even the most enthusiastic proponent of carbon capture and storage can at best mount a muted…
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
aph.gov.au
Future Made in Australia Bill 2024
Helpful information Text of bill First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This...
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"Australia’s $23bn answer to the US’s Inflation Reduction Act, Future Made in Australia, also passed, enabling $13.7bn in tax incentives for green hydrogen and processed critical minerals" www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Labor passes migration and social media ban bills after marathon Senate sitting
More than 30 pieces of legislation pass the upper house amid a flurry of deals with the Coalition and Greens
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
I choose radical optimism which is punctuated by troughs of despair (and occasional sobbing)- so does that mean somewhere on the up/down slope I get it just right?
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Carbon Brief @carbonbrief.org · 25/11/2024
Thank you for joining our webinar on the key outcomes of #COP29 earlier today. In case you missed it, you can watch it in full here ⬇️
buff.ly
Webinar: Carbon Brief journalists discuss COP29’s key outcomes - Carbon Brief
Less than 48 hours after the gavel came down at COP29, Carbon Brief ran a webinar to talk through all the key outcomes from the summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Great article laying out the importance of duration in carbon storage projects - and how the new Article 6 rules don't adequately account for this theconversation.com/after-nearly...
theconversation.com
After nearly 10 years of debate, COP29’s carbon trading deal is seriously flawed
The new system may essentially give countries and companies permission to keep polluting.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Mixed feelings leaving #cop29: confronting to hear stories of real loss and fear from vulnerable communities; next pavilion over, bullish investors and clean energy industry folk mobilising to seize the opportunity. The clean tech revolution is great, but not enough for a just transition. #NCQG
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 19/11/2024
A veritable whos-who of the scientists behind our physical climate understanding of net-zero have a new paper in Nature, making the case for "Geological Net Zero" where fossil CO2 can only credibly counterbalanced by permanent removal: www.nature.com/artic...
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Thank you!
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Can anyone point me to an Australian energy starter pack? I'm sure I saw one at some point through the #cop29 haze!
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
As usual, the nuances between CCS for climate green washing, and CCS as the lowest cost carbon abatement or as part of transition plans for heavy industry - and of course for DAC - is lost in the sound and fury of the divisive climate debate.
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th... Somewhat unsettled by the narrative here - CCS lobbyists defined as "those who were involved in CCS and CCUS projects" as per IEA database as well as those with history of spruiking CCS. At the same time, it is very clear we will need CDR to meet next zero
google.com
Almost 500 carbon capture lobbyists granted access to Cop29 climate summit
More lobbyists for the controversial technology were present this year, despite debate about its viability
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Importance of industrial decarbonisation front and centre at COP29 side events. German Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck launching low carbon definitions for cement and concrete by GCCA gccassociation.org/gcca-policies/
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Fiona J Beck @fjbeck.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Take notes! I had to leave for another event and would love to hear the highlights
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Falko Ueckerdt @falkoueckerdt.bsky.social · 11/01/2024
open paper link: authors.elsevier.com/c/1iMSj925JE... International team work with green and blue hydrogen, LCA and economic experts @philippverpoort.bsky.social , Rahul Anantharaman, @fjbeck.bsky.social, Christian Bauer, @tomecon.bsky.social , Simon Roussanaly Thank you!
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Falko Ueckerdt @falkoueckerdt.bsky.social · 09/01/2024
Job posting: Please apply or share. At @pik-potsdam.bsky.social we are looking for Postdocs and PhD candidates to model and explore circularity and industry transformation scenarios of energy-intensive industries (steel, cement, and plastics). www.pik-potsdam.de/de/aktuelles...
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