March 2020

It's almost nine years since Semington A burst into life exporting solar power to the national grid as part of the UK's renewables revolution.  Last week saw the third best generating week on record, despite the low arc of the...

The EU's much vaunted Green Deal which was recently rubbished by Greta Thunberg, is a €100bn "just transition mechanism" to help countries that are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive processes to move to renewable energy sources.  It...

Whose bright idea was it to offer to host (actually co-host with the Italians) COP 26 in the UK?  I suppose we were currying favour with the UN and all those NGOs who insist on being in on the detailed negotiations...

I see that the Scottish government has finally responded to widespread criticism and called in experts (the OECD) to sort out Curriculum for Excellence.  This is the equivalent of calling in the IMF to sort out your economy.  It's humiliating,...

What did the EU's many Presidents expect when they invited Greta Thunberg to Brussels to give a talk at the Commission?  On the face of it, they were looking for some praise for their new green deal.  How disappointed they...

If you wanted to take a glass half-full view of how young people are being prepared for the challenges of climate change and the ecological crisis, I think you might make these points: The Greta Thunberg-inspired, monthly student Friday strikes...

I see that coronavirus is having a devastating effect on air travel.  This is not because of the virus clogging up engines, but either because the fear (or sensible apprehension, if you prefer) of the virus is putting people off...

I met a DfE minister last week to talk about Teach the Future and it’s 6 asks. I said the government should take these admirable young people, their justifiable concerns, and their measured proposals seriously.  The minister said that the...

I can't have been the only person to be surprised that Bristol has awarded an A level student an honorary degree.  Of course, this is not an ordinary A level student, this is Mya-Rose Craig who has spotted half of...

I was reminded of Sidney Morgenbesser this morning.  He was the John Dewey Professor of Philosophy at Colombia and famous for pithy summaries.  A Times obituary said that he had the analytical acuity of Spinoza and the blunt wit of Groucho Marx....