Athena
UN secretary António Guterres is right.
“Every fraction of a degree higher means more hunger, more displacement, more economic hardship and more lives and ecosystems lost."
Fossil fuel companies are deceiving the public and undermining climate progress. Every dollar poured into subsidies for fossil fuels is a dollar diverted from our health, our communities and shared future.
Athena
In his new book, Tim Berners-Lee advocates for the #Fediverse, the a decentralised network of platforms like @Mastodon that communicate through open, decentralised protocols and promote user freedom over corporate control.
Central within his movement is Solid (link 👇), a protocol developed by his company Inrupt, enabling users to store and manage personal data in secure pods and decide who can access it, and allowing them to maintain ownership, and digital autonomy.
Athena
In 2022, Ireland did something bold. It trusted its artists. 2000 creators received €325 a week, no strings attached. The result was more art, less anxiety, stronger communities, and even economic gains.
The program is now permanent, making Ireland the first countryto prove that supporting imagination pays off.
Trusting people does not weaken societies, it makes them stronger, more inventive, and more resilient. I hope other nations will find the courage to follow.
Athena
In 2022, Ireland did something bold. It trusted its artists. 2000 creators received €325 a week, no strings attached. The result was more art, less anxiety, stronger communities, and even economic gains.
Now the program is permanent. Ireland becomes the first country to prove that supporting imagination pays off.
This is a vision of what a humane society can be. If we can trust artists to create, why not teachers, caregivers, or researchers?
Who will follow?
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/ireland-basic-income-artists-program-permanent-1234756981/
Athena
In Greece, neo-Nazis like the Spartans posed as “helpers” shopping for the elderly, escorting voters then entered into parliament.
Now UK extremists are copying the same playbook. They call it “concierge nationalism,” with street patrols, escort apps and fake charities that sell hate as care.
Don't be fooled. This isn’t protection. It’s fascism repackaged.
Athena
In 2001, Philip Morris argued that smoking was economically beneficial, because smokers die early, saving the government money on pensions.
Today, I'm writing how that same logic -harm as savings, disaster as an inconvenient cost—migrated from Big Tobacco to Big Oil.
From cancer to climate collapse, the strategy hasn’t changed: deny, delay, deflect, and profit.
Athena
This Is Not a Drill: Living the Climate Emergency
🌡️ Japan had hottest June on record
🌡️ Spain records highs of 46C
🌡️ Portugal recorded 46°C in some regions
🌡️France recorded 41.9°C in Vinsobres on June 30, with dozens of monthly records broken.
🌡️Greece reported a high of 43.2°C with minimum temperatures exceeding 31°C in some areas.
🌡️Turkey hit 45°C, with minimums as high as 33°C in some areas.
Athena
Today, Thursday, Germany will get 99% of its power from solar and wind.
Athena
De-Googling Update: That’s it, I’ve done it. I’ve officially broken up with Google.
No more Gmail, no more Google services. I wasn’t exactly a superfan to begin with, but even so, I was still surprised to see just how much of my data had accumulated there over the years.
It's a clean break, a small act of rebellion, if you will. And it feels good.
Athena
There is no doubt in my mind, especially after yesterday's staged meeting with the President of El Salvador, that this is the beginning of state terror in American policy.
Traveling to the United States now may involve significant personal risks.
Athena
The climate crisis is on track to destroy capitalism, an Allianz insurer has warned, with the vast cost of extreme weather impacts leaving the financial sector unable to operate.
Athena
Researchers in Australia, Europe, the UK, and Canada funded by the US are being asked if their work touches on topics like DEI or climate & environmental justice— topics denounced by the current administration.
It's another example of the deteriorating climate for the freedom of scientific practice in the US.
As someone studying climate history and politics with a focus on the United States, I find this deeply alarming.
Athena
"Victor Orbán is not just dismantling democracy in Hungary—he’s exporting the model. His regime demonstrates how gender oppression, nationalism, and democratic erosion go hand in hand.
But if history has shown us anything, it’s that when women challenge these systems, real change becomes possible. Women tend to be more resilient, creative, and ultimately successful.
And that is precisely why men like Orbán are afraid of them." (audio & text)
https://marginalspace.substack.com/p/orbans-hungary-where-democracy-goes
Athena
Democracy dies first as farce, then as tragedy. I know this because I grew up in a dictatorship.
I write these words with the awareness that they won’t change anything. But silence is its own form of complicity. If we cannot halt this retreat, we can at least name it for what it is.
This is not strategic realism but an ethical failure.
This is not peace-seeking but power worship.
Not America First but humanity last.
Athena
it's never been clearer than in this moment that Trump is Putin's ally, not Europe's.
Athena
Book of the Week: The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan
Rather than writing a traditional comment / review, I’d prefer to let Sagan’s own words speak for themselves. One particular passage stands out—not only for its brilliance but for how eerily prophetic it now seems. (Image 👇 )
Sagan published this book in 1995.
Athena
President Zelenskyy is one of the most remarkable leaders of our time.
With unwavering courage and determination, he confronted Russia’s unprovoked aggression, refusing to back down in the face of overwhelming odds.
He has become a symbol of resilience, hope, and strength—not just for Ukraine but for all who believe in the fight against oppression and the defense of freedom.
Athena
On August 23, 1856, history should have been made. In a packed hall at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a groundbreaking paper was presented—one that identified the greenhouse effect three years before John Tyndall.
But there was a catch: the scientist behind the discovery, Eunice Newton Foote, was a woman. And history erased her.
From The Climate Historian
Athena
The Forgotten Pioneer of Climate Science
August 23, 1856: The AAAS meeting in Albany was alive with debate- until something unexpected happened.
A paper was presented. It was groundbreaking. Provocative. And years ahead of its time.
But the real shock? The author was a woman.
Meet Eunice Newton Foote—a scientist, inventor, and feminist whose contributions were erased from history.
It’s time to give her the recognition she deserves.
https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/p/the-forgotten-genius-who-saw-climate
Athena
I ditched Goodreads four years ago and never once looked back.
I really like StoryGraph - it's simple, clean and refreshingly clutter-free.
And behind it all? The brilliant Nadia Odunayo.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/16/goodreads-amazon-nadia-odunayo-the-storygraph
I write about geopolitics and the history of climate change on Substack The Climate Historian: https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/Sometimes I chat about books or whatever else grabs my attention.
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