Podcasts about bloomberg green

When exactly China’s emissions peak will make a big difference to the fate of the planet. That moment has come, according to Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. A combination of factors – including a huge deployment of renewables and electrification of transport – has put China’s emissions into a structural decline. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi asks Myllyvirta how confident he is that this really is a peak? What’s behind the decline in emissions? And how will the trade war with the US affect China’s climate and energy policies in the years to come? Explore further: Analysis: Clean energy just put China’s CO2 emissions into reverse for first time - Carbon Brief China Set to Reach Peak Emissions Before 2030, Ex-Official Says - Bloomberg China’s Solar Industry Gathers as Gloom Deepens Over Demand — Bloomberg Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jess Beck, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High-voltage electricity cables are in huge demand around the world, so much so that a lack of cabling has become a bottleneck throttling the clean energy transition. So why are cable manufacturers so hesitant to expand? Also, how are these giant cables made? And is China about to eat everyone's lunch? Claes Westerlind, chief executive officer of cable manufacturing company NKT, joins Zero to discuss. This is the third episode in Bottlenecks, a series exploring the lesser known obstacles standing in the way of our electrified future. Explore further: Previous episode in Bloomberg Green’s Bottleneckes series: How a Shortage of Transformers Threatens Electricity Supply There Aren’t Enough Engineers to Meet World’s Growing Hunger for Power Electric Cable Companies Are Making a Killing From Green Energy Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jess Beck, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Western economies need to electrify and fast, but where are all the skilled workers going to come from to install the heat pumps, solar panels and batteries needed? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi talks with Olivia Rudgard about the shortage of labor in electrification industries, and why some experts are calling it an ‘existential’ crisis. This is the second episode in Bottlenecks, a new series exploring the lesser known obstacles standing in the way of our electrified future. Explore further: Read the Big Take: There Aren't Enough Engineers to Meet the World's Growing Hunger for Power Previous episode in Zero’s Bottleneckes series: How a Shortage of Transformers Threatens Electricity Supply Northvolt Hits End of Line After Failing to Reach Rescue Deal Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jess Beck, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To slash emissions fast, the formula is simple: electrify everything and clean up the grid. But in practice, progress is slowed by all sorts of bottlenecks — from arcane permitting processes to sky-high electricity costs. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi sits down with producer Oscar Boyd to spotlight a surprising culprit slowing the transition: a global shortage of transformers, and why it has industry insiders so worried. This episode kicks off Bottlenecks, a new series exploring the lesser known obstacles standing in the way of our electrified future. Explore further: The One Device Throttling the World’s Electrified Future The Device That Brought Down Heathrow Airport Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jess Beck, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists are clear that meeting climate goals means ending carbon pollution and drawing down excess CO2 from the air. That’s why carbon-removal technologies have proliferated over the past decade. But with the US government slashing climate incentives and programs, some companies are being forced to cut costs. This week Akshat Rathi speaks with Jan Wurzbacher, co-founder of Climeworks, a startup that pulls carbon dioxide from the air, about its first major layoffs and what the future holds for the most expensive climate solution. Explore further: Climeworks Is Cutting 22% of Staff as US Climate Backlash Hits Carbon Removal Past Zero episode on carbon removal with Professor Jennifer Wilcox Big Bets on Speculative Carbon Capture Tech Ignore Today’s Solutions Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. This episode was produced by Sommer Saadi and Robert Williams. Special thanks to: Coco Liu, Michelle Ma, Brian Kahn and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Low-carbon tech investments reached $2.1 trillion last year. But with the whole world trying to work out how to navigate US President Donald Trump’s unpredictable policy agenda, is 2025 still a good time to invest in climate tech? This week on Zero Akshat Rathi interviews Greg Wasserman, head of private company climate investment at Wellington Management, which oversees more than $1 trillion in assets. Wasserman has to make investment decisions here and now about companies and technologies — weighing risks and opportunities in a volatile market. Explore further: Trump’s Big Oil Era Means Green Bargains for Investors Companies Pivot From Climate Talk to 'Greenhushing' in Trump Era Why ESG Faces Backlash and Its Future Under Trump 2.0 GOP to Phase Out Biden Energy Credits to Pay for Tax Cuts Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jess Beck, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Amanda Kolson Hurley and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is in a unique place when it comes to the energy transition. It is the world’s largest exporter of coal and a leading exporter of gas, yet has set a target to reduce emissions by 43% and have 82% renewable electricity by 2030. It is also caught juggling relations between the US, its military ally, and China, its biggest trading partner — as the two superpowers fight over trade. It is an unenviable challenge for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has just been voted back into the office with an impressive new majority and also wants Australia to host the COP31 climate summit in 2026. This week, David Stringer, Bloomberg Green's managing editor in Asia, joins Zero to unpack Albanese’s full agenda and what his re-election means for Australia’s climate ambitions. Explore further: Australian PM’s Next Campaign Is to Secure COP31 Climate Talks - Bloomberg China Slowdown Has Australia’s Economy Under Pressure, Chalmers Says - Bloomberg Trump Backlash Helps Australia’s Leader to Historic Re-Election - Bloomberg Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Jessica Beck, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Canadians elected Mark Carney, leader of the Liberal party, to be their prime minister. Carney is a newcomer to politics, but is well known in international finance and climate circles, running both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and founding the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). Canada is far from reaching its legally mandated goal to achieve net zero by 2050, and has one of the highest emissions per capita of anywhere in the world. Now Carney has been elected, can he translate his international climate leadership into domestic policy, or will climate fall by the wayside as he fortifies Canada against a trade war with the US? Explore further: Carney’s Anti-Trump Agenda for Canada Nods to Climate Canada’s Mark Carney Treads a Fine Line on Climate in a Tight Election Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks to Record Winter Low as Earth Heats Up Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global investment in clean energy hit a record $2 trillion last year, according to BloombergNEF. But developing countries see only a sliver of that funding. Private investors are wary of unfamiliar markets, currency risks and perceived instability. So how do we change that? Avinash Persaud, special adviser on climate risks to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, joins Zero to explore how we can de-risk investments, unlock private capital, and supercharge the global clean energy transition. From carbon markets to sustainability-linked bonds, where should the focus be to make the biggest impact? Explore other episodes from the Moving Money series: These ‘Beautiful’ Banks Are Being Pitched to Save Climate Finance How the Financial System Can Work for Climate, Not Against It Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Mythili Rao, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Blake Maples and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Developing countries require trillions of dollars a year to transition to clean energy and build climate-resilient infrastructure. So where will the money come from? Avinash Persaud, special advisor on climate risks to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, joins Zero to make the case for giving more money to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), which already funnel hundreds of billions of dollars a year to poorer countries around the globe, much of which goes to climate projects. His pitch is now harder than ever to make as the US slashes international climate finance and European countries reduce their overseas aid budgets to support defense spending. Past episodes of Moving Money: How the financial system can work for climate, not against it The fight over finance brewing at COP29 Explore further: COP29: Exxon CEO Darren Woods Interview Transcript From UN Climate Summit Unlocking Climate Trillions With a Global Plan From a Sinking Island - Bloomberg Debt-for-Nature Swaps Gain Traction Among Developing Countries - Bloomberg Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Mythili Rao, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Blake Maples and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even with all the turmoil of the past few months, the energy transition isn’t taking a break. Last year, global spending on clean-energy technologies was more than $2 trillion, according to BloombergNEF. Yet only a small fraction of that money makes its way to developing countries. This week on Zero, Avinash Persaud, climate advisor to the president of Inter-American Development Bank, joins our Moving Money series, and answers the question: how do we make the financial system work for climate action, not against it? Explore further: COP29 Is All About Money. Get Ready for Fights: Moving Money Unlocking Climate Trillions With a Global Plan From a Sinking Island Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Mythili Rao, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Blake Maples and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a lot happening in the world of EVs. In the US, Teslas are being hawked from the White House lawn, while in China, BYD has announced a battery that can be charged to go 400km in just 5 minutes. All the while a rearrangement of global trade and tariffs is sending shockwaves through the system. This week on Zero, Bloomberg’s global automotive editor Craig Trudell unpacks the latest twists and turns in the EV revolution. Explore further: BYD Is Winning the Global Race to Make Cheaper EVs Chinese EVs Make Inroads in Nigeria as Gasoline Prices Rise Sign up to the Hyperdrive newsletter. Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to: Mythili Rao, Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Blake Maples and Siobhan Wagner. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Depending on who you ask, AI is either going to save the world or end it. The technology’s capacity for data-crunching and problem-saving can help predict weather events, making it easier to optimize power grids, prepare for natural disasters, and maximize crop output. But artificial intelligence is also energy intensive – and easy to apply to ethically questionable ends. For all of these reasons, Priya Donti, professor of electrical engineering and AI at MIT, decided to found Climate Change AI, a group dedicated to applying AI to tackle climate problems. In this episode, which first ran in May of 2024, Donti tells Akshat Rathi about some of the projects the group is funding around the world, and what the democratization of AI would look like in practice. Explore further: Past episode about Microsoft’s rising AI emissions, and President Brad Smith’s claim that the AI will do more good than harm Past episode with African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina about climate innovation projects across the African continent Past episode with climate scientist and champion for developing countries Saleemul Huq Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. This episode was produced by Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Anna Mazarakis and Alicia Clanton. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat: By 2030, fresh water demand is expected to outpace supply by 40%. The effects of water stress will be felt in industries from agriculture to e-commerce, putting up to $70 trillion of global GDP at risk, according to the World Resources Institute. Bloomberg Intelligence researcher Melanie Rua is the co-author of a new report on water scarcity. She joins Zero to discuss just how much financial impact companies are already seeing as a result of this issue– and what measures they might take to mitigate it. Explore further: Past episode about Environmental, Social, and Governance policy uncertainty Past episode with Breakthrough Energy Ventures’ Eric Toone about green investment opportunities Reporting on Galy, a lab-grown cotton startup addressing water consumption Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. This episode was produced by Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner, Sommer Saadi and Magnus Henriksson. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the time since she became Prime Minister of Barbados in 2018, Mia Mottley has become known as a moral force for action on climate change. The Bridgetown Initiative, which she launched at COP26 in 2021, transformed the conversation around climate finance – pushing rich nations to do more to support developing countries struggling with the impact of climate change. But as the US retreats from climate action, her bold vision faces new challenges. At the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum in Barbados, she tells Akshat Rathi why she remains optimistic, and she spoke about the role of pragmatism in tackling the climate challenge. Explore further: Past episode with Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Development Program Past episode with Avinash Persaud about the Bridgetown Initiative Past episode about the Royal Shakespeare Company’s play about the 1997 Kyoto Summit Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner, Kanika Chawla and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As President Donald Trump heats up a North American trade war, Canada is already facing big challenges within its own government. Next week, the governing Liberal party will announce Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's successor. And later this year, the country will hold a general election. Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Institute, joins Zero to discuss what shape the country's climate ambitions might take under new leadership, how Canada can deal with the Trump challenge, and why he expects meaningful climate policy in Canada to be driven by provinces and municipalities. Explore further: Past episode about the UK’s climate goals with Chris Stark, Head of UK's Mission for Clean Power Past episode about Canada's carbon pricing Past episode with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world of ESG regulation and investing was already suffering a period of shaky confidence even before President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Now, companies are facing a new period of uncertainty when it comes to Environmental, Social, and Governance policies. Reporter Frances Schwartzkopff tells Akshat Rathi why the EU is rolling back some ESG legislation. And reporter Saijel Kishan explains that many companies today are still keeping their ESG plans in place — but just not talking about it. Explore further: Past episode with activist Lucie Pinson about changing banks’ investing strategies from the inside Past episode with California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna about what to expect in Trump’s second term in the White House Past episode with Eric Toone of Breakthrough Energy Ventures on the kinds of green startups he believes can be the most profitable Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Aaron Rutkoff, Siobhan Wagner and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last October, delegates from around the world met in Cali, Colombia to discuss ways to protect the planet’s biodiversity. After a promising breakthrough in Montreal, Canada three years ago, there were high hopes for that summit. But COP16 closed in shambles, with negotiators leaving before a final agreement could be achieved on key issues. Now, the summit is resuming next week in Rome. Will developed and developing countries be able to reach consensus? Reporter Natasha White, who attended part one in Cali, tells Akshat Rathi what she expects to see when COP16 reconvenes next week in Italy. Explore further: Past episode about COP30’s final deal Past episode with sci fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson about the merits of the COP process Past episode with Stripe’s Nan Ransohoff about the carbon removal credit market Bloomberg Green reporting from Natasha White Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we keep climate action alive in a fracturing world? “Today we live in an age where we actually have the solutions– technologically, economically, financially speaking– but what we are not doing is acting on them,” Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Development Program tells Akshat Rathi. In a conversation recorded at COP29, Steiner talked about how some countries– including Uruguay, India, Kenya, China, and Bhutan– are moving forward with innovative climate solutions even when international financing isn’t readily available. He also called on the developed world to find better ways to fund sustainable development. Explore further: Past episode with climate finance expert Avinash Persaud about getting money to the places that need it Past episode with Achim Steiner about the role of the UN Development Program Past episode with science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson about the role of the United Nations Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK government has pledged to achieve 95% clean power by 2030. It's an ambitious, tough goal – and even tougher to accomplish while reducing energy prices. Chris Stark, head of the nation’s Mission Control for Clean Power, says he’s “confident” the UK can deliver. But at the same time, the Labour government’s leaders are sending mixed signals on climate: They want to expand airports and may sign off on new oil fields in the North Sea. Stark tells Akshat Rathi why he’s still certain the country can balance its carbon budget, and why it’s important for politicians to show that green investments have economic benefits too. Explore further: Past episode with Chris Stark on his role at the Climate Change Committee Past episode about what happens to the energy transition as the US leaves the Paris Agreement Past episode with Scottish Power CEO Keith Anderson about grid readiness Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Will Mathis, Sharon Chen, Eamon Farhat, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With President Donald Trump back in office, the US is leaving the Paris Agreement for the second time. Unlike in 2017, this withdrawal is set to have more lasting consequences, Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao. Meanwhile, even as the US gives up its climate leadership, China’s focus on clean energy is growing. A new report from BloombergNEF finds that global investment in the energy transition surpassed $2 trillion for the first time in 2024, with China driving two thirds of year-on-year growth. BNEF Deputy CEO Albert Cheung shares the report’s highlights, and reflects on the role international competition will play in this next phase of reaching net zero. Explore further: Bloomberg NEF’s energy transition investment trends 2025 report Reporter Zahra Hirji's roundup of the first slew of President Trump's climate moves Past episode with Yale historian Paul Sabin about what to expect in President Trump’s second term Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Alfred Cang, Ewa Krukowska, John Ainger, Jen Dlouhy, Zahra Hirji, Lou Del Bello, Simone Iglesias, Amanda Hurley and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plans are already underway for COP30 to pick up the baton and tackle COP29's unfinished business. The 2025 climate conference is set to take place in Belem, Brazil, a gateway to the Amazon rainforest. And last week, André Corrêa do Lago was named COP30 president. Corrêa do Lago currently serves as Brazil’s Secretary for Climate, Energy and the Environment, and he spoke with Akshat Rathi at COP29 in Baku, in November. He says that although holding a global summit in Belem poses logistical challenges, the symbolism of the location holds “fantastic political power.” Explore further: Bloomberg Green reporter Simone Iglesias's story on Corrêa do Lago's plans as COP30 President Past episode about Azerbaijan’s challenges with hosting COP29 in Baku Past episode with Brazil's chief climate negotiator, Liliam Chagas, about the viability of a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Simone Iglesias, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Donald Trump returns to the White House, Akshat Rathi speaks to Yale historian Paul Sabin about whether recent presidential history might hold some lessons on what to expect from the Trump administration’s approach to energy and environmental policy this term. Looking back at the Carter and Reagan years, Sabin explores how present-day Trump priorites– from dismantling government agencies to ramping up oil and gas production–have historical precedent. And Jonathan Lash, who was an environmental lawyer in the Reagan years, explains why he’s feeling déjà vu in these early days of Trump’s second term. Explore further: Past episode with sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson about his visions for climate politics in 2025 Past episode with President Biden’s climate czar Ali Zaidi on the IRA’s legacy Past episode with Congressman Ro Khanna on what Trump’s second term may hold Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Siobhan Wagner, Jessica Beck, and David Fox. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the blazes in Los Angeles continue to burn, those who have lost their homes are contending with the immediate need for shelter– and difficult questions about whether or not to rebuild in the fire zone. Grist reporter Jake Bittle tells Akshat Rathi how California’s housing market and insurance regulations will shape the recovery. And Nomad Century author Gaia Vince says that in this era of climate instability, everyone should think about how prepared they are to become a climate migrant. Explore further: Past episode about the 1.5C warming goal being surpassed Past episode with sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson about imagining the future role of the UN in fighting climate change Past episode about climate change, conflict, and migration Bloomberg Green story about the aircraft used to scoop water to fight fires in LA Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Michelle Ma, Brian Kahn, Sharon Chen, and Sommer Saadi. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December, Europe’s Copernicus weather service announced that it was “virtually certain” that 2024 would be the hottest year ever. What’s more, the global average temperature last year appears to have surpassed 1.5C for the first time, blowing past a threshold that’s taken on enormous significance in the fight against climate change. Does that mean governments, corporations, and activists recalibrate their climate goals? Akshat Rathi speaks with reporters Eric Roston and Zahra Hirji about what this new reality means. Explore further: Past episode about sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson’s visions for 2025 Past episode with Eric Roston and Katharine Hayhoe about the extreme weather events brought on by rising temperatures Past episode with the Berghof Foundation’s Andrew Gilmour about conflict and peace-building on a warming planet Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/greenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson imagines the future for a living. And the future is very much upon us. Robinson’s seminal 2020 novel Ministry of the Future opens in the year 2025. Robinson tells Akshat Rathi about how our real-life climate politics stack up against what he imagined for this era. They also discuss the dangers of science-fiction thinking in politics and why, for all his admiration of science and technology, Robinson remains so enamored with the unglamorous workings of a body like the United Nations. Explore further: Past episode with Kim Stanley Robinson about climate utopias and optopias Past episode with outgoing White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi about what the next four years will hold Past episode with Colombia’s environment minister Susana Muhamad about the country’s commitment to fossil fuels nonproliferation Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The “cold chain” that delivers our food is inconspicuous but vast. The US alone boasts around 5.5 billion cubic feet of refrigerated space; that’s 150 Empire State Buildings’ worth of freezers. Now, the developing world is catching up. On Zero, Nicola Twilley, author of Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves, discusses how refrigeration became so ubiquitous and what our reliance on it means for our palates and the planet. Explore further: Past episode with Stacey Abrams on how kitchen-table decisions can cut emissions Past episode with journalist George Monbiot on how the world’s food system needs a radical rethink Past episode with two vertical farming companies taking agriculture indoors Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Aaron Rutkoff and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporter Akshat Rathi speaks to Eric Toone of Breakthrough Energy Ventures about what’s hype and what’s not in the world of energy startups. Breakthrough is one of the world’s biggest funders of early stage climate technologies and has poured billions of dollars in more than 120 startups. Toone weighs in on everything from carbon removal to the grid, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission, and green hydrogen. Explore further: Past episode about Commonwealth Fusion System’s reactors Past episode about the drilling techniques employed by geothermal startup Fervo Past episode about the plethora of carbon capture startups Past episode about the energy startup trying to replace coal with a very cheap battery Past episode about TS Conductor’s approach to reconductoring Past episode with Bill Gates about the areas of the energy sector he’s investing in Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Ethan Steinberg, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

General Electric Co was officially founded in 1892, when several of inventor Thomas Edison's ventures were consolidated into one company. From then on, it was a behemoth. But now that's changed: A break-up that began last year has concluded with GE splitting off into three separate companies. Scott Strazik is the CEO of GE Vernova, which focuses on wind turbines, nuclear power, and carbon capture, as well as grid solutions such as software and batteries. Strazik joins Zero to talk about how the company is in the "early innings of an investment super cycle," and how it intends to overcome difficulties in offshore wind.  Explore further: Past episode about the grid and the march toward electrification Past episode about how Microsoft is squaring its AI growth with its carbon negative ambitions  Past episode with BloombergNEF's Jenny Chase about the goal of tripling renewables by 2030 Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Will Mathis, Siobhan Wagner, Monique Mulima, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It went well past the official deadline, late into the night – but finally, COP29 ended with a deal. Hardly anyone felt victorious. Back from Baku, reporter Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao why the agreed on New Climate Quantified Goal of $300 billion made both developed and developing countries unhappy, and he shares what heads of state and ministers from Denmark to Mauritania and Indonesia to Israel had to tell Zero about this year's conference. Explore further: Past episode about COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev's challenges in Baku Past episode about why climate finance fights were expected to dominate COP29 Past episode with Brazil's climate secretary about the country's vision for COP30 Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Siobhan Wagner, Sharon Chen, Jen Dlouhy, Alfred Cang, John Ainger, Natasha White, Will Kennedy, Rakteem Katakey, and Aaron Rutkoff. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's late into week two of negotiations at COP29, and delegates still appear far from consensus. But plans are already underway for COP30. Next year's climate conference is set to take place in the Belem, Brazil, a gateway to the Amazon rainforest. André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil's Secretary for Climate, Energy and the Environment tells Akshat Rathi that although holding a global summit in Belem poses logistical challenges, the symbolism of the location holds “fantastic political power.”  Explore further: Past episode about Azerbaijan's challenges with hosting COP29 in Baku Past episode with Brazil's chief climate negotiator, Liliam Chagas, about the viability of a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty Past episode with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, about his decision to attend COP29  Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao.  to Simone Iglesias, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Bank. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At COP29 in Baku, Akshat Rathi is joined on stage at Bloomberg Green's live event by Ali Zaidi, President Biden's National Climate Advisor. Zaidi argues that it would be “economic malpractice” for the Trump administration to abandon the energy transition. Plus, veteran climate diplomat Jonathan Pershing explains why he believes global competition will result in an “acceleration of action” on green policy. Explore further: Past episode with Ali Zaidi on the momentum generated by passing the IRA Past episode with California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna on what Trump's election means for US climate policy Past episode with COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev on what would make this conference a success Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Jen Dlouhy, Sharon Chen, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporter Akshat Rathi sits down with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, who made his second-ever appearance at the United Nations climate conference. Woods made the case for why incoming US president Donald Trump shouldn't exit the Paris Agreement, and should uphold the country's monumental climate legislation passed under the Biden administration. It's quite the tone shift for a company that has a well-documented history of sowing doubt about the dangers of global warming. Listen now, and subscribe on Apple,  Spotify, or YouTube to get new episodes of Zero every Thursday.  Explore further: Past episode about what's at stake at COP29 in the aftermath of President Trump's election Past episode about the infamous fossil fuel lobbyist Don Pearlman and his role in the COP process Past episode with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on why its green goals are good for business Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Kevin Crowley, Jen Dlouhy, Siobhan Wagner, Aaron Rutkoff, Jessica Beck and Ethan Steinberg. Thanks also to the Atlantic Council, the International Chamber of Commerce and Uve Sabirowsky. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zero is in Baku, Azerbaijan, where delegates and heads of state from around the world have gathered for COP29.  Can a petrostate make a summit on decarbonization a success? And how much will the election of President Trump damage the US's credibility on climate– and set negotiations back? Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao what's in store in the two weeks ahead, and COP29 President Mukhtar Babyaev explains how Azerbaijan is trying to make the summit a success, despite concerns that NGOs and protesters will have limited access to the proceedings. Plus, Columbia University's Jason Bordoff explains how the US's role in climate diplomacy is about to change. Explore further: Past episode with Avinash Persaud about the big fights about finance expected at this COP Past episode about a play dramatizing COP3, the 1997 Kyoto summit Past episode about the achievements of COP28 in Dubai Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner, Blake Maples, and Ethan Steinberg. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's re-election as the US president drastically changes the climate and energy equation—in the US and around the world This week, Akshat Rathi speaks with California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna about what Americans can do to sustain action on climate and clean energy. He also talks to Columbia University's Jason Bordoff about how much Trump could boost fossil fuels. Explore further: Past episode with about President Trump's climate plans Past episode with about the fights over money brewing at COP29 Past episode with Colombia's environment minister Susana Muhamad about fossil fuel nonproliferation Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Siobhan Wagner, Monique Mulima, Ethan Steinberg, Mohsis Andam and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In fractured times, what does it take to reach agreement? That's the question writers Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson set out to explore in a play about the drama of climate negotiations. Kyoto, which ran at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon this summer, tells the story of the 1997 Kyoto Summit as seen through the eyes of Don Pearlman, a notorious fossil fuel lobbyist and chain-smoking lawyer dubbed “the high priest of the Carbon Club” by der Speigel. Actor Stephen Kunken, who plays Pearlman, tells Akshat Rathi why he was drawn to the character, and what Kyoto can teach us about how agreement is achieved.  This episode first ran in July 2024.  Explore further: Past episode with Al Gore about breaking the petrostates stranglehold on climate progress Past episode about climate change storytelling with Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Ministry for the Future Past episode with Extrapolations writer and executive producer Dorothy Fortenberry about the growing demand for climate stories Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Alicia Clanton, Anna Mazarakis, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Republican and Democratic canvassers make their final push to get out the US vote, the famed tech investor Vinod Khosla has been making the case for Vice President Kamala Harris with a very specific audience in mind: Elon Musk. On the social media platform owned by his fellow billionaire, Khosla has pressed the case in a series of X posts that former President Donald Trump is the wrong candidate for the future of the planet. Although Khosla is a former Republican, he says in an interview that he will be voting for Harris. But he doesn't expect tech investors to see much fallout no matter who wins. “I don't think there'll be any difference in policy between the two when it comes to tech.” Explore further: Past episode with Liam Denning on whether Tesla is on the road to irrelevance Past episode with Jen Dlouhy about how Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's climate plans differ Past episode with Bill Gates about why he is investing into nuclear power  Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. This episode was mixed by Blake Maples. Special thanks to Siobhan Wagner, Jessica Beck, Ethan Steinberg, Monique Mulima, Angel Recio, Michelle Ma and Biz Carson. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electric vehicle sales have hit the brakes in Europe and the US in recent months, as cost-conscious drivers have opted for cars with exhaust pipes instead. Bucking the trend is ride-sharing giant Uber, which is not only adding zero emission models to its fleet, but also lobbying regulators to demand more EVs on the road. On Zero, Dara Khosrowshahi discusses the company's short and long-term green goals, and tells Akshat Rathi why he believes electric cars are good for business – not just for the environment. He also discusses autonomous cars, flying taxis, carbon accounting and what a just transition would look like for the company's workforce.  Explore further: Past episode about the climate case for flying cars Past episode with Scottish Power CEO Keith Anderson about what the unstoppable march towards electrification means for the power grid Past Big Take episode about flying taxis  Bloomberg News investigation into how Uber and Lyft used a loophole to deny drivers pay Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Aaron Rutkoff, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Florida reels from the impact of Hurricane Milton, some Wall Street investors appear to be on track to profit from catastrophe bonds tied to the storm's outcome. Cat bonds are a specialized insurance tool that can help people who've lost their homes find money to rebuild– or deliver big profits to investors who are willing to gamble on big natural disasters. As Bloomberg's Gautam Naik has reported, last year cat bonds were the most profitable strategy for hedge funds. Naik tells Akshat Rathi about how these financial instruments differ from ordinary insurance, and why they have become an appealing proposition for climate vulnerable nations desperate for any kind of help they can get. Explore further: Read the Big Take story on how catastrophe bonds are helping Florida but not Jamaica Past episode about compound climate impacts with Texas Tech University professor Katharine Hayhoe Past episode with Avinash Persaud, special adviser on climate change for the Inter-American Development Bank, about the fight brewing over what money richer nations will pay to help poorer nations face climate change Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Aaron Rutkoff, Siobhan Wagner, Jim Wyss, Jessica Beck, Ethan Steinberg, and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Akshat Rathi is a London-based senior reporter for Bloomberg News and author of the new book Climate Capitalism, which is the subject of his 2024 TED Talk. He also hosts Bloomberg Green's weekly Zero podcast and writes a weekly Zero newsletter, focused on climate change. Previously, Akshat was a senior reporter at Quartz and a science editor at The Conversation. His work has been cited widely, including in New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and The Guardian. Skip ahead to the following section(s): (0:00) Introduction & National Updates (10:40) Interview w/ Akshat Rathi (24:16) Q&A Discussion (40:05) October Actions October Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/action-sheet  Take Action Make A Voting Plan: https://cclusa.org/vote  Pre-Call Video: https://vimeo.com/1018718136  More About Akshat: https://akshatrathi.com/ 

Next month, when delegates from around the world meet in Baku, Azerbaijan at COP29, the biggest questions on the table will have to do with money. Can rich nations find a way to meet developing countries' demand for up to $1 trillion each year in climate finance? Avinash Persaud, special adviser on climate change for the Inter-American Development Bank, has spent his career looking for ways to make global markets work to unlock climate financing. He says the biggest challenges arise from a simple reality: “The people who benefit and the people who pay are different.” Persaud tells Akshat Rathi why he believes climate change is an “uninsurable” event, and discusses the kinds of financial instruments and commitments that can help poorer countries contribute to the energy transition and adapt to a warmer world.    Explore further: Previous episode with Avinash Persaud about pressuring the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to accelerate the roll-out of clean technologies in developing countries Past episode about the significance of the COP28 text   Past episode with African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina about financial instruments the bank is using to encourage investors to fund green development projects Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Siobhan Wagner and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if major economies all just agreed to quit fossil fuels  — together? To date, 13 countries have signed a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty. The biggest is Colombia, which has a $40 billion economic transition plan to build up green sectors and replace oil and gas revenue. Now Colombia is hoping to recruit other large economies to follow suit.  During a conversation at Climate Week in New York, Akshat Rathi sat down with Colombia's environment minister, Susana Muhamad, and Brazil's chief climate negotiator, Liliam Chagas, to talk about what it will take for more nations to combat climate change. Brazil has not joined the treaty, yet, but as the designated host of COP30 in 2025, the country has signaled that it, too, wants to be a leader on climate change.  Explore further: Past episode about what Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are planning to do when it comes to climate Past episode with Reclaim Finance's Lucie Pinson about how to get banks to stop investing in fossil fuel projects  Past episode about the significance of COP28's resolution to transition away from fossil fuels Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim and Matthew Griffin. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have been trying to understand — and mimic — the way the sun produces energy for centuries. But recreating the energy-generating process of nuclear fusion here on Earth presents an array of technical challenges. Bob Mumgaard, CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, began working on some of those challenges as a doctoral student at MIT. Now backed by more than $2 billion, CFS is well on its way to making the long-held dream of nuclear fusion a reality. On this week's Zero, Mumgaard breaks down the science behind CFS's bagel-shaped tokamak reactor, and explains why he believes the nuclear fusion industry is just getting started. Explore further: Past episode with Bill Gates on why he is investing big in nuclear power Past episode with Tim Latimer about why he founded geothermal startup Fervo Past episode with BNEF's Claire Curry about how startups can succeed in a difficult investment environment Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Monique Mulima, and Jess Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a little more than six weeks, Americans will cast their votes in a presidential election that has enormous stakes for the future of the planet. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi sits down with energy and environment reporter Jen Dlouhy to talk about how Kamala Harris could advance US climate policy — and how Donald Trump could chip away at it.  “Starting on day one, he's already said he intends to direct federal agencies to begin repealing and replacing climate regulations,” she says. At this stage of the campaign, Harris's plans are still somewhat opaque. But if elected, her administration is expected to keep quietly pushing forward policies passed under President Biden. “There's still tremendous work to get the IRA's programs running to get dollars flowing,” Dlouhy says. “The Treasury Department still hasn't finished writing rules for how people can claim tax credits under the law, including those governing hydrogen production and clean electricity. So there's just a lot of administrative work to be done to kind of unstick this process to accelerate deployment.”  Explore further: Past episode with voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams on how middle and low-income families access the tax breaks that can help them affordably electrify their homes  Past episode with former Conservative Minister Chris Skidmore on how the UK's Conservatives have given up on climate policy Past episode with John Kerry, former US special presidential envoy for climate Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim and Matthew Griffin. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weather patterns have always had an impact on people and civilizations. Historians argue that El Niño may have contributed to the French Revolution, and climate variability could have led to weakening the Ottoman Empire. But as anthropogenic emissions make the planet hotter, faster, Berghof Foundation Executive Director Andrew Gilmour says the risk of conflict is growing. In the 30 years he spent working with the United Nations, Gilmour repeatedly saw how competition over resources such as land and water led to conflict, but he also sees opportunities for aligning peace-building with climate solutions. “The common solutions could be, for example, a solar powered irrigation scheme,” Gilmour tells Akshat Rathi. “It could be joint management of a wildlife reserve, it could be a desalination project.”  Explore further: Past episode with Harvard Medical School emergency physician Renee Salas about public policy approaches to mitigating the health impacts of heat waves Past episode about the dramatization of the fight to represent developing nations' interests at COP 3 in a new play called “Kyoto”   Past episode about the life of climate scientist and activist Saleemul Huq Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Jessica Beck, and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Achieving net-zero carbon emissions is a massive challenge for every industry, but some have it harder than others.  This week, Bloomberg Green senior reporter Akshat Rathi spoke with two Australian startups that are tackling carbon emissions in sectors whose carbon footprints are particularly intractable. Inspired by shark skin, MicroTau is creating a plastic film that makes airplanes more aerodynamic, reducing their fuel consumption.  Novalith, meanwhile, is redesigning lithium battery  manufacturing to make it cleaner. Both have received funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation in Australia. Rathi sat down with MicroTau founder Henry Bilinsky and Novalith Chief Executive Officer Steven Vassiloudis  to understand the challenges their startups face and where they find optimism.  Explore further: Past episode about carbon-removal startups with Nan Ransohoff, head of climate at Stripe Past episode with Bill Gates about investing in nuclear power and other green energy plants Past episode with BNEF's Claire Curry about how clean energy technology startups can succeed in a difficult investment climate  Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producers are Mythili Rao, Oscar Boyd, Tiffany Tsoi, Sommer Saadi and Magnus Henriksson. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Will Mathis. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before he founded the geothermal startup Fervo in 2017, Tim Latimer was a drilling engineer for the oil and gas industry — a job he loved. “Honestly, if it wasn't for climate change, I probably wouldn't have ever changed my career,” he says this week on Zero. Now Latimer is applying his drilling know-how to Fervo's wells, supercharging their energy production in the process. The company opened its first power plant in Nevada late in 2023, and is now in the process of opening another plant in Utah. Latimer and Akshat Rathi chat about opportunities in geothermal, the infernal permitting process, and why Fervo has its sights on expanding into Kenya, Indonesia, Turkey and the Philippines. Explore further: Past episode with the National Grid's Sanjeet Sanghera about the need to update the grid on the path to net zero Past episode with Bill Gates about investing in nuclear power and other green energy plants Past episode with BNEF's Claire Curry about how clean energy technology startups can succeed in a difficult investment climate  Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The “cold chain” that delivers our food is inconspicuous but vast. The US alone boasts around 5.5 billion cubic feet of refrigerated space; that's 150 Empire State Buildings' worth of freezers. Now, the developing world is catching up. On Zero, Nicola Twilley, author of Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves, discusses how refrigeration became so ubiquitous and what our reliance on it means for our palates and the planet.  Explore further: Past episode with Stacey Abrams on how kitchen-table decisions can cut emissions Past episode with journalist George Monbiot on how the world's food system needs a radical rethink  Past episode with two vertical farming companies taking agriculture indoors Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Aaron Rutkoff and Monique Mulima. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Zero, Reporter Akshat Rathi sits down with Renee Salas, an emergency medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and a leading expert on the health impacts of global warming. The intersection of health and climate change is a growing area of research, and an increasingly urgent one: Heat deaths among seniors, for example, are projected to increase 370% by mid-century.  But even the young and relatively healthy are at risk.. “The take-home I want everyone to go away with is that we all are at risk for this,” Salas says, “especially as we get into more and more extreme conditions.” Explore further: Past episode with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe about how higher temperatures results in “global weirding” Past episode with John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: A True Story from A Hotter World Past episode with Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer at UN-Habitat about designing cities to face extreme heat Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Matthew Griffin, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Upgrading the grid for a net-zero world isn't just a matter of building new infrastructure. Yes, miles of additional cables will be needed, as will more transformers, more substations and more engineers and technicians. But plenty of existing technology will also need to be updated. On the third episode of Zero's grid series, TS Conductor founder Jason Huang discusses the material science breakthroughs that have enabled his company to create cables that have twice the conductivity of existing cables — and just as much strength.  Explore further: Past episode with grid expert Sanjeet Sanghera about the global challenge of updating the grid Past episode with Scottish Power CEO Keith Anderson about the kinds of government interventions that can speed the march to electrification  Past episode with Bill Gates about the tech startup investment landscape Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim, Matthew Griffin, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.