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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
May 7, 2026 • 34min
The Iran war shows why clean energy is the more secure choice
Emily Grubert, a civil engineer and environmental sociologist at Notre Dame who studies energy transitions, explains the mid-transition where fossil and clean systems clash. She discusses grid tensions like solar curtailment and gas ramping. They cover how war and supply shocks expose fossil vulnerabilities, planning to ease transition pains, and the politics and social safety needed to finish the shift to clean electricity.
24 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 42min
A new world order is emerging. Can it tackle climate change?
Gordon LaForge, a Senior policy analyst at New America who studies geopolitics and global governance. He maps how the rules-based international order unraveled and why power is now dispersed. Short takes on weaponized interdependence, fluid coalitions of middle powers, and alternate pathways for climate action. A cautious look at cooperation in a messier world.
13 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 56min
London’s mayor on lessons from one of the world’s greenest cities
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London known for bold air-quality rules and urban climate initiatives. He talks about ultra-low emission zones, clean charging and bus electrification. He discusses housing trade-offs, greenbelt pragmatism and resilience against heat, floods and fires. He reflects on working with national government and climate politics as an electoral issue.
12 snips
Apr 16, 2026 • 33min
Caution, not ambition, will shape the next decade of climate action
Lili Pike, Bloomberg Green China reporter who covers China’s climate and energy policy on the ground. She unpacks China’s 15th five-year plan and its cautious carbon intensity target. She highlights frontier tech mentions like fusion and zero-carbon corridors. She contrasts China’s deployment strength with conservative targets and examines India’s 2035 climate plan and its mixed ambition.
29 snips
Apr 9, 2026 • 36min
How the Iran war will reshape the future of energy
David Fickling, Bloomberg opinion columnist who tracks how energy shocks reshape markets. He traces how the Iran war jolts oil and gas prices across Asia. They discuss diesel dependence, EV and electric truck surges, LNG risks to chipmakers and fertilizer, and why countries may pivot to domestic renewables for long-term energy security.
21 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 37min
Climate tech makes Europe more resilient to Iran War shocks
Aurore Belfrage, a tech investor and sustainability strategist, outlines how energy shocks from the Iran war are reshaping investment. She discusses geopolitical risk steering capital toward European energy sovereignty. Climate tech is reframed as resilience and defense. They cover scaling clean solutions, procurement hurdles, and geothermal’s untapped potential in Europe.
15 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 9min
Here's Why: The Iran war resets the energy transition
Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter who tracks tactics and tech for zero emissions, explains how the Iran war is reshaping energy choices. He explores oil market shocks, why energy security boosts homegrown solar and wind, and whether renewables plus storage and other low-carbon options can replace fossil reliability. He also maps where clean-speed adoption may accelerate globally.
33 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 52min
Zack Polanski’s plan to tax billionaires and make energy affordable
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party in England and Wales and a climate-focused politician, outlines plans to cut bills, expand renewables and retrofit homes. He discusses taxing unearned wealth to fund relief, rethinking security to include climate and cyber risks, and boosting local energy, public ownership and green manufacturing through mission-led policy.
29 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 17min
Big Take: The energy crisis is speeding up clean tech adoption worldwide
Todd Woody, Bloomberg reporter on clean energy and transportation, and Akshat Rathi, Bloomberg climate and clean energy analyst. They discuss surging fuel prices after Middle East conflict and the jump in EV interest. They cover used EV supply, manufacturing limits, and Asia’s accelerating demand. They explore rising interest in heat pumps and rooftop solar and how policy and economics are reshaping adoption.
34 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 40min
The future of climate science without US support
Professor Jim Skea, chair of the IPCC and veteran climate scientist, discusses the panel’s evolution and its stance on science versus advocacy. He explores AR7 priorities like 1.5°C overshoot, carbon removal feasibility, and timing with the global stocktake. He also covers impacts of US funding cuts on participation, how recent extremes fit projections, and AI’s role in report writing.
