Can Capitalism Save the Planet?

Kimberly talks with scientist-turned-journalist Akshat Rathi, of Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg Green's climate podcast, Zero, about his new book, Climate Capitalism: Winning the Race to Zero Emissions and Solving the Crisis of Our Age.

5/2/2024

As Sustainable Planet's cross-interview with The Politics Guys, Kimberly talks with Akshat Rathi, award-winning senior reporter for Bloomberg News and host of Bloomberg Green's climate podcast, Zero, about his new book, Climate Capitalism: Winning the Race to Zero Emissions and Solving the Crisis of Our Age.

Listen to Part One of the interview on The Politics Guys

Topics Kimberly & Akshat discuss include:

  • How a misinformed campaign marketing slogan about ‘clean coal’ led Akshat into the year-long pursuit of uncovering the truth about climate technology

  • Why economists feel the way to address climate change is to put a price on carbon

  • How to achieve negative carbon emissions since zero emissions alone isn’t enough

  • Why, when it comes to electric cars, you’ve never heard of Wan Gang, though Elon Musk is a household name

  • Why the very industries that created lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, and carbon capture and storage are so resistant to employing that technology

  • How private capital from billionaires like Bill Gates and anyone with a 401K plan is a key part of pursuing climate technology

  • That climate justice is both ethically the right path but also reaps global economic benefits

  • The need to shift from ‘shareholder’ to ‘stakeholder’ if we’re going to meet the less-ambitious Paris Conference climate change goals

    Akshat Rathi on X