clifford heberden

Environmental Journalist from Paris, formerly based in Seattle, now writing from Edinburgh

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

There’s something beautiful about having a World Cup in America and onfield advertising is for McDonald’s.

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

Just attended a wonderful talk by @ewangibbs on the People’s History of Scottish Energy, hosted by the Scottish Energy Forum. It was quite illuminating to think about the last 70 years of energy and social transitions in Scotland.

Lots to consider in the context of renewables.

[Scottish Banter @1scottishbanter]

Introducing the Scottish-American travel dictionary 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

We’ve put together this guide to keep the Tartan Army out of trouble in the States.

Read carefully to avoid confusing the locals, deeply offending the country, or being interrogated by Homeland Security over a sandwich.

[Mariam Pirzadeh @mapirzadeh]

Marjane Satrapi est partie rejoindre l'amour de sa vie. Elle était bien plus que le chef d'œuvre de Persepolis, elle était l'une des voix des Iraniens qui sont tous en deuil aujourd'hui. Elle n'aura jamais revu l'Iran pour lequel elle se battait tant. "Je m'en vais, épuisée triste et affligée vers ma demeure désormais ruinée, j'emporterai loin de votre ville je le jure mon cœur fou et passionné". Forrough Farrokhzad. Rouhet Shad Marjani

[James Melville 🚜 @JamesMelville]

The UK now hosts more than 500 active data centres (the third largest in the world). They have been rammed through despite huge local community concerns about the impact on their local landscapes and energy and water consumption.

These enormous data centres are giant industrial facilities consuming vast quantities of electricity, water and land while placing increasing pressure on the UK’s energy infrastructure.

▪️Water consumption by data centres is expected to reach 9.3 trillion litres, while CO2 emissions will rise to 399 million tons.

▪️Annual power consumption from data centres is projected to double to 945 TWh by 2030, around ‌the ⁠same as the whole of Japan’s energy consumption, with AI accounting for 40% of the total.

▪️The rise of AI is accelerating this trend. The UK Government's Compute Roadmap notes that AI data centres can devote up to 40% of their energy consumption to cooling systems.

▪️It is estimated that data-centre power and water consumption could double by 2030 due to AI growth.

▪️Emerging research suggests large AI facilities can create localised warming effects around their sites, sometimes described as a “data heat island” effect.

Numerous campaigns against these data centres are being organised by local communities. No one voted for this. If you are involved in any of these local campaigns, please DM me and I’ll try and help you amplify your campaigns.

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

@ewangibbs Looking forward to this!

[The National @ScotNational]

BREAKING: A charity run by Malcolm Offord is breaking the law and must register with regulators, an inquiry has found.

The charity watchdog has said the inquiry into the Scotland leader of Reform UK 'remains open'.

[Tom H. Wilson @tomhenwil]

Anas Sarwar says he is “not sure if there is going to be a challenge” against Starmer following Wes Streeting’s resignation.

He also says that “if [Burnham] is going to run it will probably be somewhere like Greater Manchester” when asked about Scottish by-elections.

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

Great read by @FerretScot published Sunday. Would be interesting to see if the Community Wealth Building Bill would address this disparity and funnel more revenue back into highland communities.

https://t.co/bK2m2lvkAH

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

Why I have decided to back Andy Burnham for Labour leadership http://t.co/0rwPLtkxaB

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

Check out the latest piece I contributed to for The Edinburgh Inquirer:

Fear and loathing in the Scottish election - all about Reform UK in Scotland's capital

https://t.co/4s5dPmZWsi

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

Speaking to energy sector experts in Aberdeen, they agree Aberdeen should be booming.

But for different reasons Trump hails.

They’re looking to the technologies of tomorrow and setting themselves up to be the front runners for that, rather than bank on a depleted North Sea.

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Trump: "Europe is desperate for Energy, and yet the United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil, one of the greatest fields in the World. Tragic!!! Aberdeen should be booming. Norway sells its North Sea Oil to the U.K. at double the price. They are making a fortune. U.K., which is better situated on the North Sea for purposes of energy than Norway, should, DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! It is absolutely crazy that they don’t… AND, NO MORE WINDMILLS! President DJT"

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

@reformparty_uk @ReformUKScot Semi-anonymous candidacies begs the question: is the party name enough at the polls? Is that Reform's strategy in some of these constituencies?

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

After collaborating on an investigation of new homelessness statistics in Scotland, I'm current looking at @reformparty_uk's campaign ahead of the elections on May 7th.

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

@reformparty_uk @ReformUKScot Reform's projected share of the votes is substantial, even in the localities where candidates are known by name only.

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

I got to work with The Edinburgh Inquirer over the last week to report on Scotland’s 2026 revaluation and its potential impact on independent businesses in Leith and across high streets in the country.

Shown in this morning’s Edinburgh Minute newsletter!

https://t.co/exfsm7PdnE

[clifford heberden @cliffheberden]

Thoughts for this week on my Substack:
Reforming Energy's turning Votes to Reform

https://t.co/A26NjcqRn6

[Rewild Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌳 @RewildScotland]

Where are the trees?

We have A LOT of this landscape and less than 4% native woodland. This landscape should be a rich mosaic of habitats, moor, bog, woodland, montane scrub… We force it to remain in this artificial state. We don’t need to give every inch of our uplands over to sheep, grouse and deer stalking. If we are serious about reversing biodiversity loss then we urgently need to choose a different path.