Podcast appearances and mentions of brett christophers

This week, we look beyond the physical infrastructure supporting our lives to the owners taking over that infrastructure: asset managers. Brett Christophers, an author, professor, and economic geographer at Uppsala University in Sweden, joins me to explore the troubling transformation of infrastructure ownership in today's economy. From housing to energy to water, massive asset management firms like Blackstone and Brookfield have positioned themselves more and more between citizens and essential services, extracting wealth while taking minimal risk. Christophers explains how this shift from public to private control has reshaped our relationship with everyday infrastructure, particularly as we attempt to transform our energy supplies. He argues that the profit-driven approach of these financial giants is at odds with the public good, creating a system where even as things like renewable technology get cheaper, their deployment slows due to insufficient returns for investors.

In 2015, a vigorous response to climate change seemed possible: even fossil fuel companies talked about transitioning to cleaner energy. But exploration and exploitation of oil and gas reserves have continued unabated, and in 2024, annual temperatures surpassed the 1.5ºC limit set by the Paris Agreement. In a recent piece, Brett Christophers describes the global shift from active policymaking to acceptance and surrender. He joins Tom to discuss the roles of Europe, the US and China in climate change, why solutions like ‘carbon capture' are futile and where there's room for cautious optimism.Find further reading on the episode page: https://lrb.me/climateovershootpodSponsored links:Use the code ‘LRB' to get £150 off Serious Readers lights here: https://www.seriousreaders.com/lrb Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is the President-elect. Meta, Walmart and McDonald's have forsaken previous diversity policies. Elon Musk has demanded that Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, be removed. Why is this all happening at the same time? And why do progressives have so little to offer when it comes to the economy and people's material conditions? Brett […]

While there are many hurdles to addressing the climate crisis in a meaningful way, there's been one consistent bright spot in climate news over the last decade: the price of renewable energy — particularly solar and wind power — has dropped dramatically. By many measures, they're now cheaper to produce than fossil fuels. So does that mean that when it comes to a “green transition,” the hardest part is behind us? With wind and solar now cheaper than fossil fuel, can simply let “the market” take care of the rest? According to Brett Christophers, a professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University and author of the new book “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”: absolutely not.On this episode (originally broadcast on the Rhodes Center Podcast) political economist and Rhodes Center director Mark Blyth talks with Brett about why cheap renewable energy production won't lead to renewables dominating the energy market. In doing so, they also put the entire energy economy under a microscope and challenge the notion that the private sector will ever be able to lead us through a green transition.Learn more about and purchase “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”Watch Brett's October 2024 talk at the Rhodes CenterSubscribe to the Rhodes Center Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts

El är inte vilken vara som helst, och priset på el är extremt volatilt. Varför är det så? Varför fungerar inte elmarknaden som andra marknader? Och kan marknaden lösa omställningen till förnybar energi? Max Jerneck intervjuar Brett Christophers, ekonomisk geograf och professor vid Institutet för bostads- och stadsforskning vid Uppsala universitet, och aktuell med boken ”The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”.

To state the obvious, there are many hurdles to addressing the climate crisis in a meaningful way. However, there's been one relatively bright spot on this front in the last decade: the price of renewable energy — particularly solar and wind power — has dropped dramatically. By many measures, they're now cheaper to produce than fossil fuels. So does that mean when it comes to a “green transition” can we just sit back and let the market take care of it? According to Brett Christophers, a professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University and author of the new book “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”: absolutely not.On this episode, Mark and Brett discuss the many reasons why cheap renewable energy production won't lead to renewables dominating the energy market. In doing so, they also put the entire energy economy under a microscope and challenge the notion that the private sector will ever be able to lead us through a green transition.Learn more about and purchase “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”Watch Brett's October 2024 talk at the Rhodes CenterLearn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Banker har inntatt en mer tilbaketrukket rolle siden den globale finanskrisen for over et tiår siden. I dag har kapitalforvaltere som Blackstone og BlackRock fått en dominerende rolle i økonomien. Disse kapitalforvalterne eier ikke bare finansielle eiendeler, men også veiene vi kjører på, rørene til drikkevannet vårt, energisystemene for strøm og varme, sykehus, skoler og til og med hjemmene mange av oss bor i – alt dette fyller nå kapitalforvalternes stadig voksende investeringsporteføljer. Som eiere av stadig flere grunnleggende byggesteiner i hverdagen, særlig i urbane områder, former kapitalforvalterne livene til oss alle på inngripende måter. Gjest i denne episoden er Brett Christophers, professor i samfunnsgeografi ved Uppsala universitet og forfatter av boken " Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the world" (2023). Programleder er stipendiat Yngve Solli Heiret ved institutt for sosiologi og samfunnsgeografi ved Universitetet i Oslo. This episode is available in English only.

In this episode, host Bill engages with Brett Christophers, Professor of Human Geography and author, to explore the intersections of private equity, climate investment, and the realities of capitalism in tackling global issues. He delves into the premise of his book, The Price is Wrong, questioning the reliance on private capital to drive decarbonization and assessing the potential limits of profitability in achieving climate goals. Their conversation addresses policy gaps, the importance of long-term investment vehicles, and the role of public versus private sectors in leading sustainable change. Listen in!

In this fascinating interview with Professor Brett Christophers from Uppsala University, we dive deep into the complex relationship between finance, energy markets, and the global climate crisis, as explored in his new book The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet. Brett provides critical insights into why global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise despite falling renewable energy costs. He explains how governments worldwide have effectively outsourced decarbonization to the financial sector, expecting private markets to lead the way in renewable energy investment.This episode sheds light on the structural and profitability constraints that hinder the pace of the renewable energy transition, challenging the widely held belief that the solution lies solely in market-driven mechanisms. Brett critiques the reliance on financial markets to redirect capital away from fossil fuels and highlights the geopolitical and financial intricacies surrounding energy security. Through a detailed examination of energy economics, we explore why big oil and gas companies remain highly profitable and resistant to change—even in a world urgently demanding decarbonization.Brett Christophers  is a political economist and professor at Uppsala University in Sweden. His work focuses on economic geography, with a particular emphasis on the intersections of finance, land and capitalism. Brett's the author of several influential books exploring the dynamics of land ownership, finance and economic power, including The New Enclosure, Rentier Capitalism, and most recently, The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet. 

Welcome to the very first episode of the new series, "It's Not What They Told You." In this series, Mo Gawdat unpacks the hidden truths behind the systems that govern our lives. In the first episode, Mo is joined by Brett Christophers, a brilliant political economist and professor who's spent years exploring the gritty realities of capitalism, finance, and housing. In this conversation, they dig deep into why your rent keeps going up, who really benefits from housing market crashes, and the powerful forces pulling the strings behind the scenes. Get ready to challenge your understanding of capitalism and discover what they didn't tell you.00:00 Intro to It's Not What They Told You2:19 Mo: The Recovering Capitalist3:30 Intro to Brett Christophers5:40 What is Capitalism?12:29 What is Private Equity?17:30 Why Your Rent is Going Up30:00 Who Benefits from House Price Crashes?33:25 What Can the Average Person Do?36:00 The Two Underlying Problems about Home Ownership41:30 Should People Accept Renting as Their Reality?46:30 Capitalist Enterprises Do Everything to Avoid Competition54:00 How Do These Companies Hold Power?1:00:40 Who Owns the Economy?1:04:38 Do Not Believe What You Are Told1:05:00 How Do You Become Richer?Get Brett's book 'The Price is Wrong' here: https://rb.gy/8zv7qiYouTube: @mogawdatofficialInstagram: @mo_gawdatFacebook: @mo.gawdat.officialLinkedIn: /in/mogawdatTiktok: @mogawdatX: @mgawdatWebsite: mogawdat.comDon't forget to subscribe to Slo Mo for new episodes every Saturday. Only with your help can we reach One Billion Happy #onebillionhappy

Followers of Macrodose may remember our Roundtable episode from earlier this year, in which Adrienne spoke to James and the brilliant Brett Christophers about the many and varied reasons why — despite all the hype about how cheap renewables have become — the transition to renewable energy cannot be left to the market and the profit motive. What that conversation didn't leave us with, however, was an answer to the obvious question: if not the market, then what? Here to make the case for a simple but radical solution are Chris Hayes and Melanie Brusseler, the Chief Economist and US Programme Director, respectively, at Common Wealth, a progressive UK based think tank and our partners in this series. In today's episode, Chris and Melanie break down how public ownership can transform our energy system, providing not only a faster and cheaper path to 100% clean energy, but also the foundations of a more just and democratic economy overall.

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a new, weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in cleantech and climate in 15 minutes or less. This week's episode features Financial Times' Brett Christophers, who reported on China's exponential growth in the renewables industry. This Week in Cleantech — July 26, 2024This week's “Cleantecher of the Week” is Jonathan Foley, climate scientist and Executive Director at Project Drawdown!Get Ready to Pay More for Less-Reliable Electricity - Wall Street JournalEPA awards $4.3 billion to fund projects in 30 states to reduce climate pollution - Associated PressIRA's biggest climate program has ‘decimal dust' for oversight - POLITICOCan the solar industry keep the lights on? - Financial TimesWe must not mistake China's success on green energy for a global one - Financial TimesWatch the full episode on YouTubeHelp make This Week in Cleantech the best it can be. Send feedback and story recommendations to rew@clarionevents.com. And don't forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts.Join us every Friday for new episodes of This Week in Cleantech in the Factor This! podcast feed, and tune into new episodes of Factor This! every Monday.This Week in Cleantech is hosted by Renewable Energy World senior content director John Engel and Tigercomm president Mike Casey. The show is produced by Brian Mendes with research support from Alex Petersen and Clare Quirin.Registration is live for GridTECH Connect Forum - Northeast. Join us in Newport Rhode, Island October 28-30 for the interconnection event. Click the link in the episode description to get 10% off your ticket. The conference program is available here.

Asset managers today like Blackstone and BlackRock own our roads, our water, schools, homes, farmland and hospitals.  This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll talk to Brett Christophers, author […] The post Why Asset Managers Own the World and Presente! appeared first on KKFI.

00:08 Brett Christophers is an economic geographer at Upsalla University's Institute for Housing and Urban Research. His new book is  The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet  The post Brett Christophers on how de-regulation's stymied the clean-energy transition appeared first on KPFA.

Author of ‘The Price Is Wrong', Brett Christophers, joins the show to discuss the theories in his book.On a recent episode of the show, host Ed Crooks was joined by Melissa Lott and Joseph Majkut to discuss two books that were generating a lot of interest in energy circles. One of those, The Price Is Wrong, argues that inadequate profitability is the key reason why the transition to low-carbon energy is not moving fast enough to address the threat of global warming.There are plenty of interesting and provocative points raised in the book, so it made sense to hear them direct from the source. Ed and Melissa are joined by author and academic Brett Christophers to dissect the main points: the challenges and obstacles faced by renewable energy projects in terms of profitability and investment, and the true impact of these on progressing the energy transition.Christophers says that low returns in renewables are a result of competition, volatility in wholesale power markets, and the design of energy markets – ‘returns are lower in renewables because there's too much money chasing too few projects.' Ed and Melissa weigh in with their thoughts on this. Plus, they discuss the importance of market design, the role of power purchase agreements, and the need for stability in renewable energy projects. There's a definite need for more stability-providing sources to make renewable energy projects bankable on a larger scale. Are PPAs the answer? Listen back to the review of The Price Is Wrong with Ed, Melissa and Joseph here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/can-capitalism-save-the-planet/id663379413?i=1000658599656See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ed speaks to Brett Christophers about his new book The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet.Brett Christophers is a professor of human geography at Uppsala University's Institute for Housing and Urban Research and the author of four books on economic geography and political economy.Brett and Ed discuss the commodification of electricity, the role of the state in renewable energy projects and why markets can't be relied on to decarbonise the energy sector. The Price is Wrong  was published in February and is available to buy from Verso books here. Audio engineering by Vasko Kostovski. Further listening:  'Are markets the right tool for decarbonizing electricity?', Volts, 2024'Everything You're Told About Green Capitalism Is Wrong', Novara Media, 2024Further reading: 'Antimarket', London Review of Books, 2024'The Price is Wrong - Brett Christophers on saving the planet', Financial Times, 2024Other books by Brett:Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World, 2023Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?, 2020The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain, 2018Click here to read our investigation into the UK biomass supply chain, or watch a clip from the BBC Newsnight documentary.

Just before we head hurtling into election week, Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika are on hand to take you through the reality of Labour's pledge on energy - together with think tank Third Way's Josh Freed who leads its Climate and Energy work and Brett Christophers, author of The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet.Labour has made reforming a troubled energy market one of its six key pledges, with the creation of a Great British Energy company at the heart of that. But will this guarantee energy security going forward? Is it compatible with our long-term commitment to decarbonisation and Net Zero? And, as voters head to the ballot box, how will it answer their big question: will energy prices be going down?For more, visit THEPOWERTEST.CO.UK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his book The Price Is Wrong, Brett Christophers argues that, contrary to recent economic triumphalism among renewables advocates, wind and solar are not profitable enough to attract the private capital necessary to scale as fast as they need to scale. In this episode, he and I dig deep (extremely deep) into the details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Two books that are essential reading for energy wonks give contrasting views on how to tackle climate change.The hot book in the energy world right now is Brett Christophers' The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet. It's a detailed look at the structural issues in electricity markets and the challenges of generating returns on renewable investments, arguing that inadequate profitability is the key reason why the transition to low-carbon energy is not moving fast enough to address the threat of global warming.It's a provocative thesis that has sparked heated debate, on both sides of the debate. If you work in the energy business, you need to get to grips with the argument, even if you ultimately think it's wrong.In this episode, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, Professor at Columbia University's Climate School, and Joseph Majkut, director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss the question of whether private investment and market forces can bring about the reduction in emissions that the world needs.They also review another important book that has broadly the opposite message: Askhat Rathi's Climate Capitalism – Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions. That book focuses on the real examples of progress in the energy transition.At a time when the pace of the energy transition globally may be faltering, and the 1.5 degrees limit to global warming is getting further and further out of reach, Climate Capitalism shows just how much change and innovation there is in the industry. Bill Gates says it's an important read for anyone in need of optimism.In spirit, at least, it seems like a very different message from The Price Is Wrong. But are the fundamental conclusions of the two books really so different? Ed, Melissa and Joseph discuss whether there might be some common ground there after all.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Renewable energy technology is only getting cheaper. And yet it hasn't increased its share of the energy mix for two decades. So what explains this paradox: cheap green energy with incredibly slow adoption? According to Brett Christophers, there is a straightforward explanation for this seeming paradox: the capitalist need for profits. And green energy projects […]

This week, we delve into the economics of climate change with acclaimed author Brett Christophers - who has previously illuminated the pervasive influence of investment funds in our daily lives through books like "Our Lives in Their Portfolios". This time, he turns his analytical lens to the urgent issue of climate change. We'll explore why economic incentives alone may not be the solution we envision. Christophers critically examines the low investibility of wind and solar industries, questioning why big companies would pivot to renewables if they aren't profitable. So what can be done? Tune in for a compelling conversation that challenges conventional wisdom and seeks alternative strategies for effective climate action. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brett Christopher, professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University, joins the podcast to discuss his new book "The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet"

It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with Brett Christophers, Professor at the Department of Geography at Uppsala University in Sweden, to discuss his recent book The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save The Planet. Then, she's joined by Ronnie Chatah, host of the Beirut Banyan YouTube channel and co-host of the MTV podcast, to discuss the current geopolitical circumstances in Lebanon. Check out Brett's book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3069-the-price-is-wrong Check out The Beirut Banyan here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebeirutbanyan Find out more about the MTV podcast here: https://ronniechatah.com/mtv-podcast Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Check out Seder's Seeds here!: https://www.sedersseeds.com/ ; use coupon code Majority and get 15% off; ALSO, if you have pictures of your Seder's Seeds, send them here!: hello@sedersseeds.com Check out this GoFundMe in support of Mohammad Aldaghma's niece in Gaza, who has Down Syndrome: http://tinyurl.com/7zb4hujt Check out the "Repair Gaza" campaign courtesy of the Glia Project here: https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/rebuild_gaza_help_repair_and_rebuild_the_lives_and_work_of_our_glia_team#!/ Get emails on the IRS pilot program for tax filing here!: https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/subscriber/new Check out StrikeAid here!; https://strikeaid.com/ Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: http://majority.fm/app Check out today's sponsors: Fast Growing Trees: This Spring Fast Growing Trees has the best deals online, up to half off on select plants and other deals. And listeners to our show get an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF their first purchase when using the code MAJORITY at checkout. That's an ADDITIONAL 15% OFF at https://FastGrowingTrees.com using the code MAJORITY at checkout. https://FastGrowingTrees.com code MAJORITY. Offer is valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply.Nuts.com: Right now, https://Nuts.com is offering new customers a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at https://Nuts.com/majority. So, go check out all of the delicious options at https://Nuts.com/majority. You'll receive a free gift and free shipping when you spend $29 or more! Henson Shaving: It's time to say no to subscriptions and yes to a razor that'll last you a lifetime. Visit https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY to pick the razor for you and use code MAJORITY and you'll get two years' worth of blades free with your razor–just make sure to add them to your cart. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/

For decades, the biggest pushback against renewable energy was that it was more expensive to generate than electricity that came from the burning of fossil fuels. But all that changed in 2016 when both solar and wind-generated electricity became cheaper than electricity generated by coal and natural gas, at least when using the industry-standard metric, Levelized Cost of Energy. Despite the fact that renewable energy has overcome its biggest obstacle and can now be generated cheaper than fossil fuels, investments in fossil fuels continue to increase and new renewable generation development is not keeping pace with increases in demand. What happened? Brett Christophers is a Professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University. He joined the podcast this week to explain why price isn't the most important metric to look at when determining the prospects for the development of clean energy projects. His new book, "The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet", provides some answers to the question of why renewables aren't growing as quickly as we need them to, given that the price of renewables have fallen well below their fossil fuel counterparts. His critiques of capitalism, energy markets, and our fascination with the Levelized Cost of Energy are some of the most compelling arguments you're likely to hear on why we need transformative changes instead of incremental reforms to our existing economic system, especially when it comes to how electricity is bought and sold. Read "The Price is Wrong" As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Join our Facebook group.  

On today's episode James Meadway is joined by Brett Christophers and Adrienne Buller to discuss the economics of the green energy transition, asking how we could finance it and what's stopping us? They talked “market failures”, “maladaptation” and the future of economics: growth and degrowth. Brett Christophers is professor of human geography at Uppsala University's Institute for Housing and Urban Research. Grab his latest book ‘The Price is Wrong: Why capitalism won't save the planet' here: tinyurl.com/4p6tpuh3 Adrienne Buller is Director of Research and London-based Think Tank Common Wealth. Find her book 'The Value of a whale: on the illusions of green capitalism' here: tinyurl.com/3bdp6haa A massive thank you to all of our existing Patreon subscribers, your support keeps the show running and we are very grateful. If you have the means and enjoy our work, head over to patreon.com/Macrodose and subscribe today. Find our socials, newsletter and more here:⁠⁠⁠⁠ linktr.ee/macrodosepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or get in touch at ⁠⁠macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk⁠⁠ For more about the work we do at Planet B Productions, go to ⁠⁠⁠planetbproductions.co.uk⁠

Listeners of the Rhodes Center Podcast have probably heard of companies like Black Rock, State Street and Vanguard. You've also probably heard how, through ETFs and other investment products, these types of investment firms own a staggering share of the world's biggest companies (20-25% of the S&P 500 by some estimates). But in this episode, you'll hear about a whole other side of asset management; one that's more opaque, and possibly much more influential (and corrosive) to our daily lives. Brett Christophers is a geographer and professor at Uppsala University's Institute for Housing and Urban Research, and author of the new book “Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World.” In it, he explains how asset management companies like Blackstone and Macquarie Asset Management do more than passively own shares. Over the last few decades, they've begun to invest in and actively run a growing portion of our infrastructure and essential services: hospitals, care homes, water treatment plants, bridges and even parking meters. On this episode, he talks with Mark Blyth about the economics of this new subspecies of asset management, and how they've begun to reshape our society, economy and planet in ways we don't fully understand. Learn about and purchase “Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World”Learn more about other podcasts from the Watson Institute at Brown UniversityTranscript coming soon to our website

Worried about your carbon emissions? Don't stress! You can pump out as much as you want - as long as you buy some offsets to balance it out. Scared of the collapse of wildlife? No problem! We can figure out how much money our ecosystems are worth, and let the market do the rest! Welcome to the logic of green capitalism. Fossil fuel giants claim to celebrate sustainability while pumping out toxic emissions. Governments are relying on carbon offsets to make their climate promises add up. And we're told that we can fight the climate crisis with the magic of economic markets. Why have corporations got so interested in sustainability? Will carbon offsets save us - or are they just a cute accounting trick? And if wind and solar energy are so cheap, why haven't we embraced them? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Adrienne Buller, author of The Value of a Whale: On the illusions of green capitalism, and Brett Christophers, author of The Price is Wrong: Why capitalism won't save the planet. ------- Music by Serge Quadrado, used under Creative Commons licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and James Rush The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

If there is any one word that is synonymous with tackling climate change it is “electrification”. Yes, getting off fossil fuels and taking the majority of CO2 out of our economy are the goals of many working on the climate, but if there was one silver bullet for the climate movement its generating more clean electricity.  Renewable forms of energy have sharply decreased in price over the last twenty years, and battery storage solutions are coming on in leaps and bounds, but most of the world is still tied to oil and gas for their electricity use. So our question today is: Why aren't we moving faster on the green energy transition?  luckily we've found a guy who might know. Our guest today is Brett Christophers, Brett is a political economist and economic geographer, and has just published his new book “The Price is Wrong “Why capitalism won't save the Planet “  on Verso books.  Andrew and Lucy discuss with Brett why the energy sector is so complex, how it favors fossil fuel based energy production , why isn't investment pouring into green energy and how china and India's energy needs should be a focus for the years to come. LinksPick up a copy of Brett's book herehttps://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3069-the-price-is-wrongShout outhttps://heatmap.news/Support the show

Asset management companies like Blackrock, Vanguard and Macquarie have avoided real scrutiny for decades, but their secretive activities are starting to attract attention from political researchers and academics. What do these companies do, and what risk do they pose to society? Author and academic Brett Christophers sets out to answer this question in his new […]

Welcome to episode 5, of PoliEdPod. In this episode, we present our interview with author Prof. Brett Christophers, on his book Our Lives in their Portfolios; Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso 2023). Our conversation covers the contemporary asset market, the rentier economy, and the changing nature of ruling class control over nearly all aspects […]

Swedish oat milk company Oatly says it's on a mission to defeat the almighty dairy industry and save the planet. To do that, it claims it needs to grow into a massive corporate success — and it's willing to take on controversial investments to get there. In episode two of ‘The Oatly Chronicles', we investigate what makes those investors so controversial. It takes us on a journey from green capitalism being battled out in the coffee shops of Malmö; to enormous housing protests in a post-financial crisis Spain; to… China? This series is funded by Journalismfund Europe and the Allianz Foundation Thanks for listening. If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few bucks a month at ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠ (many currencies are available). You can also help new listeners find the show by ⁠⁠⁠leaving us a review⁠⁠⁠ or giving us five stars on Spotify.   Credits: This episode was produced by Katz Laszlo, and reported by Katz Laszlo and Katy Lee. Editing came from Katy Lee, as well as Justine Paradis, visiting from NPR's excellent podcast, Outside/In. Editorial support came from Margot Gibbs, Dominic Kraemer and Wojciech Oleksiak, and mastering, scoring and sound design also came from Wojciech.  Artwork came from favourite illustrator RTiiiKA. Thank for talking to us: Fredrik Gertten, Lucía Gonzalez Martín, Laura Young, George Monbiot, Max Carbonell, Ben Axler, Brett Christophers, and Gregor Sebastian.  Special thanks to lovely neighbours Joris Klingen and Thomas van Dijk, for letting us use their very nice studio. You can find their music under Bovenburen. Interesting links: ‘Change Isn't Easy' - Oatly's statement on the Blackstone investment (August 2022 update) https://community.oatly.com/conversations/news-and-views/change-isnt-easy/62f2f4c91b4bf47dd15fb249  ‘Private Equity Propels the Climate Crisis' - a report by the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, 2021 https://pestakeholder.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PESP_SpecialReport_ClimateCrisis_Oct2021_Final.pdf ‘These Photos Show the Reality of Spain's Housing Crisis' - Time, August 2015 https://time.com/4007349/spain-evictions-housing-crisis/ ‘#RavalVsBlackstone. The right to the city versus the finance-real estate-tourism complex' - European Network of Corporate Observatories, June 2020 https://corpwatchers.eu/en/investigations/cities-versus-multinationals/ravalvsblackstone-the-right-to-the-city-versus-the-finance-real-estate-tourism ‘Activists sour on Oatly vegan milk after stake sold to Trump-linked Blackstone' - The Guardian, September 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/sep/01/oatly-vegan-milk-sale-blackstone ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | Bluesky | ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠  ⁠⁠hello@europeanspodcast.com

Ever wondered about the growing presence of asset managers in all aspects of our lives?Brett Christophers is a Professor in the Department of Human Geography at Uppsala University in Sweden and the author of several books. His latest work is titled Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World, and next year, he has a new book coming out called The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet. Brett and Greg discuss the migration from public equity to private, the rise of large landlords and infrastructure providers, and the outsourcing of public services to the private sector. The conversation takes a deep dive into the realm of asset management in the housing sector. Brett offers an enlightening perspective on what it means for tenants when asset managers are landlords. They unpack the mixed bag of potential benefits and disadvantages that could arise in this scenario. Brett and Greg also discuss the rising trend of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing, and how asset managers are leveraging this wave.*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*Episode Quotes:Are asset managers public service or a powerful rhetoric?40:43: One of the main lines of defense that these investment managers, asset managers, rely upon when they come under attack from the likes of me, but not only the likes of me, politicians from the likes of Elizabeth Warren and so on in the U.S., is they'll say, "Look, you don't want to be attacking us because we're providing a public service in the way you just outlined. If our funds perform well, then that's all to the well and good because the money we're investing through those funds is the money of the firefighters, the teachers, and the nurses." And that's a very powerful piece of rhetoric. It's that rhetoric which sustains the business model in large part because people buy that rhetoric, and therefore, the business continues on its merry way.The power of asset managers in infrastructure investments33:50: If governments have increasingly persuaded themselves that the private sector is the answer in terms of infrastructure investment, then almost by definition they've persuaded themselves that asset managers are the answer. Because asset managers have the command of the greatest surplus capital today, if you're looking into the private sector to invest, then, essentially, you're looking to asset managers because they're the ones that have all the dry powder.Are asset management companies publicly traded but still opaque?23:40: Public ownership entails a certain degree of scrutiny that is still lacking in the cases of these asset management companies, even if those asset management firms are themselves publicly traded. Many of them now are the likes of Blackstone, which would be a good example of that. So yes, the firms themselves are publicly traded, but much of what occurs through the funds that they established is obviously still very, very opaque in a way that is not necessarily true of publicly traded companies.Private equity and real estate investments use the same fee mechanisms and fund structures03:41: Whether you're talking about private equity or real estate investment, what you find is that they're often using exactly the same kind of fee mechanisms, fund structures, and so on. So that's why I use that terminology, because I think that the most important thing to really draw attention to is this fact that, at the end of the day, most of the money that they're investing is not their own. And that's a key feature of this. But even though, of course, they're using different investment strategies, different fund structures, and so on.Show Links:Recommended Resources:Pension fundKKR & Co. Inc.Blackstone Inc.The Carlyle GroupPensions in CanadaOMERSBrookfield CorporationMacquarie GroupSovereign wealth fundGuest Profile:Faculty Profile at Uppsala UniversityHis Work:The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the PlanetOur Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the WorldRentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal BritainThe Great Leveler: Capitalism and Competition in the Court of LawBanking Across Boundaries: Placing Finance in CapitalismEnvisioning Media Power: On Capital and Geographies of TelevisionDavid Harvey: A Critical Introduction to His ThoughtEconomic Geography: A Critical Introduction (Critical Introductions to Geography)Google Scholar PageAcademia.edu ArticlesThe Guardian ArticlesTime Articles

Host Clara Sherley Appel speaks with Brett Christophers, author of Rentier Capitalism. A geographer based out of the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University, Brett's work focuses on various aspects of Western capitalism, both historically and in the present day. In 2018, he wrote The New Enclosure, about Margaret Thatcher's immensely successful program to privatize land in the UK, for which he won the 2019 Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Memorial Prize. In 2020 he published Rentier Capitalism, which provides a framework for understanding the political economy of the 20th and 21st centuries in terms of the extraction of rents by the haves from the have nots, and explores the consequences of an economic system that incentivizes private ownership on a massive scale. Though the focus of Christophers' book is on the UK, he extends his analysis to California's housing crisis as part of this conversation, making it essential listening for anyong seeking to understand the damage that has been done during the neoliberal era — and what is necessary to undo it. Special Guest: Brett Christophers.

feedback @ ryan@soulsearching.in EPISODE LINKS: Brett's Profile Page : https://www.katalog.uu.se/profile/?id=N8-1036 Amazon Book link : https://www.amazon.in/Our-Lives-Their-Portfolios-Managers-ebook/dp/B0BWMZW21K PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/ryandsouza Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3NQhg6S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3qJ3tWJ Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3P66j2B Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3am7rQc Gaana: https://bit.ly/3ANS4v1 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/609210d4/podcast/rss --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ryandsouza/message

With Steven Joyce, Brett Christophers, and James Shaw.

On this week's episode of Lever Time, David Sirota is joined by Jeff Goodell, author of the new book The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, to discuss recent deadly heat waves and how they're a prelude to dangers to come.This past July was the hottest single month in recorded history. In the United States, temperatures rose above 120 degrees in several regions of the country, and ocean temperatures in parts of Florida reached 101 degrees, potentially shattering the world record for ocean heat.It's not just the temperature that's rising. Over the past few months, there has also been an increase in heat-related deaths and hospitalizations, including for life-threatening burns people have suffered from falling onto scorching concrete. Heat is the deadliest type of weather, each year killing on average more than twice as many people as tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Of course, the groups that most acutely suffer from extreme heat events tend to be the most vulnerable, like unhoused people, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. To examine these problems, Sirota sits down with Goodell, a climate journalist and bestselling author. Together they break down which regions of the country will experience the most severe heat in the future, the limitations of air conditioning as a potential solution, our new geologic era, and how our concept of summer is set to drastically change from fun to survival. A transcript of this episode is available here.Links: The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet (Hachette Books, 2023) The Anthropocene began in 1950s, scientists say (NPR, 2023) BONUS: This past Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever's supporting subscribers, featured David's interview with political economist and economic geographer Brett Christophers, author of the new book Our Lives In Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own The World. If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.If you'd like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

HIGH FINANCE: Laurie Taylor talks to Brett Christophers, Professor in the Department of Human Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden, whose latest book argues that banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis . Today, our new economic masters are asset managers who don't just own financial assets, they also own the roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live—these all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. They're joined by Megan Tobias Neely, Assistant Professor in the Department of Organization at Copenhagen Business School and author of a study which takes us behind the designer suits and helicopter commutes to provide a glimpse of the lives and times of the mainly white men who dominate the hedge fund industry where about 10,000 firms manage $4 trillion in assets and the average earnings are $1.4 mm a year - which can rise to several billion. Producer: Jayne Egerton

HIGH FINANCE: Laurie Taylor talks to Brett Christophers, Professor in the Department of Human Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden, whose latest book argues that banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis . Today, our new economic masters are asset managers who don’t just own financial assets, they also own the roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live—these all now swell asset managers’ bulging investment portfolios. They’re joined by Megan Tobias Neely, Assistant Professor in the Department of Organization at Copenhagen Business School and author of a study which takes us behind the designer suits and helicopter commutes to provide a glimpse of the lives and times of the mainly white men who dominate the hedge fund industry where about 10,000 firms manage $4 trillion in assets and the average earnings are $1.4 mm a year - which can rise to several billion. Producer: Jayne Egerton

This spring, swimmers in Kent were told to avoid ten beaches in the county due to sewage leaks. Public outrage at sewage pouring into our rivers and beaches has so far focused on water companies. But is someone else to blame? The pipes that carry sewage in Kent are not owned by Southern Water, or even Kent County Council. They belong to a massive Australian asset management firm that most of us have never heard of. Asset management firms are not household names, but they've come to own our energy systems, hospitals, schools, and even the pipes that supply our drinking water. So who are these shadowy companies? What even is asset management? And why are they buying up the things we need to keep our society going? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by political economist and economic geographer Brett Christophers to discuss his new book Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World. Grab a copy of the book here: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/2985-our-lives-in-their-portfolios-why-asset-managers-own-the-world ----- Music by Chad Crouch and Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence. Produced by Becky Malone, Margaret Welsh and Katrina Gaffney. Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF! The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more at www.neweconomics.org

0:08 — Brett Christophers is Professor in the Department of Social and Economic Geography at Uppsala University. A political economist and economic geographer, he is the author of Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World The post Brett Christophers on “Why Asset Managers Own the World” appeared first on KPFA.

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/finance

Banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis over a decade ago. Today, our new financial masters are asset managers, like Blackstone and BlackRock. And they don't just own financial assets. The roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us live-all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. As the owners of more and more of the basic building blocks of everyday life, asset managers shape the lives of each and every one of us in profound and disturbing ways. In Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World (Verso, 2023), Brett Christophers peels back the veil on "asset manager society." Asset managers, he shows, are unlike traditional owners of housing and other essential infrastructure. Buying and selling these life-supporting assets at a dizzying pace, the crux of their business model is not long-term investment and careful custodianship but making quick profits for themselves and the investors that back them. In asset manager society, the natural and built environments that sustain us become one more vehicle for siphoning money from the many to the few. Brett Christophers is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden. His previous books include The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2019) and Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?  (2020).  Brian Hamilton is chair of the Department of History and Social Science at Deerfield Academy. Twitter. Website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kieran was joined by Brett Christophers author of Our Lives in Their Portfolios to discuss large global groups like vulture funds buying up properties in Ireland and if it is inherently wrong to be a landlord.

How did fund managers end up controlling so much of the essential services on which we rely, from water to electricity and property? Who gave them the money? And does it matter that they do? Neil and Jonathan talk to author Brett Christophers, whose new book Our Lives in Their Portfolios argues that the giant funds that dominate the landscape are driven by terrible incentives - and that's why they are running our infrastructure into the ground. Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Brett Christophers.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Prof. Brett Christophers of Uppsala University speaks to host Nicolas Wittstock about the difficulties of obtaining financing for clean energy projects despite recent cost reductions of renewables.

Hoy ampliamos el debate respecto a la distribución de la riqueza. Y, particularmente, respecto a su ausencia. La desigualdad y la pobreza no son un evento meteorológico ni natural. Es una descisión política y de asimetría en la distribución de los recursos: muchos para las garrapatas, ninguno para ti. Con @IracundoIsidoro , @Shine_McShine , y @desempleado666. Conduce @TxusMarcano. Bibliografía: "Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?"by Brett Christophers; "The People’s Republic of Walmart: How the World’s Biggest Corporations are Laying the Foundation for Socialism"by Leigh Phillips, Michal Rozworski; "Abundancia roja. Sueño y utopía en la URSS" de Spufford, Francis. Paper:https://www.benjaminbraun.org/research/ Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

On this episode Mark talks with political economist Brett Christophers. Brett's a Professor at Uppsala University, and author of ‘Rentier Capitalism: Who Owns the Economy, and Who Pays for It?'. In the book, Brett explains how neoliberalism and financialization have led to an explosion of rent-seeking businesses in a variety of sectors, from natural resource extraction and finance, to tech and hospitality. And while it allows some companies to thrive, Brett argues that mostly it stifles innovation, hurts competition, and defangs what's left of organized labor. In Brett's view, this new model of capitalism is one of the key economics challenges we face. After reading his book, you might agree. You can learn more about and purchase Brett Christopher's book here: [https://www.versobooks.com/books/3683-rentier-capitalism] You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/16-3YA3_gQpvbt29ESkZJGe5nuDtOHzEL/view?usp=sharing]

In this episode, we talk about the steps taken to find Lydia and Wickham, how much Darcy paid to get them married, the moral and social approach towards what Lydia has done, why Mrs Bennet thinks there will be a duel, the letter from Mr Collins, and Elizabeth's changing feelings towards Darcy.We discuss the character of George Wickham. Ellen talks about marriage settlements and marriage laws, and Harriet looks at how some modernisations of the book adapt the Lydia plot.We also revisit the subject of enclosures, in response to some feedback, and talk about social inequality and how it's not really addressed in Jane Austen's work.Things we mention: Books: W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman, 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England (1930)Flora Thompson, Lark Rise to Candleford (1939)The works of Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)Curtis Sittenfeld, Eligible (2016) Claire LaZebnik, Epic Fail (2011) Also two books Eszter included in her comment to us, but which we didn't include in the recording:Guy Shrubsole, Who Owns England? (2019)Brett Christophers, The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2018)  Movies and television: BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin FirthBestboy Pictures, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) – starring Kam Heskin and Orlando Seale Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent GordhCreative commons music usedExtract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen. 

Land Struggles: From Bolivia to Britain, the way that land is owned and controlled is central to many contemporary inequalities and political battles. Laurie Taylor talks to Brett Christophers, Professor in the Department of Social and Economic Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden, about ‘the new enclosure’, a UK study into the appropriation of public land by the private sector – an astonishing two million hectares worth £400 billion – in recent decades. This ownership now forms the largest component of wealth in Britain and is the largest privatisation of a public resource in European history. Also, Penelope Anthias, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at University of Durham, describes the lives of indigenous people in Bolivia as they struggle to regain ancestral territory after a century of colonialism and state backed dispossession. Producer: Jayne Egerton