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Zero: The Climate Race

Bloomberg

Zero is about the tactics and technologies taking us to a world of zero emissions. Each week Bloomberg’s award-winning reporter Akshat Rathi talks to the people tackling climate change – a venture capitalist hunting for the best cleantech investment, scientists starting companies, politicians who have successfully created climate laws, and CEOs who have completely transformed their businesses. The road to zero emissions has many paths and everyone’s got an opinion about the best route. Listen in.

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#205
Thursday · 33 min
The big questions over European electrification
Europe has been in a state of energy crisis ever since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Prices are high, industry is struggling and the world feels increasingly hostile. So what's the way out? Kristian Ruby is the secretary general of Eurelectric, the trade association of the European electricity industry, and he joins Akshat Rathi on Zero to explain why he sees electrification as the solution Europe needs. Explore further: The Eurelectric website Hackers Hit French Supermarkets in Attack Disabling Fridges — Bloomberg News Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#204
October 22 · 28 min
First cars, now trains: Batteries are coming for everything
The UK was once a pioneer of rail technology. Now, it has one of the worst electrification rates in the world and relies heavily on diesel for long-distance trains. Battery-electric trains are a solution to change the game. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi speaks with James O’Sullivan, product director at Alstom, one of the world's biggest train companies, about a £1 billion ($1.3 billion) contract for battery-electric trains and how they can decarbonize rail travel. Explore further: Alstom and TransPennine Express sign €1.2 billion contracts for Britain’s first mainline battery-electric trains -- press release Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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October 15 · 56 min
A historic El Niño is coming that could cost the world trillions: Odd Lots
Zero is on a break this week, so we’re bringing you an episode from Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast. Hosts Tracy Alloway and Joe Weisenthal speak with Justin Mankin, professor of geography at Dartmouth College and director of the Climate Modelling and Impacts Group, about the enormous impacts El Niño could have on the global economy. This episode was originally recorded in August, but with El Niño already roiling industries and continuing to strengthen, it feels as relevant as ever. If you'd like to read the latest news on El Niño, check out this article from Bloomberg Green’s Eric Roston. Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter: bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots Join the conversation: discord.gg/oddlots See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 8 · 18 min
Tasmania’s electric shipping bet: Bloomberg Australia
Zero is on a break this week, so we’re bringing you an episode from the Bloomberg Australia podcast. A shipyard in Tasmania has delivered the world’s largest electric ship, a 130-metre ferry powered by more than 250 tons of batteries. Host Rebecca Jones talks to David Stringer, Asia Managing Editor for Bloomberg Green and ESG, who toured the vessel and met veteran shipbuilder Robert Clifford. They explore what Tasmania’s maritime innovation could mean for an industry under pressure to cut emissions. Vote for Zero in the Signal Podcast Awards: We’re excited to announce that Zero has been selected as a finalist for the Signal Podcast Awards in the Sustainability & Environment category. Now we need your vote to help us win. Vote for Zero at https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2026/shows/genre/sustainability-environment. Thank you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#203
October 1 · 34 min
Inside the little-known world of China's clean tech startups
China is a hotbed of innovation, filling nearly half of the world’s new patents every year. Much of that work is in the world of clean tech and a whole ecosystem is growing to help make these breakthroughs commercial. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Tonny Xie, chairman of Bluetech Clean Air Alliance, a China-based nonprofit organization that’s helping to grow the next era of climate startups. Read more: Bluetech Clean Air Alliance website Zero: Inside China’s $7 Trillion Green Finance Market Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Lili Pike, Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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September 28 · 20 min
UK energy secretary on net zero and cheaper power: live from New York
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, discusses the country's energy transition, the push for affordable and secure power and the UK’s role in the global climate action with Bloomberg's Aaron Rutkoff at Bloomberg Green New York 2026. Watch the video of this conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdgTzMIgS9g See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#202
September 24 · 39 min
How to build an electrostate
How to make electricity cheap is a question that’s bedeviling policy makers around the world, particularly in the US and Europe. Some countries, however, have figured it out, including Iceland, Norway and China. So how do we get to that point? And what is the role of government versus the role of technology? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Arthur Downing, author of Power and the People, to discuss how to build an electrostate. Explore further: Read Arthur’s Substack: https://energynetworks.substack.com/ Find a copy of Arthur’s book: https://amzn.eu/d/0dSrRHty Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#201
September 17 · 37 min
Inside China’s $7 trillion green finance market
When it comes to green tech, China is a list of superlatives. It produces more solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and batteries than anywhere else in the world. But is finance the real climate hero? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Ma Jun, chairman of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association and former chief economist of China’s central bank. They discuss how the country became a green-finance superpower and how other nations can speed up their own transitions. Explore further: The Hong Kong Green Finance Association website China’s $6.8 Trillion Green Finance Boom Seen Advancing Further - Bloomberg Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#200
September 10 · 33 min
Free Solo climber Alex Honnold's next mission: solar for everyone
Climber Alex Honnold is best known as the star of Free Solo, an Oscar-winning documentary that followed his rope-free ascent of the 3,000-foot (1,000-meter) face of Yosemite’s El Capitan. But he has also established the Honnold Foundation to bring solar power to those who most need it. This week on Zero, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi asks Honnold how he gets big things done and why helping communities get clean energy has become his other passion in life. Explore further: Honnold Foundation website Alex Honnold's website Free Solo trailer Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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September 7 · 17 min
Do-it-yourself energy traders are gaming the grid: Big Take
Energy consumers are used to a pretty simple transaction with utility companies: get electricity to power your home, pay up every month. Now, more consumers are stockpiling their own energy using solar panels and batteries. And some are even making money by selling that energy back to the grid. On last week's Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talked with Zero host Akshat Rathi about a new class of at-home energy trader that’s vibe coding its way to daily energy savings and big profits. Read the full feature story here. Find all episodes of The Big Take podcast here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#199
August 31 · 28 min
Nepal disaster shows how mountains are becoming less stable
On the morning of August 26, a glacial collapse in the Himalayas triggered a flash flood that sent ice, mud, rocks and fast-moving water through a valley in Nepal, wiping out entire communities. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Lou Del Bello, who has been reporting on the disaster for Bloomberg News from New Delhi. They discuss what can be done to keep mountain communities safe, and why events like this are likely to become more frequent in a warming world. Explore further: Nepal Races to Find Missing Amid Threats of Further Flooding What Caused Nepal’s Deadly Flash Flood? Here’s What We Know Nepal: The World's Mountains Are Ticking Time Bombs - Bloomberg A Building Boom in the Himalayas Threatens Climate Disasters The Swiss Alps Reckon With the Threat of Collapsing Glaciers Sound of the week: CRYING GLACIER - The inner sounds of a glacier Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Laura Millan and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#198
August 27 · 40 min
How to fix our vulnerable food system
Extreme weather events this year are starting to hurt food production in serious ways, which is likely to push up everyone’s food prices. That’s before the weather-wrecking super El Niño has really kicked in. So how do we build a food system that is more resilient, more secure and has lower emissions? Paul Behrens, British Academy Global Professor at the Oxford Martin School, joins Akshat Rathi on Zero to discuss. Explore further: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: https://drpaulbehrens.com/books/ Mingfang Ting on Zero: Is the World Prepared for Super El Niño? George Monbiot on Zero: The Food System Needs a Radical Rethink Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#197
August 20 · 42 min
More than AI, this century’s growth story is climate action
It’s 20 years since the Stern Review declared that the costs of inaction on climate change are much higher than the costs of action. So why are emissions continuing to rise? Lord Nicholas Stern tells Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi why he is optimistic about our ability to tackle climate change and what makes those actions the growth story of the 21st century. Explore further: Read for free: The Growth Story of The 21st Century Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi and Alyssa McDonald. 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.
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#196
August 13 · 36 min
When climate change threatens national security
The impacts of climate change are becoming not just unignorable, but unbearable. Yet the political consensus around climate action is fracturing, as leaders debate the speed and scale of the changes needed. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi speaks with Caroline Lucas, the former head of the UK’s Green party and a member of parliament for 14 years, about the increasing threat climate change poses to national security, and what she’s learned from four decades at the frontline of climate politics. Explore further: Caroline’s series for The Rest Is Politics Zack Polanski on Zero Dale Vince on Zero Lieutenant General Richard Nugee on Zero Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Summer Maxwell, Sommer Saadi, Alyssa McDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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#195
August 6 · 43 min
The Iran war revealed that China has a new energy weapon
The Middle East conflict is now in its fifth month, deepening the oil and gas supply shock. Early in the war, analysts worried that the oil price would rise to $200 a barrel, causing a global recession and widespread panic, but that didn’t happen. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Javier Blas to discuss why oil prices stayed around $100 per barrel and why the war is the start of a new paradigm in energy politics. Explore further: Javier Blas’ columns The Global Oil Cushion Isn’t Really Hitting ‘Tank Bottoms’ Another Critical Oil Waterway Is About to Close Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Summer Maxwell, Sommer Saadi, Alyssa McDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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#194
July 30 · 35 min
When AI and climate anxieties collide to make beautiful stories: Imagine Series
How should we navigate a world in which anxieties about AI, climate change and capitalism collide? This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi speaks with Helen Phillips, author of Hum and the second-ever winner of the Climate Fiction Prize. Rathi asks Phillips how she’s transformed her anxieties into captivating prose, how her relationship to technology has changed through writing and what humanity loses out on if we rely on AI too much. Past episodes of Zero’s Imagine series: Abi Dare on finding the best climate stories Julia Wolfe on How Music can Inspire Climate Action George Saunders on Climate Guilt, AI and Critical Thinking Kim Stanley Robison on Abundance, Adequacy and Better Climate Futures Artist Monira Al Qadiri on the End of Oil Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Summer Maxwell, Sommer Saadi, Alyssa McDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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July 23 · 15 min
Bloomberg Australia: Lessons from the world's cleanest air
On a windswept cliff at the edge of Tasmania, scientists are quietly tracking the future of our planet. This week, host Rebecca Jones speaks with David Stringer, managing editor of climate and ESG news in Asia, about Kennaook/Cape Grim — home to some of the cleanest air on Earth and one of the world’s most important climate monitoring stations. Learn how decades of data are reshaping our understanding of climate change, why the site matters to governments and investors, and what Australia’s role could be in the global climate fight. Read more: Listen to our episode with Dale Vince about how the UK can lower energy bills Sign up to the Bloomberg Australia podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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#193
July 20 · 39 min
Ditching net zero to win the climate argument
Andy Burnham has become the UK’s sixth prime minister in just 10 years. When it comes to energy and climate, Labour Party’s Burnham will inherit many of the same challenges of his predecessors: high energy prices, security of supply and an increasingly polarized debate over the UK’s ambitions to reach net zero. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi sits down with Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity and major donor to Labour, to ask can a new UK government make energy cheap? Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Summer Maxwell, Sommer Saadi, Alyssa McDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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#192
July 16 · 32 min
The selfish case for supporting foreign aid
Hundreds of millions of people around the world have no access to reliable electricity, a problem that doesn’t seem to be going away. Since US President Donald Trump started his second term, Western countries have cut development funding, including for climate projects. This week on Zero, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi asks Philippe Valahu, chief executive officer of Private Infrastructure Development Group, why it is still so hard to secure climate finance for developing countries. Explore further: Zero: How the Financial System Can Work for Climate - Bloomberg Zero: Ethiopia's Extraordinary Electric Car Boom - Bloomberg Bloomberg Green’s extreme heat series Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Summer Maxwell, Sommer Saadi, Alyssa McDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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#191
July 9 · 33 min
Is the world prepared for the 'super' El Niño?
The great famine of the 1870s killed 50 million people – and El Niño was a key driver. Another El Niño phase has just begun and it’s expected to be among the strongest. There are five times as many people in 2026 as there were in the 1870s and the planet is 1.4C hotter. So are we better prepared? Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi speaks with Mingfang Ting, professor of climate at Columbia University, about the natural phenomenon and its interaction with human-caused climate change. Read more: Bloomberg Green's deep dive on extreme heat Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Alyssa MacDonald and Laura Millan. 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.
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