I had a chat w/ the great @bertiehb.bsky.social for this story - it is really quite incredible. One hell of a marker of the desperation, haste and destructive impatience behind the AI industry, and how that symbiotically fits SO perfectly into the worst, most absurd forms of power generation ->

Land and Climate Review@landclimate.bsky.social · 4d ago

NEW: UK government rejects bid for biomass-powered AI growth zone. Plans involving Drax Group, local authorities, and a university in North Yorkshire are no longer progressing. Read our latest by @bertiehb.bsky.social in The Times or with the link below: landclimate.org/drax-aigz/

Drax Power Station is the biggest CO² emitter in the UK, but because of a loophole in carbon accounting, it was officially classified as carbon neutral after it switched from burning coal to burning imported wood. If it installed new carbon capture technology, it could reclassify as carbon-negative.

Land and Climate Review@landclimate.bsky.social · 4d ago

NEW: UK government rejects bid for biomass-powered AI growth zone. Plans involving Drax Group, local authorities, and a university in North Yorkshire are no longer progressing. Read our latest by @bertiehb.bsky.social in The Times or with the link below: landclimate.org/drax-aigz/

Great to collaborate with @ben-cooke.bsky.social and The Times again on my latest Drax scoop. The wood-burning energy giant has ambitions to power the UK's largest data centre, but has yet to announce any tech-sector investment, and has now lost a government bid to speed up development.

Land and Climate Review@landclimate.bsky.social · 4d ago

NEW: UK government rejects bid for biomass-powered AI growth zone. Plans involving Drax Group, local authorities, and a university in North Yorkshire are no longer progressing. Read our latest by @bertiehb.bsky.social in The Times or with the link below: landclimate.org/drax-aigz/

NEW: UK government rejects bid for biomass-powered AI growth zone. Plans involving Drax Group, local authorities, and a university in North Yorkshire are no longer progressing. Read our latest by @bertiehb.bsky.social in The Times or with the link below: landclimate.org/drax-aigz/

UK government rejects bid for biomass-powered AI growth zone - Land and Climate Review

Plans involving Drax Group, local authorities and a university in North Yorkshire are no longer progressing, Land and Climate Review can reveal.

landclimate.org

“Warming after the Ice Age made most large North American mammals extinct – similar to what's happening now.” On today's podcast, @bertiehb.bsky.social talks to @edwardstruzik.bsky.social about his upcoming book from @princetonupress.bsky.social: 'Animal Diaspora'. landclimate.org/animal-diasp...

Do ancient mass extinctions offer lessons for our future? - Land and Climate Review

Bertie talks to Edward Struzik about his new book, 'Animal Diaspora: Decoding Ice Age Mysteries to Reveal the Future of Migration'.

landclimate.org

Five years ago, 500 fighters from the al-Shabab group massacred people living and working beside a natural gas field part-owned by France's biggest company, TotalEnergies. On this week's podcast, award-winning journalist Alex Perry tells @alimacewen.bsky.social about his years-long investigation:

Why is TotalEnergies facing allegations of war crimes in Mozambique? - Land and Climate Review

Alasdair speaks to British journalist Alex Perry about his new book, 'Blood Will Flow: The Murderous Business of Oil and Gas'.

landclimate.org

Nearly seven months after the US went to war with Iran, President Trump has said the conflict is unlikely to end before the midterms, and top White House Advisors reportedly warn it could continue for years. What does this mean for climate, environment and energy? 🧵1/10 www.wsj.com/world/mi...

In this week's podcast, Alasdair speaks to Dr Kaur Chohan about the intersection of conflict, land dispossession, and agriculture in rural Colombia. Listen now:

The Land and Climate Podcast

We cover a new topic with an expert, every other Friday.

landclimate.org

After five and a half years, The Land and Climate Podcast has launched a new segment. ‘In Review’ revisits topics from previous interviews and looks at new developments. Listen now: landclimate.org/in-review-pl... Featuring @mrmattsimon.bsky.social @policyrelevant.bsky.social & @ejfoundation.org

In Review: Plastics - Land and Climate Review

Alasdair and Bertie listen to highlights from past interviews on plastic pollution.

landclimate.org

It's our podcast team's annual summer break, so no episode today, but we're excited to announce something new for the show next week! Stay tuned for updates and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear all about it: landclimate.org/newsletter-s...

Newsletter sign up - Land and Climate Review

Climate stories, in your inbox Add your email below to subscribe to our newsletter:

landclimate.org

The UK subsidises TotalEnergies/billionaire Daniel Křetínský to run a woodburning power plant that exceeds air pollutant limits. The science on woodburning as 'renewable/low-carbon' is contested (cf Drax). Křetínský made billions betting that governments will stall their transition to clean energy.👇

Land and Climate Review@landclimate.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Government says subsidies must end for dirty biomass plant; gives it £1 billion anyway Read @bertiehb.bsky.social and @ciara-cassidy.bsky.social's investigation about Lynemouth Power Station, owned by TotalEnergies and Czech Billionaire Daniel Křetínský. landclimate.org/600-lynemouth/

As the continent grapples with record-breaking heat waves and thousands of hectares of land burning, Land and Climate suggests listening to one of our previous podcasts on the issue: Are we now in the century of fire? landclimate.org/are-we-now-i...

Are we now in the century of fire? - Land and Climate Review

Alasdair talks to John Vaillant, author of the Baillie Gifford shortlisted book 'Fire Weather: A True Story From A Hotter World'.

landclimate.org

"What if the demand side was smaller? Would we need as much?" This week, Alasdair speaks to Oliver Broad (UCL) on energy demand reduction and why addressing consumer habits is a political taboo. Full episode in the link below:

Is reducing energy use a political taboo? - Land and Climate Review

Alasdair talks to Oliver Broad about research that found UK energy demand could be reduced by 52%.

landclimate.org

Government says subsidies must end for dirty biomass plant; gives it £1 billion anyway Read @bertiehb.bsky.social and @ciara-cassidy.bsky.social's investigation about Lynemouth Power Station, owned by TotalEnergies and Czech Billionaire Daniel Křetínský. landclimate.org/600-lynemouth/

UK biomass plant awarded £1 billion green subsidy despite 600 pollution incidents - Land and Climate Review

The UK government subsidised TotalEnergies and billionaire Daniel Křetínský to run a woodburning power plant that repeatedly exceeds standard limits on harmful pollutants.

landclimate.org

"It is a very effective threat for political leverage..." This week on the Land and Climate Podcast, Alasdair MacEwen speaks to Dr Danielle Young, Assistant Professor at the University of Leeds, about the security implications of solar geoengineering. Listen now: landclimate.org/geoe...

In an opinion piece for the Land and Climate Review, Director of @tradejusticemov.bsky.social Tom Wills argues that Investor-State Dispute Settlements are a major barrier to meaningful climate action. Read the full article: landclimate.org/isds-tjm/

Investment treaties are undermining climate leadership - Land and Climate Review

Outdated rules protect fossil fuel interests, and the UK and Netherlands appear hypocritical on the world stage, says Tom Wills.

landclimate.org

As Europe experiences a record-breaking hot summer, the UK's largest power plant released the largest amount of CO2 emissions ever. With Drax on track to remain the UK's largest emitter until 2030, @bertiehb.bsky.social recaps a series of company scandals landclimate.org/draxs-fall-f...

Want to see the full episode? Click the links below to hear the full conversation between @annpettifor.bsky.social and @bertiehb.bsky.social, recorded live for London Climate Action Week 2026. Watch now on YouTube: lnkd.in/e99rZVYA Listen to the podcast: tr.ee/NbSQLW3ytj

In our latest podcast, @davidho.bsky.social talks to @bertiehb.bsky.social about marine carbon dioxide removal (CDR). They discuss risks and challenges with ocean CDR, politics and debates within academia, and the overreliance on startups to save the planet. Listen here: landclimate.org/mcdr/

With under a week until our event for #LondonClimateActionWeek, be sure to secure your free ticket. @annpettifor.bsky.social & @bertiehb.bsky.social will discuss market influence over climate policy & strategies to reassert control. landclimate.org/lcaw #LCAW2026 #ClimateAction #ClimateEvents

Are markets gambling with our future and stalling climate action? For London Climate Action Week, join our first live podcast, with leading economist Ann Pettifor and @bertiehb.bsky.social Free tickets: landclimate.org/lcaw #LCAW2026 #ClimateEvents

"There are lessons from the Ming experience. A larger historical pattern..." The 17th Century Little Ice Age sent grain prices soaring in China - in a podcast with Alasdair MacEwen, Tim Brook says this contributed to the fall of the Ming dynasty. Listen here: landclimate.org/ming...

EXCLUSIVE: UK taxpayers are being sued for up to £300m after a proposed coal mine was blocked on the Cumbrian coast of England. Read the piece by @corcorancamille.bsky.social and @adamvaughan.bsky.social in The Times or on our website now: landclimate.org/westcumbria/

The UK blocked an "unviable" coal mine. Now it's being sued for millions. - Land and Climate Review

A company is suing the UK for up to £300m after a coal project was denied a mining licence - now the lawsuit is its primary asset.

landclimate.org

"If we look at ideas of extinction that emerged in the late 18th century, we very quickly get to colonised peoples." This week, @sadiahqureshi.bsky.social speaks to @bertiehb.bsky.social about the politics behind the concept of extinction. Listen here: landclimate.org/history-of-e...

What is the history of extinction? - Land and Climate Review

Bertie speaks to Professor Sadiah Qureshi about her book 'Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction'.

landclimate.org

New podcast for @landclimate.bsky.social featuring @bertiehb.bsky.social interviewing me about extinction drawing on my book Vanished. Catch it here on this lovely weekend. landclimate.org/history-of-e...

"The objective is really to divert attention away from the production of plastics". This week on the Land and Climate Podcast, Alasdair speaks to Dr Rob Ralston @policyrelevant.bsky.social, lecturer in Public Policy at the University of Edinburgh. Listen now: landclimate.org/plastics-cir...

This week on the Land and Climate Podcast, @bertiehb.bsky.social is joined by Gökçe Günel riceanthro.bsky.social to talk about her new book, “Floating Power: Energy, Infrastructure, and South-South Relations,” published by Duke University Press landclimate.org/floa...

“'Maybe we are transitioning in reverse,' said Paul...The energy landscape he had observed did not correspond to the expected timeline of the energy transition." Read an excerpt from @drgokcegunel.bsky.social's new book @dukepress.bsky.social @riceanthro.bsky.social @patchworkethno.bsky.social

Energy accumulates: Ghana shows that the “energy transition” is more myth than fact - Land and Climate Review

Industry insiders and academics are often wrong to presume renewables will replace fossil fuels, instead of both growing concurrently, says Gökçe Günel.

landclimate.org

“UK trade unions have been excluded from policymaking around climate. This has completely eroded trust – which needs to be rebuilt.” @bertiehb.bsky.social and @priestleycentre.bsky.social's Prof. Vera Trappmann discuss the labour movement’s involvement in climate policy. landclimate.org/trad...

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has shone a light on global over-reliance on fossil fuels and why we need to transition away to avoid further crises, says Steve Trent (Steve Trent), founder and CEO of @ejfoundation.org Read the feature in full below: landclimate.org/the-...