Ivan Ruiz Manuel

He/Him
PhD researcher in energy systems
Open science advocate, ally, and coffee weirdo
Currently on mastodon b/c it's cozy there: @[email protected]

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

What are climate initiatives, and do they really help in mitigating the #ClimateEmergency?

That is the question @KornelisBlok and I set out to answer in this paper published in @NatureComms!

The answer: some good has been achieved, but there is much to improve.

#ClimateAction

[Nature Communications @NatureComms]

.@IvanRManuel @KornelisBlok et al find more companies are setting #ClimateTargets, but detailed evaluations remain scarce, raising questions on their effectiveness @tudelft https://t.co/e7zvomiXFm

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@doreenstabinsky Xtracts? Xpress?

It's hard to come up with names that are not terrible

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

Pay attention to what is happening in Guatemala right now.

After the social democratic movement🌹 surprised everyone, the incumbents want to overturn elections using Trump-like tactics citing election fraud.

This is what democratic erosion looks like.

https://t.co/m2gckOR7Qy

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@GregorSemieniuk @Joule_CP It is super important to highlight that this inequality also extends to the **use** of GHG emitting assets, **even within world regions**. In a fossil-based system, those with the most stuff will also emit the most.

The study: https://t.co/7MjxcHG5ma

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

Hard to believe that, in 2023, basic modelling assumptions are not shared by major international agencies.

#openscience

[Christian Breyer 🦣 @ChristianOnRE]

@IRENA is improving, major issues remain: 1) nuclear is expanding as an extreme high cost option with huge subsidies; 2) PV is only 18 TW in 2050 while PV community assumes 60-75 TW; 3) cost assumptions are not disclosed - why!? 4) bioenergy is beyond 100 EJ sustainability limit

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

Here's @NaomiOreskes describing how good climate policy is obstructed ❤️

Aside from documenting disinformation campaigns, she's also written landmark papers on the use of models in policy.

Here is my favorite excerpt from one of them, on when model validation is (not) possible.

[Senate Budget Democrats @SenateBudget]

“Their lies haves costs lives.”

Watch @NaomiOreskes explain how the fossil fuel industry corrupted the climate debate and killed off bipartisanship on climate. #CorruptOilCash

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@TanjaFilatova @STWorg Would love to go through the presentation!
Was it recorded?

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@shannonosaka Also, better instruments such as PPAs seem to be gaining ground in some cases, but RECs are still the most popular method of "greening" energy purchases.

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@shannonosaka Fantastic summary!

I think it's important to note that REC abuse was forewarned by both scientists and accountants right before the Green House Gas Protocol was revised to allow their use.

More here:
https://t.co/RNyZZ6Yera

[Timmons Roberts @TimmonsRoberts]

"There is actually a scientific field of study examining this climate denial phenomenon..."

Great to see the work of my colleague @RBrulle and the @ClimateDevLab team featured by our bulldog Senator @SenWhitehouse today

Have a watch from about 21:30

https://t.co/7SE6eZp6eX

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@EIA_One This is pretty disappointing to see from an environmental standpoint.
Wouldn't this amount to, roughly speaking, a potential 12 MtCO2 per day?

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@KornelisBlok Yep.
In fact, SBTi already removed companies that did not set good targets in the past.
I think the fixed period is given some leeway in cases where the initiative is still developing guidelines for a sector, but they are definitely acting on slackers.

https://t.co/bW6yGc0dSs

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

Really happy to see @AnthropoceneMag covering our most recent paper!

It's an excellent summary of our results. Give it a read!

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@greenprofgreen @Peters_Glen I think I understand the point when it comes to climate initiatives, but I'm curious on why the GHG protocol is a pseudo-club.

Isn't it just a standard that most companies follow when accounting for emissions? How can it be a club?

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@Peters_Glen This is a sad reality. Given how iffy recent COPs have been in driving stronger policy, initiatives like SBTi will remain the "next best thing" to plug the GHG gap, despite their effectiveness issues.

We will keep having these issues as long as the stick is just loosing face.

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@ianjmorse @AndersBjrn4 @doreenstabinsky Thank you for writing on this topic! In my experience, not everything is dismal when it comes to SBTi, but there are holes that definitely need to be filled.

In particular: the use of RECs as highlighted by @AndersBjrn4 and (shameless plug) our paper: https://t.co/m2P0YvbeWZ

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@henrylefleming @Peters_Glen @greenprofgreen Yes, that is true, but that applies to any voluntary initiative. What is important is that we should not allow companies to appear to be "climate stewards" if their actions are nothing of the sort.

Otherwise, we would be actively condoning greenwashing.

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@greenprofgreen Absolutely true. In many cases companies do not even subject Scope 3 emissions to third-party verification (and if they do, it will be only the air travel and employee commuting categories).

This is why good climate action by companies must start from INTERNAL change, imo.

[Ivan Ruiz Manuel @IvanRManuel]

@JKSteinberger Thank you for constantly voicing the importance of mental well-being in academia.
Saying that your old thread inspired me to make some big decisions in my academic career would be an understatement 🙃