Cleaning Up. Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

Season 13

Dec. 18, 2024

Have We Lost The Climate Argument? Ep190: Lord Adair Turner

Are we losing the argument that climate change requires action and investment? Can we balance the need for affordable energy with the costs of decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement and aviation? And how can w...

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Dec. 11, 2024

How Climate Philanthropy Spends Its Billions | Ep189: Greg De Temmerm…

Climate philanthropies are playing an increasingly important role in funding climate action. In 2023, an estimated $9-16 billion was spent by philanthropies on programs to mitigate climate change. But how do they choose how t...

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Dec. 4, 2024

Is The International Order Too Weak To Stop Climate Change? Ep188: Ja…

What was achieved at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan? Where will the promised $300 billion come from, and how will it be spent? And what reforms are needed to make the COP process more effective and impactful? This week, host Micha...

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Nov. 27, 2024

⁠Can Exponential Growth Save a Finite Planet? Ep187: Azeem Azhar

As we race towards a future powered by AI and data centres, how will the insatiable demand for energy impact the environment? With the richest companies ploughing billions into energy generation, might there be some unexpecte...

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Nov. 20, 2024

Is It Ever OK to Promote Fossil Fuels? Ep186: Rory Sutherland

How can behavioural science and psychology be leveraged to drive meaningful change around climate action? What unintended consequences might arise from heavy-handed government mandates versus more subtle interventions? And in...

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Nov. 13, 2024

Is Trump's Victory A Win For China? Ep185: Professor Qi Ye

Is China's lead in clean technologies insurmountable? How will the Trump presidency shape relations with China? And when will China's emissions peak? Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, has said that 'almost...

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Nov. 11, 2024

How Trump & Musk Will Reshape US Climate Action — Michael Liebreich &…

How will the Trump administration's policies impact the clean energy transition in the United States? What will be Elon Musk's role in shaping climate policy? And what are the geopolitical implications of the US withdrawing f...

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Nov. 6, 2024

The Biggest, Dirtiest Secret of the Energy Industry — Ep184: Jonathan…

Could we save billions by simply reducing energy waste? How can we power the vast, energy-hungry growth of AI without sacrificing climate goals? And is Europe doomed to high energy costs and deindustrialisation? This week on ...

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Oct. 30, 2024

Who Will Be the Tesla of the Waves? Ep183: Ben Sorkin

How difficult is it to power a boat just with electricity? Is an electric outboard as reliable as a fossil-fuel one when taken out to sea? And just how much better is an electric engine for reducing pollution and noise? …

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Oct. 23, 2024

Is There Really an EV Slowdown? Ep182: Colin McKerracher

Is the shift to electric vehicles really slowing down? Are people losing interest in EVs, or is there more to the story? How will changes in the global automotive industry impact the net-zero transition? And If no one wants E...

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Oct. 16, 2024

Can Half a Trillion Dollars Help the US Catch China? Ep181: Ethan Zi…

China has taken a commanding lead in manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and batteries, and is central to the green energy transition. Now, the US is hoping to catch up, and has spent almost $500 bill...

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Oct. 9, 2024

What Have the Oceans Ever Done For Us? Ep180: Helen Czerski

Ocean's absorb one third of the CO2 we are recklessly pumping into the atmosphere, as well as 90% of the heat. What would happen if that were to stop? The oceans define every aspect of our planet's physical systems, its …

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Oct. 2, 2024

Geothermal is Having a Moment, Can it Deliver? Ep179: Cindy Taff

Is the key to clean energy the heat beneath our feet? Could advances in the fossil-fuel extraction industry hold the key to providing 24/7 clean power? And can a Texan CEO and former oil exec bring geothermal to the masses? …

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Sept. 25, 2024

Slowdown, what Slowdown? The EV Revolution is Just Getting Started | …

What will it take for electric vehicles to truly dominate the transportation landscape? Can traditional automakers adapt quickly enough to the EV revolution, or will new players seize the opportunity? And how close are we to ...

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Sept. 18, 2024

Is it Time for Climate Interventions? | Ep177: Kelly Wanser

As climate impacts mount, pressure is building on policymakers to find ways to alleviate the crisis. One controversial option being explored is geoengineering - direct human interventions to cool the planet. But can we safely...

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Sept. 11, 2024

The Great Hydrogen Reset — Is It Germany's Turn? Ep176: Eva Schmid

Germany is one of the most bullish countries in the world on clean/green hydrogen. The home of the Energiewende is not just one of the most committed countries in the world to reaching net zero, it is of course a …

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Sept. 4, 2024

⁠The Kraken Wakes: Creating the Utility of the Future | Ep175: Greg J…

How does a startup become the largest provider of electricity in the UK in less than a decade? What is locational pricing and how could it encourage more renewables? And is it possible to achieve a zero-carbon electricity sys...

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