Adoption
Muscle, wood, coal, oil: what earlier energy transitions tell us about renewables
Even as renewables have undergone tremendous growth, they’ve been offset by increased demand for energy.
- Even as renewables have undergone tremendous growth, they’ve been offset by increased demand for energy.
- If we consult history, we find that energy transitions are not new.
- Energy historian Vaclav Smil calculates past energy transitions have taken 50–75 years to ripple through societies.
- So can we learn anything from past energy transitions?
Energy shifts happen in fits and starts
- In fact, some countries relied on wood and charcoal throughout the 20th century – even as others were shifting from coal to oil.
- The English had used coal for domestic heating from the time of the Romans because it burned longer and had nearly double the energy intensity of wood.
- In North America, coal didn’t overtake wood until as late as 1884 – even as crude oil became more important.
- The drill was powered by a steam engine – which may have been fired by wood.
Steam and muscle
- When they were first invented in 1712, steam engines converted just 2% of coal into useful energy.
- Even so, steam sped up early proto-industries such as textiles, print production and traditional manufacturing.
- Vaclav Smil has shown industrial waterwheels and turbines “competed successfully with steam engines for decades”.
- Locating steam engines in urban centres made it easier to concentrate and control workers, as well as overcoming worker walk-outs and machine breaking.
- That’s reminiscent of coal shovelers in the furnace-like stokeholes of steam ships being immersed in ice-baths on collapse, as historian On Barak has shown.
What does this mean for us?
- In fact, Smil argues the idea of the “industrial revolution” is misleading.
- They start as highly localised shifts, depending on available resources, before new technologies spreads along trade routes.
- But on the plus side, there are market forces now driving the shift to clean energy.
- These 4 charts on the unstoppable growth of solar may change your mind
The Supreme Court's originalists have taken over − here's how they interpret the Constitution
Today a majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices are either self-described originalists or strongly lean toward originalism.
- Today a majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices are either self-described originalists or strongly lean toward originalism.
- Yet less than 50 years ago, originalism was considered a fringe movement, hardly taken seriously by most legal scholars.
- Originalism is the theory that judges are bound to interpret the Constitution as it would have been interpreted in the historical era when it was written.
How to read a constitution
- Few if any people would deny that all Americans are entitled to the equal protection of the law.
- When the Constitution was written, for example, only men were eligible for public office.
- When the Constitution was written, it was assumed that the sexes had separate spheres.
- When that fundamental value judgment shifted radically in the 20th century – as expressed in the 19th Amendment giving women the vote – it meant that the Constitution had to be read in a new way so that “he” is now interpreted as inclusive.
Flexible originalism
- Yet, as a scholar of law and philosophy, I believe that flexible interpretation was the original intention of the framers.
- Originalism began not as a neutral theory of interpretation but as a rallying cry for conservatives.
- The central and plausible core of originalism is the idea that judges should not impose their own personal values on the Constitution.
- But the real debate, I believe, is not about originalism versus the freedom to ignore the Constitution, but rather it is about just what the true, original meaning of the Constitution is.
Substack newsletters are a literary trend. What's the appeal – and what should you read?
The “news” offers commentary on current events and Lee’s particular interests and knowledge areas.
- The “news” offers commentary on current events and Lee’s particular interests and knowledge areas.
- “Reviews” can be of just about anything, ranging from books and articles to film and television, or fashion, architecture, events and miscellaneous “fancy things”.
- Lee notes it provides a useful way of generating regular income between her longer form, traditionally published writing.
How Substack works
- Rather than charge writers a fee, Substack takes a cut of revenue generated by reader subscriptions.
- Might Substack newsletters emerge as a viable alternative to print and digital books, and the conventional model of literary publishing?
- Read more:
Is Salman Rushdie's decision to publish on Substack the death of the novel?
New writing by leading authors
- This seemed like a possible direction in 2021, when several prominent authors began to publish their new fiction through the platform.
- However, literary authors are not really using Substack as a replacement for conventional books.
- Often authors are using Substack for forms of writing that wouldn’t always be viable in other mediums.
- According to Saunders, discussion of the mechanics of writing and narrative construction should not just be confined to creative writing classrooms.
Immediacy and intimacy
- The appeal of author newsletters has probably come to reside more in the immediacy and intimacy of these kinds of writings, rather than the prospect of an advance look at forthcoming or developing fiction.
- Mackellar’s Sydney Review of Books essay on the merits of the newsletter as a literary form is worth investigating.
The Paris End
- The Paris End typically delivers two to three long-form essays each month (illustrated by cartoonist Aaron Billings) and a bi-weekly review section covering trends, books, dining and more.
- The Paris End is hyperlocal in its focus and very conversational in style.
- By contrast, the Paris End writers get involved – they put themselves into the stories.
- The Paris End is like the New Yorker if the entire magazine consisted of feature-length “Talk of the Town” pieces.
Is it sustainable?
- They are in good company with the unwatched shows on my Netflix list, and the unread books on my shelves.
- While there are benefits to the regular writing habits demanded by the newsletter model, it may not always be sustainable.
- The matter now appears to be resolved, but it demonstrates how the current volatility surrounding X can impact Substack writers.
- Its rapid adoption by both local and international authors has resulted in the creation of fascinating and innovative new content.
Electric vehicle fires are very rare. The risk for petrol and diesel vehicles is at least 20 times higher
Five cars were destroyed after a lithium battery ignited in a car parked at Sydney Airport on Monday.
- Five cars were destroyed after a lithium battery ignited in a car parked at Sydney Airport on Monday.
- Despite these incidents, electric vehicle battery fires are rare.
- Indeed, the available data indicate the fire risk is between 20 and 80 times greater for petrol and diesel vehicles.
How common are these fires?
- From 2010 to June 2023, its database records only 393 verified fires globally, out of some 30 million electric vehicles on the road.
- Australia recorded only four electric vehicle battery fires over the same period.
- Read more:
Australia’s adoption of electric vehicles has been maddeningly slow, but we’re well placed to catch up fast
Are the risks higher than for petrol or diesel cars?
- As electric vehicle numbers grow, this week’s reports might lead some people to fear fire risks will increase.
- However, data for the past 13 years suggest quite the opposite is true as electric vehicles replace petrol and diesel vehicles.
- The fleet of 4.4 million petrol and diesel vehicles recorded 3,400 fires (0.08%).
- While it was difficult to find similar global statistics for petrol and diesel vehicles, EV Firesafe used a range of country reports and found a much higher 0.1% risk of catching fire.
What causes electric vehicle fires?
- Electric vehicle battery packs store a lot of energy in a very small space.
- About 95% of battery fires are classed as ignition fires, which produce jet-like directional flames.
- Read more:
How far to the next electric vehicle charging station – and will I be able to use it?
A battery fire is challenging
- Lithium battery fires burn at extremely high temperatures, can last for days and cause extensive damage.
- If not managed properly, battery fires can emit highly toxic gases and chemicals for many hours.
- Methods to control a fire include cooling the battery with water, or using a crane to lift the vehicle and submerge it in a large water container.
Why are the risks higher in e-scooters and e-bikes?
- In the first half of 2023, EV Firesafe data show they accounted for more than 500 battery fires, 138 injuries and 36 deaths worldwide.
- Over the same six months, 35 electric vehicle battery fires resulted in eight injuries and four deaths.
- The higher risk for e-scooters and e-bikes is mainly linked to poor-quality battery design and construction, and the use of unapproved chargers.
A national approach to electric vehicle fire safety
- As part of the strategy, the federal government committed to funding the development of world-leading guidance on electric vehicles, road rescue demonstrations and fire safety training.
- The surge in electric vehicle numbers means this funding is needed now to ensure firefighters can deal effectively with any fires that do happen.
Ethiopia’s Amhara people are being portrayed as the enemy: the dangerous history of ethnic politics
When the TPLF entered the Amhara region, committing atrocities against civilians and taking over towns, the Fano worked with government forces to maintain local stability.
- When the TPLF entered the Amhara region, committing atrocities against civilians and taking over towns, the Fano worked with government forces to maintain local stability.
- During and after the war, massacres and mass displacement of Amhara occurred in the Oromia region, the Benshangul Gumuz region and other regions of Ethiopia.
- But the Amhara were left out of the agreement and continue to be targeted even by government forces.
- I am a scholar of history, human rights and decolonisation in Africa with a keen interest in Ethiopia.
- It is important to shine a light on what is happening and unpack the decades-long project of ethnic politics that has allowed the Amhara to be targeted.
The history of ethnic politics in Ethiopia
- Ethiopia has a long history of ethnic harmony.
- When the fascist Italian prime minister Benito Mussolini invaded and occupied Ethiopia from 1935 to 1942 dividing the country along ethnic lines took centre stage.
- It was carried out along plans devised earlier by the Austrian Nazi Roman Prochazka to portray the Amhara as the enemy of all other ethnic groups.
- After the expulsion of Italy, Haile Selassie sent Ethiopians from diverse ethnic groups overseas for higher education.
- The two combined, organised other ethnic allies, and removed the Derg from power in 1991.
- The TPLF led a transitional government which approved the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia and the adoption of the current constitution.
The Amhara as national enemy
- Although the Ethiopian monarchy was established in Tigray and many Tigrayan (and, indeed, Oromo, Amhara and mixed) emperors ruled the country, the TPLF singled out the Amhara as the monarchical oppressor of all ethnic nations.
- This was partly convenient because Ethiopian emperors, regardless of ethnic origin, used Amharic as the language of their court.
- The Amhara are labelled as neftegna, which means a monarchical soldier, despite the monarchy being an institution led by kings from mixed ethnic groups.
- Even if one believes that the Amhara were monarchical oppressors, the monarchy was destroyed almost 50 years ago and the Amhara have been excluded from power ever since.
Heading towards genocide
- In August 2023, Oromia state government representatives travelled to Tigray to declare war:
The war we just started [on the Amhara] is a major war. - Right now, this group we are fighting wants to impose one religion, one country, and one language by force on all of us.
- Similar demonisation of the Tutsi by Hutu genocide agitators led to genocide 30 years ago in which 800,000 Tutsis and Tutsi sympathisers were killed.
- Without more attention and action from the media and global actors, Ethiopia could be heading towards a Rwandan-style genocide.
The US broke global trade rules to try to fix climate change – to finish the job, it has to fix the trade system
But the law and Biden’s broader “buy American” agenda include measures that discriminate against imports.
- But the law and Biden’s broader “buy American” agenda include measures that discriminate against imports.
- But we believe the law also clearly violates international trade rules.
- Today’s trade rules are ill-suited for the climate crisis.
Building, then violating WTO rules
- The United States has shaped international trade rules more than any other country.
- In the 1940s, the U.S. proposed rules that were eventually largely adopted as the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, or GATT, a series of multinational agreements to reduce trade barriers.
- The most ambitious of the GATT agreements was the U.S.-instigated Uruguay Round of the 1990s, which created the World Trade Organization.
- Some WTO rules are vague, but others are crystal clear, including an unambiguous prohibition of subsidies contingent on the use of domestic products instead of imports.
- U.S. leaders might have been justified in begging for forgiveness after passing the legislation rather than asking for permission to violate trade rules.
The real concern: Rising protectionism
- Its promise to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions relies on the rapid diffusion of technologies, knowledge and finance across borders.
- Yet, its domestic subsidies may accelerate the adoption of trade barriers that inhibit these same cross-border flows, thus slowing progress on climate change.
- Indeed, the real concern might not be the opening salvo, but the shootout of growing protectionism that ensues.
An opportunity to modernize international trade
- More proactively, the U.S. can reestablish its commitment to trade rules by instigating a process to develop equitable reforms.
- High-level leadership from the United States would add considerable heft to the ongoing efforts to reform global trade rules.
- Of course, these trade tools would have to be managed carefully to avoid proliferating and exacerbating tensions.
- It may turn out that the United States did the world a favor by throwing off the shackles of outdated trade rules.
- That will depend on whether U.S. leaders take advantage of the opportunity to reframe the discussion around the country’s recent legislation as steps toward a modernized international trade regime that better aligns with the world’s climate goals.
Research: seven priorities for higher education in Indonesia post-pandemic
COVID-19 radically shifted the way we work and learn. It presented an opportunity for institutions to rethink the future of higher education. Our work through the Contextualising Horizon project with the Australasian Society of Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) uncovered some powerful trends in Asia Pacific, including Indonesia, to help us prepare and plan for what awaits the higher education sector just beyond the horizon.Seven postpandemic prioritiesThe pandemic also forced universities to address long-standing issues around mental health disparities and digital accessibility, which became more widespread during the pandemic.
COVID-19 radically shifted the way we work and learn. It presented an opportunity for institutions to rethink the future of higher education. Our work through the Contextualising Horizon project with the Australasian Society of Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) uncovered some powerful trends in Asia Pacific, including Indonesia, to help us prepare and plan for what awaits the higher education sector just beyond the horizon.
Seven postpandemic priorities
- The pandemic also forced universities to address long-standing issues around mental health disparities and digital accessibility, which became more widespread during the pandemic.
- In light of these changes, our project identified seven technology and practice priorities for higher education in the Asia Pacific region.
- Redefining pedagogical practices Panelists questioned long-standing practices including exams and lectures and their continued relevance in the modern educational context.
- For example, the Australia-based Transforming Exams project aims to enable authentic experiences, empowering learners by using discipline-specific computerised e-tools during campus-based exams.
- One study suggests that active learning approaches and authentic assessments lead to a more engaging student learning environment, promote employability and improve student learning.
- To accommodate this, it is likely that the role of campus spaces will evolve.
- This is important for the future as we need to ensure workload returns to pre-pandemic amounts, particularly for staff.
‘The Blind Side’ lawsuit spotlights tricky areas of family law
Millions of dollars and the freedom to make your own choices, if you ask retired football player Michael Oher.
- Millions of dollars and the freedom to make your own choices, if you ask retired football player Michael Oher.
- Oher, whose story was made into the 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” says he believed he signed papers to be adopted by an affluent white couple, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, in 2004.
- Further, it is alleged that the arrangement allowed the Tuohys to “gain financial advantages” by striking deals in Oher’s name.
What is a conservatorship?
- They’re typically not for people like Oher who have been signing their own contracts or writing their own books.
- The goal is to protect a vulnerable person’s well-being and their assets from being misused.
- Another recent conservatorship in the news, that of Britney Spears, was also the subject of contentious legal proceedings, although the conservator in that case was her father.
- In Tennessee, where the Tuohys live, parents are not required to support their children once they graduate from high school.
Tuohys’ relationship to Oher
- That appears to be what happened with Oher: He joined in the request for a conservatorship, and so did his birth mother.
- The court apparently found that it was in Oher’s “best interest.” Nonetheless, the Tuohys were apparently given authority to act on behalf of Oher.
- An attorney for the Tuohys strongly denied exploiting Oher, describing the lawsuit as a “shakedown”; they are reportedly preparing a legal response.
Little oversight
- Conservatorships – also called guardianships in some states – can be useful to help people who cannot make their own decisions.
- Even then, to protect the individual’s autonomy, states typically require that conservators be given the least amount of power possible.
- But there is typically very little oversight over conservatorships.
Oher’s options
- He is seeking information about his school records and any contracts related to the movie.
- Outside of the conservatorship system, Oher could sue for damages in the event of any breach of fiduciary duty or fraud.
Future diets will be short of micronutrients like iron — it’s time to consider how we feed people
In New Zealand, 10.6% of women aged 15-18 and 12.1% of women aged 31-50 suffer from iron deficiency.
- In New Zealand, 10.6% of women aged 15-18 and 12.1% of women aged 31-50 suffer from iron deficiency.
- As more people consider switching to plant-based diets, the risk of iron deficiency will likely increase.
- We argue that fortifying foods with iron could provide a one-stop solution to bridge nutrient gaps caused by inadequate dietary intake.
Food fortification
- Many foods in supermarket shelves, including common staples such as bread and cereals, already have added nutrients.
- Unlike mandatory iodine and folic acid fortification of bread, there is currently no government initiative to encourage or mandate iron fortification in New Zealand.
Shift to plant-based diets
- More consumers are opting for diets that include fewer animal-sourced foods in the hope of reducing environmental impacts and emissions.
- Recent statistics show a 19% increase in the adoption of vegan and vegetarian diets among New Zealanders from 2018 to 2021.
- Considering these plant-based diets for a sustainable food system must involve conversations about nutrient availability.
- Read more:
What to drink with dinner to get the most iron from your food (and what to avoid)Fortification can be a potent strategy in helping people to shift towards plant-based diets by enriching these diets with nutrients that would otherwise be lacking.
Is NZ ready for iron-fortified foods?
- Given the importance of adequate dietary iron intake and the projected shortage in dietary iron, it is crucial to evaluate the benefits of fortification.
- Educational interventions such as promoting awareness of iron deficiency and positive impacts of fortification may help improve consumers’ acceptance of these initiatives.
- Mahya Tavan receives funding from the Global Dairy Platform for developing a dietary optimisation model called The iOTA Model.