The Earth Set Podcast

This week’s bonus episode comes from South by Southwest London, where Earth Set and the Blue Earth Summit hosted a live discussion exploring one of the most overlooked dimensions of the plastics crisis: human health. Guest names: Sian Sutherland - Host, Founder of A Plastic Planet Saabira Chaudhuri - Author of Consumed Laura Harnett - Founder, Seep Amir Afshar - Founder, Shellworks Professor Richard Lea - University of Nottingham The conversation moves beyond familiar debates about litter, recycling and ocean pollution to examine what happens when plastic becomes part of our bodies. From declining fertility and endocrine-disrupting chemicals to the history of single-use plastics and the challenge of building viable alternatives, the discussion brings together scientists, entrepreneurs, campaigners and journalists to ask a difficult question: if the evidence around plastic’s health impacts continues to grow, what will it take for business, policymakers and consumers to respond? Along the way, the panel explores how plastics became embedded in modern life, why recycling is not the answer to solving the crisis, and whether a new generation of materials and business models can reduce our dependence on fossil-fuel-based plastics without creating new problems of their own. In This Episode You'll Learn: • How endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics can interfere with the body’s hormonal systems and reproductive health • Why scientists are increasingly concerned about declining fertility rates, falling sperm counts and rising reproductive disorders • How exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy may affect health outcomes later in life • The surprising history of how plastics transformed consumer behaviour, packaging and modern convenience • Why plastic production continues to grow despite decades of recycling campaigns and public awareness efforts • What critics argue is wrong with today’s recycling system — and why many believe reduction and reuse must play a larger role • How entrepreneurs are developing alternative materials designed to replicate the benefits of plastic without creating persistent waste • Why regulation, economics and consumer expectations remain major barriers to scaling plastic-free solutions • Whether human health concerns could become the catalyst that finally accelerates action on plastic pollution and chemical safety 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 ⁠earthset.co⁠⁠ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: • Leave 5 stars • Write a quick review • Share the episode with someone interested in climate technology, innovation or industrial strategy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

This week’s episode comes from Octopus Energy HQ where Amy Rennison is joined by Phil Cohen , Patrick Matthewson , Rachel Fletcher , and Aruna Ramsamy . The conversation explores a growing tension at the heart of the UK’s industrial strategy: the push to decarbonise heavy industry is running directly into some of the highest industrial electricity prices in the OECD. Across steel, chemicals, manufacturing and energy-intensive production, the technologies for deep decarbonisation increasingly exist — but the economics, infrastructure and policy frameworks are not yet aligned to deploy them at scale. What emerges is not a simple trade-off between climate ambition and industrial survival, but a more complex systems problem: fragmented policy design, high energy system costs, and weak demand signals are all shaping investment decisions in ways that risk slowing both electrification and industrial renewal. Against this backdrop, international examples like Sweden’s H2 Green Steel highlight how low-cost power, coordinated policy and long-term offtake agreements can unlock entirely new industrial ecosystems. The central question becomes whether the UK can correct these structural issues quickly enough to prevent a gradual erosion of its industrial base while still pursuing net zero. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why UK industrial electricity prices are among the highest in Europe and how policy costs, network investment and market design contribute to them • How energy-intensive sectors like steel, chemicals and glass are already experiencing output declines linked to the energy crisis • Why electrification is widely seen as the main route to industrial decarbonisation, despite technical limits in some high-temperature processes • How fragmented policy between energy, industrial strategy and regulation is slowing investment and creating uncertainty for manufacturers • Why compensation schemes and exemptions only partially offset high costs and fail to address structural competitiveness issues • How projects like H2 Green Steel in Sweden demonstrate the importance of low-cost electricity, carbon pricing and coordinated demand for enabling new industrial investment • Why investors and manufacturers are increasingly calling for deeper market reform, including connection reform, flexibility markets and removal of policy costs from electricity bills 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 earthset.co⁠ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: • Leave 5 stars • Write a quick review • Share the episode with someone interested in climate technology, innovation or industrial strategy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

This week’s episode takes a step back from individual topics to look at the bigger picture: a Q1 2026 review of the climate and energy stories that have defined the year so far — and what they mean for what comes next. Hosted by Amy Rennison , the conversation brings together three returning perspectives spanning analysis, politics and capital. Lucy Shaw , energy analyst and advisor, breaks down the system-level dynamics shaping energy markets and infrastructure. Luke Shore , from Project Tempo, explores how these shifts are landing politically, and how voters are responding. And Max Bray , partner at Kindred Capital, offers a view from the investment side, tracking where capital is flowing and where confidence is changing. Across five fast-moving topics, from AI-driven energy demand to US climate policy, capital flows, the Iran crisis, and UK energy strategy, the discussion builds a picture of a system under pressure from multiple directions at once. What emerges is a transition no longer defined by a single narrative. Instead, it’s shaped by competing forces: rapid demand growth, geopolitical instability, political backlash, and uneven progress across technologies and regions. At the centre is a familiar tension, now more visible than ever: the need to move quickly, and the growing risk that rising costs, infrastructure constraints, and political resistance could slow things down. If the transition is no longer just about decarbonisation, but about affordability, security and public consent, the question becomes: can the system adapt fast enough to hold all three together? In this episode you’ll learn: Why AI has rapidly shifted from a tech story to an energy and infrastructure story How Europe’s economic fundamentals are affecting its ability to scale climate technologies Whether we are actually on track for net zero — and how that depends on how you define “on track” Why electrification — not just clean power — is now the critical missing piece How the Iran crisis is affecting global energy markets, supply chains and pricing How high energy prices are affecting UK industry — from steel to ceramics Why delivery — not just policy — is now the key challenge for governments How crises like today’s energy shock compare to historical moments like the 1970s oil crisis Why moments of disruption can either accelerate change — or be missed entirely Resources & Links Project Tempo – Research on public attitudes to climate and energy policy Kindred Capital – Early-stage investment across deep tech and energy Cornish Lithium – UK-based lithium extraction and geothermal development Gridserve – UK EV charging and renewable energy infrastructure Fuse Energy – Vertically integrated energy company model 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here:👉 earthset.co If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in climate, energy or public policy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

This week’s episode comes from Octopus Energy HQ, where Amy Rennison hosts a live Earth Set conversation on one of the most contested — and least clearly defined — ideas in the transition: the “just transition”. She’s joined by three perspectives spanning community, policy and capital. David Powell from the Local Storytelling Exchange brings a grounded view from communities across the UK, exploring how people actually experience change — often in ways that never show up in policy. Grace Millman , working on just transitions and community energy at Regen , looks at how fairness, participation and regional inequality shape the way net zero lands in real places. And Jordan Fletcher , investor at Future Impact Ventures, shares how capital can be deployed not just to decarbonise, but to create broader social and economic value from the start. The conversation moves beyond theory into the lived reality of the transition: rising energy bills, contested infrastructure, uneven access to new technologies, and the growing sense among many communities that change is happening to them, not with them. Together, they unpack a central tension: the need to move fast — and the risk that moving fast without fairness ultimately slows everything down. If the transition is as much about trust, perception and lived experience as it is about technology, the question becomes this: how do we design a system that people actually feel is working for them? In this episode you’ll learn: Why the “just transition” means different things to different people — and why that ambiguity matters How feelings of fairness, pride and dignity shape public support for climate action Why most people don’t talk about “climate” — but do care about their homes, bills and communities How storytelling reveals the gap between policy design and lived experience The role of trust — and why people are more likely to act on advice from someone they know than from institutions Why speed vs fairness is a false trade-off — and how unfair transitions often stal How infrastructure projects like grid expansion are creating tension in local communities Why energy bills remain the dominant lens through which people experience the transition Resources & Links Local Storytelling Exchange – Community-led climate storytelling across the UK Check out the video mentioned at the start of the episode from the Local Storytelling Exchange that gives the real stories of the green transition Future Impact Ventures – Investment in the just transition at the intersection of climate, community and capital Community Energy England – Network supporting local energy projects and ownership models 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy.First Tuesday of every month.Grab tickets here: 👉 earthset.co⁠ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in climate, energy or public policy It helps more people discover the show.Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

This week’s episode comes from the Eden Project in Cornwall, where Amy Rennison and Fiona Howarth speak to two very different — but equally important — voices in the transition. First, Augusta Grand , CEO of Eden Geothermal, shares the story of bringing geothermal energy to the UK — from early resistance to wind power through to the realities of drilling, financing and scaling a new energy source. The conversation explores why geothermal has long been overlooked, how rapidly the technology is advancing, and why it could play a critical role in both electricity and heat. Then, Amy speaks with Jane Davidson , former Welsh minister and architect of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act — one of the most ambitious pieces of sustainability legislation in the world. They discuss how the Act came to life, what it has changed, and how it is now shaping Wales’ approach to long-term decision making and net zero. Together, these conversations explore two sides of the same challenge: how we move from ambition to delivery — whether that’s building new energy infrastructure or redesigning the systems that govern it. If the transition depends on both technology and institutions, the real question becomes this: how do we align innovation, policy and people to actually deliver change at scale? In this episode you’ll learn: What geothermal energy is and why it has been underutilised in the UK How advances in drilling technology are rapidly improving the economics of geothermal The difference between geothermal for electricity and geothermal for heat — and why heat matters most Why countries like France, Germany and the Netherlands are ahead on geothermal deployment The role of government policy, funding and market design in unlocking new energy technologies How local energy systems, data centres and grid constraints are shaping future infrastructure decisions What the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act is and why it is unique globally The shift from a “duty to promote” to a “duty to deliver” in public policy How long-term thinking is embedded into Welsh governance across all public institutions Real-world examples of how the Act has influenced procurement, planning and community outcomes Why political systems struggle with long-term decision making — and how this can change How Wales is approaching net zero through a delivery-focused, system-wide plan The importance of making climate policy tangible, practical and accessible to the public Resources & Links Eden Geothermal – Project and research on geothermal energy in the UK Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (Wales) – Framework for long-term, sustainable governance. 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 earthset.co⁠ If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in climate technology, innovation or industrial strategy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

Behind every climate solution lies a human challenge. A challenge not just of technology or capital, but of people — the skills, training and pathways needed to turn ambition into reality. In this episode, Fiona Howarth sits down with Rich Tyrie , CEO of GoodPeople , to explore the growing green skills gap and what it will take to close it. From building talent pipelines to connecting local communities with meaningful work, Rich shares insights from over a decade of experience working at the intersection of employment, social impact and the energy transition. The conversation explores why millions of workers will need to be reskilled, why the current system struggles to keep up, and why solving the skills gap is as much about coordination and collaboration as it is about education. If the transition to net zero depends on people, the real question becomes this: how do we build a workforce ready to deliver it? Why the UK needs millions of workers to be reskilled for the energy transition What the “green skills gap” actually means — and why it’s bigger than most people think How labour market fragmentation makes it harder to match people with opportunities Why many “green jobs” aren’t obvious — from scaffolders to finance roles The difference between “dark green” and “light green” skills Why education systems struggle to keep pace with changing workforce demands The role of employers in shaping future talent pipelines How social value and procurement are influencing business behaviour Why early engagement with schools and young people is critical How place-based approaches can unlock more inclusive access to jobs What’s driving collaboration in regions like Greater Manchester Practical ways individuals can explore and access green careers today Net Zero Careers – Explore green jobs, training pathways and opportunities across the UK 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 earthset.co⁠ Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in climate technology, innovation or industrial strategy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon. In this episode you’ll learn: Resources & Links If you enjoyed this episode

Behind every breakthrough climate technology lies a quieter, more fragile moment. The point where innovation has been proven, but scaling it into the real world becomes uncertain, expensive and deeply complex. In this episode, Amy Rennison sits down with Sarah Macintosh of Cleantech for UK and Jim Totty of Virdis Capital to explore one of the most critical — and least understood — challenges in the climate transition: the “first-of-a-kind” gap, often referred to as the valley of death. Drawing on their recent research with Cleantech for UK, the conversation unpacks why so many promising climate technologies struggle to reach commercial scale, despite strong early innovation and growing global demand. From funding gaps and capability challenges to risk perception and policy design, this episode explores the systemic barriers holding back the next generation of industrial climate solutions — and what it will take to unlock them. If the technologies to decarbonise already exist, the real question becomes this: why are so few of them making it to full-scale deployment? In this episode you’ll learn: What “first-of-a-kind” projects are and why they sit at the hardest stage of climate innovation Why the transition from pilot to commercial scale is so difficult for climate tech companies The funding gap between venture capital and infrastructure finance — and why it persists How founders must shift their narrative from “innovative and unique” to “bankable and low-risk” The critical role of offtake agreements, supply contracts and project finance structures Why internal capabilities — from leadership teams to technical validation — can make or break scaling How the UK compares to the US, Europe and Asia in supporting climate technology deployment The impact of energy prices and market structures on where projects get built What policy tools (like contracts for difference, procurement and guarantees) can unlock progress Why ecosystem fragmentation — across investors, corporates, government and service providers — remains a major barrier The scale of the UK’s pipeline of climate projects and where the biggest opportunities lie Why this is not just a capital problem, but a systems and coordination challenge Resources & Links Cleantech for UK – Research on first-of-a-kind climate projects and scaling challenges 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 earthset.co⁠ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in climate technology, innovation or industrial strategy It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

Behind every electric car sits a far older and more complex story. A story about minerals, mining, geopolitics and a global race to control the materials that power the energy transition. In this episode, Fiona Howarth sits down with Henry Sanderson , Financial Times journalist and author of Volt Rush , to explore the hidden history of electric vehicles and the critical minerals that make them possible. From the early experiments of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, to the rise of lithium-ion batteries and China’s dominance of global battery supply chains, Henry unpacks how electric vehicles became viable and why the competition for minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel is now shaping global politics. The conversation explores how China built its battery industry, why Western countries are scrambling to catch up, and why the clean energy transition still depends heavily on mining, metals and industrial supply chains. If the world is electrifying everything, the real question becomes this: who controls the materials that make electrification possible? In this episode you’ll learn: The surprising early history of electric cars and why they nearly won the race against gasoline vehicles over a century ago How lithium-ion batteries unlocked the modern EV revolution Why minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel and graphite are essential to the clean energy transition How China built dominance across the global battery supply chain Why Western countries struggle to finance new mining projects How geopolitics, trade policy and subsidies are reshaping the EV industry The tension between sustainable mining and the massive demand for critical minerals What the next generation of battery technology and energy storage could look like Resources & Links Henry Sanderson – Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors and policy leaders shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here:👉 earthset.co If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share the episode with someone interested in clean energy, geopolitics or the future of electric vehicles It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

What if one of the most important industries for solving climate change barely exists today? The world is getting better at reducing emissions. Renewable energy is scaling. Electrification is accelerating. Efficiency is improving. But even in the most optimistic climate scenarios, billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide will still need to be removed from the atmosphere every year. In this Earth Set conversation, Amy brings together three experts working on the emerging carbon removal economy to unpack what that actually means. Codie Rossi , Director of Carbon Management and Markets at the Clean Air Task Force , works on the policy frameworks shaping carbon removal markets. Richard Barker , Partner at Counteract , advises investors and companies on carbon strategy and the realities of scaling climate technologies. Swarnali Mitra , Director at CUR8 , builds portfolios of carbon removal projects for corporate buyers navigating the early market. Together they explore how carbon removal works, why it’s becoming central to climate strategy, and why building this industry could be one of the largest economic transitions of the coming decades. Humanity emits roughly 55–60 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases every year . Most climate pathways now suggest the world will also need 5–15 billion tonnes of carbon removal annually to stabilise global temperatures. Today, we remove only a tiny fraction of that. This conversation explores the gap between those numbers, the technologies trying to close it, and the financial and policy systems that will determine whether carbon removal becomes a defining industry of the 21st century. In this episode you’ll learn Why cutting emissions alone won’t be enough to stabilise the climate What carbon removal actually is and how it differs from carbon capture and offsets Why the world may need billions of tonnes of removals every year How approaches like direct air capture, mineralisation and ocean-based removal work Why carbon removal markets are still at a very early stage The financing challenge of building projects before buyers exist How corporate buyers are helping to create early demand Why measurement, verification and trust are critical to scaling the sector How carbon removal could become embedded across industries from agriculture to construction Why this conversation matters Carbon removal sits at the intersection of climate science, finance, technology and policy. If the world is serious about stabilising atmospheric carbon levels, a whole new industrial system will need to be built to remove CO₂ and store it safely. That system is only just beginning. Understanding how it might develop is key for investors, policymakers, founders and anyone interested in the future of climate solutions. 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live Earth Set hosts monthly conversations in London with founders, investors and policymakers working on the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here👉 earthset.co ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave a rating Write a short review Share the episode with someone interested in climate innovation, climate finance or the future of net zero It helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

If two thirds of the public believe climate change is real, support renewables, and want government action… why does it feel like net zero is suddenly on shaky ground? At February’s Earth Set Live, we took on one of the most consequential shifts in the transition right now: the rise of climate opposition inside mainstream politics. This was a serious look at what’s actually driving the backlash. Energy bills. Industrial decline. Security fears. Media narratives. Political realignment. Fiona Howarth was joined by: Luke Shore , Deputy CEO at Project Tempo Alex Carr, Deputy Director at Clean Air Task Force (CATF) Sam Hall , Director of the Conservative Environment Network Together, they unpacked what’s really happening beneath the headlines. In this episode you’ll learn: Why public belief in climate change remains high — but urgency has slipped behind cost of living pressures How energy prices became the fault line in UK climate politics Why “net zero” polls worse than “climate action” — and what that means for communication What’s behind the growing divide between Conservative voters and Conservative leadership Whether Clean Power 2030 is a strategic masterstroke or a political vulnerability The industrial trilemma facing Europe: decarbonise, stay competitive, keep industry Why renewables curtailment has become such a powerful symbol in the debate Whether moving levies from electricity to gas would ease the pressure or inflame it How media framing shapes public perception more than most climate advocates admit And whether democracy is capable of delivering long-term climate strategy in short political cycles Key threads that emerged Affordability now drives the politics. The debate has shifted. It is no longer primarily about whether climate change is real. It is about who pays, when, and how much. Climate is now industrial strategy. Energy security, supply chains, clean manufacturing and geopolitical competition are shaping climate policy as much as emissions targets. Market design may matter more than targets. Grid reform, storage, electrification incentives and pricing structures could determine whether the transition accelerates or stalls. Public support is not collapsing. Despite louder opposition voices, broad support for climate action remains resilient. The challenge is reconnecting the transition to tangible everyday benefit. Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) . CATF is a global nonprofit working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by accelerating the development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognised expertise in climate policy, CATF is known for its pragmatic, non-ideological approach, focused on what works at scale. From industrial decarbonisation and clean firm power to methane reduction and advanced technologies, CATF works across policy, innovation and markets to help deliver durable climate solutions. Learn more about their work at: https://www.catf.us/ Join Earth Set live Earth Set convenes founders, policymakers, investors and operators shaping how the green transition actually happens. We meet monthly in London. First Tuesday of every month. Tickets and details: earthset.co If you enjoyed this episode, please... Leave a rating. Share it with someone working at the intersection of climate and policy. Join us in person next month. The transition will not be decided by technology alone. It will be shaped by politics, economics and public trust. See you at the next event.

What actually happened in UK climate tech investment last year? At our second live recording of Season Two, hosted at HSBC Innovation Banking during the Blue Earth Investment Forum in January, we brought the data to the table. No anecdotes, no gossip. Just numbers, trends and a candid look at what they mean for 2026. Amy was joined by Sarah Mackintosh, Director at Cleantech for UK, and Sammy Fry, Head of Climate Tech at Tech Nation. Between them, they track thousands of startups, billions in capital flows, and the policy frameworks shaping the sector. The headline? 2025 was not the collapse some feared. Total equity funding reached £3.9bn, debt and project finance continued to grow, and the UK remains surprisingly stable relative to its size. But beneath that surface stability, there are deeper shifts. Early stage deals are down. Hardware investment has fallen sharply. The Series A and B “valley of death” remains a structural challenge. Meanwhile, AI continues to absorb a growing share of venture capital. This conversation unpacks what is actually happening, where the pressure points are, and where opportunity may be building quietly. In this episode you’ll learn: Why 2025 was stronger than many expected, yet still worrying beneath the surface What the decline in seed and Series A funding means for the pipeline Why hardware startups are facing a 70%+ drop in investment How energy and power continue to dominate climate capital flows Whether AI is crowding out climate tech, or simply reshaping it The role of Innovate UK, the British Business Bank and the new National Wealth Fund\ Why food, agriculture and human health may be the next frontier What investors should actually focus on in 2026 From patient capital to policy gaps, from energy prices to food security, this is a grounded look at the mechanics behind the green transition. If you work in venture, policy, startups or climate innovation, this is one to bookmark. Guests Sarah Mackintosh Director, CleanTech for UK CleanTech for UK is a policy and advocacy group representing UK clean tech investors. https://www.cleantechforuk.com Sammy Fry Head of Climate Tech, Tech Nation Tech Nation supports high growth tech founders across the UK, including climate and deep tech ventures. https://technation.io Referenced Reports & Resources Cleantech for UK Annual Investment Reports https://www.cleantechforuk.com/publications Tech Nation Climate Tech Report https://technation.io/research-news/ Net Zero Insights https://www.netzeroinsights.com Innovate UK https://www.ukri.org/innovate-uk British Business Bank https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk National Wealth Fund https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk Blue Earth Investment Forum https://blueearthsummit.com Zinc VC https://www.zinc.vc Join Earth Set Live Earth Set hosts monthly live events in London featuring founders, investors, policymakers and operators shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Tickets and details: https://earthset.co If you enjoyed this episode Leave a rating Share it with someone building or backing climate tech Join us in person at a live event Thanks for listening. See you at the next recording.

Coal feels like history. Steam engines. Sooty faces. Museums and memorial plaques. And yet it still generates around a third of the world’s electricity and accounts for roughly 37 percent of global carbon emissions. Every year, we burn close to one tonne of coal per person on Earth. In this live recording from Octopus Energy & Octopus EV HQ, Fiona Howarth unpacks why coal refuses to fade quietly into the past. Joining them are two exceptional guests: Lucy Shaw Energy investor and advisor. Founder of an energy and climate investment consultancy. Former infrastructure investor at Blackstone, Actis, Vena Energy and the IFC (World Bank Group). Former BCG consultant and ExxonMobil engineer. Fulbright Scholar with an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Lucy is currently writing a book titled Slow Burn on the global persistence of coal. Dr Sam Geall Associate Fellow at Chatham House and Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Former CEO of Dialogue Earth (formerly China Dialogue). Specialist in China’s climate and energy transition, with a PhD in Social Anthropology and deep expertise on how energy, politics and industrial policy intersect in China. Together, they explore a question that sounds simple and turns out to be anything but: If coal is dirty, deadly and increasingly uneconomic, why are we still using so much of it? Why coal still supplies around one third of global electricity Why absolute coal use keeps rising, even as its share of the mix falls How coal contributes an estimated 37% of global carbon emissions Why China is simultaneously building record amounts of renewables and new coal capacity How energy security, industrial policy and political legitimacy shape China’s coal strategy What’s driving India’s continued expansion of coal Why coal has become a culture war issue in the US The role of jobs, identity and community in coal regions Whether the UK really has “moved on” from coal, or simply offshored it Why carbon capture is unlikely to rescue coal at scale What a just transition actually looks like, and why most countries are still struggling to deliver one Coal is declining in some regions. It is expanding in others. In many places, it is both shrinking and growing at the same time. One thread ran through the entire conversation: coal is not just an energy source. It is a social system. The question is not simply how to shut coal down. It is how to do so without hollowing out the places that built their lives around it. Lucy Shaw Follow Lucy on Substack Dr Sam Geall Chatham House – Environment & Society Centre Oxford Institute for Energy Studies https://www.oxfordenergy.org Dialogue Earth https://dialogue.earth Further reading on China’s energy transition Dialogue Earth – China energy coverage https://dialogue.earth/en/tag/china-in-the-world/ Earth Set is a growing community of founders, investors, policymakers and operators shaping the business of climate. We host monthly live events in London featuring people building the transition in real time. First Tuesday of every month. Find upcoming events and tickets at: 👉 https://earthset.co Please consider: Leaving a five-star rating Writing a short review Sharing the episode with someone interested in energy, geopolitics or the future of climate policy It helps more people discover the show and join the conversation. Thanks for listening. We’ll see you at the next live event, or back here in your feed soon.

Earth Set is back! Can you believe we're on season 2 already?! We can't! Season 1 started as an experiment. A few live conversations. A microphone in the room. A question about whether the climate transition could be discussed with more depth and less theatre. Ten episodes later, it became clear there was an appetite for honest conversations about how the green transition actually happens. Season 2 builds on that momentum. In this trailer, Fiona and Amy reflect on some of the standout moments from Season 1, from Jamie Arbib’s expansive vision of a world shaped by abundant clean energy and artificial labour to sharp, data-led debates on net zero progress, geopolitics and environmental destruction. Then we look ahead. Season 2 opens with a hard look at coal. Despite progress in countries like the UK, coal still accounts for 37% of global carbon emissions . We unpack why China continues to rely on it, what that means for the global energy system, and why this conversation still matters. We dive into climate tech investing in 2025, hosted alongside Blue Earth and Zinc at the Blue Earth Investment Forum . Which sectors are attracting capital? Where is early stage funding tightening? What does the data suggest about 2026? We explore the politics of climate language and the surprising gap between public perception and reality. In the UK, people believe net zero will cost around 14,000% more than official estimates . At the same time, public concern about climate change remains strong. The challenge is clarity, cost and credibility. Coming up this season: ​ Susannah Fisher on global adaptation and what happens if 1.5°C slips out of reach• Henry Sanderson on critical minerals, geopolitics and the supply chains behind the energy transition• A live conversation on carbon removal and the funding pathways shaping its future Earth Set brings together founders, investors, policymakers and thinkers working at the centre of climate and business. The aim is simple: understand what is working, what is not, and what needs to happen next. Season 2 launches on 16 February. Listen on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.Join us live in London - www.earthset.co And if you find value in these conversations, share them with someone building in this space.

Environmental destruction is often framed as harm, oversight, or bad practice. But what if we started calling it what it really is. Crime. In this season finale of the Earth Set podcast, we are joined by Dr Julia Shaw , criminal psychologist, author, podcast host, and presenter, for a conversation that reframes how we think about crimes against the planet. Julia is the author of Green Crime , a global investigation into the psychology behind environmental crime. Drawing on cases from around the world, she explains why these crimes keep happening, who commits them, and why society consistently underestimates their severity. From corporate scandals like Dieselgate to illegal mining, poaching, and organised crime at sea, Julia shows how environmental crime is systemic, enabled by weak enforcement, social norms, and very human behaviour. In this episode you’ll learn: Why environmental crimes are treated as lesser crimes, and why that matters The six psychological drivers behind environmental crime How corporate and organised environmental crimes really operate Why enforcement and regulation are critical to accountability How psychology can help change behaviour, not just policy This episode marks the end of Season 1 of Earth Set. Thank you to everyone who has listened, shared, and joined us so far. Season 2 and more live events are coming in the new year. 📚 Resources & Links Green Crime by Julia Shaw 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live Monthly live events in London. First Tuesday of every month. Tickets at earthset.co ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode Subscribe, leave a 5 star rating, and share it with someone who would enjoy it.

In this episode we continue our Green Skills audio only series. Fiona speaks with Mat Ilic , CEO of Greenworkx , an organisation building the workforce needed to deliver the transition. Mat’s work sits at the intersection of industry, social impact and public policy, and he brings one of the clearest views on what the UK must do to avoid a skills bottleneck that could slow climate progress for years. The scale of the challenge is stark: around 4 million workers will need to retrain in the next five years if the UK is to stay on track for net zero. Some jobs will disappear. Others will transform. Entirely new sectors will emerge, from low carbon heating to home energy upgrades to the electro technical work that underpins everything from data centres to EV charging. This conversation dives into what it will take to build a workforce capable of meeting that moment. 🔍 In this episode you will learn: Why the workforce gap is becoming one of the biggest risks to net zero Why electrical skills sit at the heart of almost every part of the transition The real barriers stopping people from retraining, from cost to confidence to information gaps Why employers need policy stability to hire and invest in skills at scale What a fair and inclusive transition looks like for workers at every stage of their career How Greenworkx is creating new pathways into roles that did not exist a decade ago Whether you are an employer, policymaker, L and D leader, or someone exploring a move into the green economy, this is a practical and ambitious guide to one of the most urgent challenges of the transition. 📚 Resources and Links Explore Greenworkx: https://greenworkx.org 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, policy leaders and thinkers shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: https://earthset.co ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share it with someone interested in green careers or the future of work It really helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening, and see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

In this live recorded episode, Amy sits down with Michael Liebreich — founder of New Energy Finance, CEO at Liebreich Associates, co-managing partner at EcoPragma Capital, adviser to governments and industry, and host of Cleaning Up — to explore his call for a Pragmatic Climate Reset . Michael argues that the climate conversation has drifted into extremes. Doom on one side. Techno-optimism on the other. His reset calls for something different: more realism, less noise, and a clearer focus on the solutions already working at scale. This conversation moves through politics, COP, UK energy strategy, grid bottlenecks, hydrogen hype, data centres, and the economics of electrification. Michael brings a rare mix of engineering logic, market insight and straight talking honesty — offering one of the clearest explanations of where the transition stands today. In this episode you’ll learn: Why the climate debate needs a reset What Michael means by a Pragmatic Climate Reset Why electrification becomes inevitable when you follow the economics Why the hard “4 percent problem” distracts from the easy “96 percent” How political narratives shape the pace of climate action Why locational pricing could avoid billions in grid waste What data centre growth really means for energy demand Why hydrogen has become a seductive distraction Why behaviour change and public sentiment now matter more than ever What a realistic, practical path to faster deployment looks like What Michael is genuinely optimistic about heading into 2026 📚 Resources & Links Michael Liebreich – Cleaning Up podcast The Pragmatic Climate Reset – Part 1 and Part 2 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, policy leaders and thinkers shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Tickets: earthset.co ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Share it with someone working on the transition

What if the biggest story of the net zero transition isn’t technology, policy or investment, but jobs ? Jobs that disappear, jobs that transform, and millions of jobs that don’t exist yet. In this episode, Fiona sits down with ⁠ Julian Critchlow ⁠ , advisory partner at ⁠ Bain & Company ⁠ , former Director General for Energy Transformation & Clean Growth in UK government, and one of the architects of the UK’s Net Zero Strategy. Julian’s work at Bain on green skills reveals something most people haven’t yet grasped: the transition to a clean economy is going to reshape around 4 million jobs across the UK. That includes roughly 1 million entirely new roles , and 3 million people who will need significant reskilling as industries electrify, retool and reinvent themselves. This conversation connects the dots between climate ambition, industrial strategy and the real human workforce behind the transition. In this episode you’ll learn: Why the UK is one of the most fossil-fuel-exposed economies in the world The surprising sectors where green jobs will appear — including finance, transport, construction and home energy How electrification will transform everything from car servicing to grid engineering Why the biggest blockers to net zero may not be technology — but skills, training and workforce capacity What past transitions (like the decline of coal) teach us about avoiding social and regional disruption How employers can prepare for a future where their entire workforce requires new capabilities Why retraining at scale will demand corporate-led learning , not just universities and colleges Whether you're an employer, policymaker, student, or someone thinking about your next career move, this is one of the clearest explanations of the real workforce implications of net zero you’ll hear. Resources & Links: ⁠ Bain & Company – Green Skills Report ⁠ Join Earth Set Live: We host monthly live events in London featuring founders, policy leaders and thinkers shaping the transition to a resilient, regenerative economy. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 ⁠ earthset.co ⁠ If you enjoyed this episode: Please take a moment to: Leave 5 stars Write a quick review Send it to someone interested in green careers or the future of work — it really helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

In this bonus episode, we step behind the headlines of the latest UN climate talks with writer, editor, and climate activist Grace Pengelly — collaborator on the late Peter Betts’ remarkable book The Climate Diplomat: A Personal History of the COP Conferences . Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the most recent COP, this conversation digs into what really happened, why the negotiations felt particularly fraught, and what Pete’s decades of experience can teach us about multilateral climate diplomacy — even when it looks messy, slow, or “on life support.” Grace shares: How she came to work with Pete Betts during the final year of his life Why Pete believed COP — for all its flaws — is still the only global forum capable of delivering progress at scale What he might have made of the latest summit How “side processes” and quiet relationship-building often drive real breakthroughs Why reforming COP doesn’t mean abandoning it And the role civil society, media, finance, and long-term negotiators must play in what comes next If you’ve ever wondered whether the COP system is still fit for purpose — or why anyone keeps turning up — this is a thoughtful, human, and deeply grounded look inside the world of climate diplomacy. 📚 Resources & People Mentioned Follow Grace Pengelly’s Substack Forest & Climate Finance Initiative (Brazil’s ‘Forest Future Finance’ / TFF) 🎟️ Join Earth Set Live We host monthly live events in London with founders, thinkers, policy leaders, and climate innovators. First Tuesday of every month. Grab tickets here: 👉 https://www.earthset.co ⭐ Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to: Give us 5 stars Leave a short review Share this episode with someone curious about climate politics

In this powerful live episode filmed at Bain & Company London, Earth Set co-founder Fiona Howarth sits down with Neil Shearing , Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics and author of The Fractured Age , to unpack one of the biggest economic shifts of our time: the end of globalisation as we’ve known it . From the rise of China to the role of semiconductors, rare earths, green tech, and the geopolitical tug-of-war reshaping supply chains, Neil offers a clear-eyed look at how the world is dividing into competing blocs — and what that means for business, climate, and global security. Together, they explore: Why the last 30 years of global cooperation are over — and what replaces them China’s economic model, Belt & Road strategy, and dominance in green tech How the US is reshaping alliances, tariffs, and industrial policy 📉 Why Taiwan is the global economy’s most vulnerable chokepoint The critical minerals race: cobalt, rare earths, aluminium, and EV supply chains How fracturing could reshape the energy transition — for better or worse What Western governments must do now to stay competitive Who the winners and losers could be in a world split in two Neil brings nuance, data, and clarity to a topic often dominated by headlines. If you want to understand the forces reshaping the global economy — and the future of climate action — this is essential listening. 🎧 Listen if you’re curious about: Economics, geopolitics, supply chains, China, the US, semiconductors, industrial strategy, climate tech, the energy transition, and how global politics will shape the next decade. 🎟 Join our live events Earth Set hosts monthly conversations in London with the people accelerating a net-positive future. Be part of the room where ideas collide and solutions emerge. Visit earthset.co for information and tickets

Recorded live at the Blue Earth Summit 2025 , this episode captures the energy, optimism, and innovation driving climate action today. Join hosts Amy Rennison and Fiona Howarth as they speak with founders, thinkers, and changemakers across the event — from the Internet of Energy to plastic-free design , community power , steward ownership , and climate tech for good . You’ll hear from: Dan Travers , Open Climate Fix , on AI and decentralized energy Sian Sutherland , A Plastic Planet , on designing waste out of the system Howard Johns & Reg Platt , People Owned Power and Emergent Energy , on bringing solar to every street Sophie Lambin , Kite Insights & Hurd , on unlocking employee-led climate action Patrick Andrews & Erica Neve , Yoak & Steward Ownership Alliance , on reimagining business through nature And more innovators from across the Blue Earth community From the buzz of the summit floor to the big ideas shaping our regenerative future — this episode is a celebration of the current of change flowing through people and projects redefining what’s possible. 📅 Attend our live events in London: earthset.co 💬 Follow us on LinkedIn