Audioblogs Episodes

The election of Donald Trump to a second term as President marked a turning point in the politics of climate action – not just in the US, but around the world. The airwaves are suddenly awash with commentators, claiming that the transition has failed, that it was always a fool’s errand, and that we must resign ourselves to a fossil-based future forever. The narratives of failure all revel in pointing out that we have not seen dramatic cuts in fossil fuel use globally, consistent with keepi...

In February, veteran fossil industry advisor Dan Yergin and two co-authors published a piece called The Troubled Transition. In it they dismiss the idea that there is or can ever be an energy transition, anchored on the fact that fossil fuels contributed 85% to so-called primary energy in 1990 and still contribute 80% today. Needless to say, their argument has been widely amplified by the oil and gas industry. They conclude with a demand for a new approach – which they call a “pragmatic path”...

Will AI be a disaster for the climate, or a saviour in disguise? How is AI reshaping power needs around the world? And does a lack of clean electricity spell the end of the AI dream, or a new round of fossil-fuel reliant data centres? All this, and more in the audio adaptation of Michel's article for BloombergNEF: Generative AI: The Power and the Glory. Read the full piece at: https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-generative-ai-the-power-and-the-glory/ Leadership Circle: Cleaning Up is sup...

In this week's episode of Cleaning Up, we find how much and how much more governments would have to spend for hydrogen to live up to its hype. This audio blog is adapted from a piece Michael wrote at the end of last year for BloombergNEF, entitled "Clean Hydrogen's Missing Trillions", which estimated that hitting the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial target of 90 million tonnes of clean energy by 2030 would require subsidies of at least $2.3 trillion to be on the table right now, while the actual figure at the end of last year was 1/10th of that. Although the figures have changed a bit since then, the message remains the same: the subsidy gap remains in the multiple trillions of dollars. It should not therefore be surprising that the news is full of projects being cancelled and delayed. In fact, that will be one of the main hydrogen stories through to 2030 and beyond.

This week, Michael presents the second part of his two-parter for Bloomberg New Energy Finance, exploring the bear and bull cases for the net zero transition. This week is the bull case: the "5 superheroes" of the transition, 5 forces/trends even more powerful than last week's "5 horsemen", which can prevail in the challenge of rapidly decarbonising the global economy. The 5 superheroes are: Exponential Growth, Systems Solutions, Great Power Competition, Disappearing Demand, and the Primary Energy Fallacy. And stay tuned until the end for a 6th "bonus" superhero! This audioblog is based on Michael's Bloomberg New Energy Finance opinion piece of the same title.

Michael is solo this week on Cleaning Up, outlining the "5 horsemen" of the net-zero transition - the five greatest obstacles to the net zero transition. These 5 horsemen are: the economics of energy solutions, the electrical grid, the demand for critical mineral, political and social inertia, predatory delay by the powerful incumbents. This audioblog is based on Michael's Bloomberg New Energy Finance opinion piece of the same title.

This week's episode is a recording of Michael's latest blog post for BloombergNEF: The Next Half-Trillion-Dollar Market – Electrification of Heat Our thanks to BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it and share it with our Cleaning Up audience. Make sure you like, subscribe, and share Cleaning Up, and leave us a review on your chosen podcast platform.

This week, it's a special, bonus episode of Cleaning Up. Michael has some essential messages to keep in mind at the dawn of the new year: 1. Climate action is neither doomed nor a sure thing. 2. People who disagree with you may share your goals, but put facts and priorities in a different order. 3. We will never get to declare victory over climate change.

This week's episode is a recording of Michael's latest blog post for BloombergNEF: CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL POST Our thanks to BloombergNEF for allowing us to record and share it with our Cleaning Up audience.

This week's episode is a recording of Michael's latest blog post for BloombergNEF: https://about.bnef.com/blog/after-ukraine-the-great-clean-energy-acceleration/ Our thanks to BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it and share it with our Cleaning Up audience.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a March 2022 blog post written by Michael for BloombergNEF. https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-the-quest-for-resilience-what-could-possibly-go-wrong/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a 2015 blog post written by Michael for BloombergNEF. https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-energy-sector-transformed-must-energy-sector-reformed/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a October 2020 blog written by Michael for BloombergNEF https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-separating-hype-from-hydrogen-part-two-the-demand-side/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a October 2020 blog written by Michael for BloombergNEF https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-separating-hype-from-hydrogen-part-one-the-supply-side/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a June 2021 blog written by Michael for BloombergNEF https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-climate-action-its-the-trade-stupid/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.

This episode of Cleaning Up is based on a March 2021 blog written by Michael for BloombergNEF https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-climate-and-finance-lessons-from-a-time-machine/ We would like to thank BloombergNEF for allowing us to record it.