The Earth Set Podcast

Earth Set
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Earth Set brings together the people shaping a net positive future: founders, investors, scientists, and policymakers who are rethinking how we live, work, and grow on a changing planet. Each episode is recorded live at our monthly events in London, where big ideas collide and real collaborations begin. From clean energy and biodiversity to the future of work and regenerative business, Earth Set explores what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. Listen, get inspired, and be part of the movement toward a thriving planet for people and nature. Find upcoming events at www.earthset.co

  1. 6D AGO

    Carbon Removal for Sale: What’s Real, What’s Hype, and Who Pays?

    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 climateWhat carbon removal actually is and how it differs from carbon capture and offsetsWhy the world may need billions of tonnes of removals every yearHow approaches like direct air capture, mineralisation and ocean-based removal workWhy carbon removal markets are still at a very early stageThe financing challenge of building projects before buyers existHow corporate buyers are helping to create early demandWhy measurement, verification and trust are critical to scaling the sectorHow carbon removal could become embedded across industries from agriculture to constructionWhy 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 ratingWrite a short reviewShare the episode with someone interested in climate innovation, climate finance or the future of net zeroIt helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening — see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

    1h 26m

  2. MAR 2

    Greenlash: Understanding Climate Change Opposition

    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 pressuresHow energy prices became the fault line in UK climate politicsWhy “net zero” polls worse than “climate action” — and what that means for communicationWhat’s behind the growing divide between Conservative voters and Conservative leadershipWhether Clean Power 2030 is a strategic masterstroke or a political vulnerabilityThe industrial trilemma facing Europe: decarbonise, stay competitive, keep industryWhy renewables curtailment has become such a powerful symbol in the debateWhether moving levies from electricity to gas would ease the pressure or inflame itHow media framing shapes public perception more than most climate advocates admitAnd whether democracy is capable of delivering long-term climate strategy in short political cyclesKey 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.

    1h 47m

  3. FEB 23

    Climate Tech at the Start of 2026

    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 surfaceWhat the decline in seed and Series A funding means for the pipelineWhy hardware startups are facing a 70%+ drop in investmentHow energy and power continue to dominate climate capital flowsWhether AI is crowding out climate tech, or simply reshaping itThe role of Innovate UK, the British Business Bank and the new National Wealth Fund\Why food, agriculture and human health may be the next frontierWhat investors should actually focus on in 2026From 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 ratingShare it with someone building or backing climate techJoin us in person at a live eventThanks for listening. See you at the next recording.

    44 min

  4. FEB 16

    Slow Burn: Why We Can’t Quit Coal

    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 ShawEnergy 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 GeallAssociate 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 ShawFollow Lucy on Substack Dr Sam GeallChatham House – Environment & Society Centre Oxford Institute for Energy Studieshttps://www.oxfordenergy.org Dialogue Earthhttps://dialogue.earth Further reading on China’s energy transitionDialogue Earth – China energy coveragehttps://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.

    1h 15m

  5. SEASON 2, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Season 2 Trailer

    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 futureEarth 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.coAnd if you find value in these conversations, share them with someone building in this space.

    7 min

  6. 12/22/2025

    Green Crime: Why Environmental Destruction Is a Criminal Problem

    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 episodeSubscribe, leave a 5 star rating, and share it with someone who would enjoy it.

    46 min

  7. 12/15/2025 · BONUS

    Net Zero’s Breaking Point: The Talent Shortage

    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 zeroWhy electrical skills sit at the heart of almost every part of the transitionThe real barriers stopping people from retraining, from cost to confidence to information gapsWhy employers need policy stability to hire and invest in skills at scaleWhat a fair and inclusive transition looks like for workers at every stage of their careerHow Greenworkx is creating new pathways into roles that did not exist a decade agoWhether 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 starsWrite a quick reviewShare it with someone interested in green careers or the future of workIt really helps more people discover the show. Thanks for listening, and see you at the next live event or in your feed soon.

    37 min

  8. 12/08/2025

    The Pragmatic Climate Reset with Michael Liebreich

    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

    1h 13m
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About

Earth Set brings together the people shaping a net positive future: founders, investors, scientists, and policymakers who are rethinking how we live, work, and grow on a changing planet. Each episode is recorded live at our monthly events in London, where big ideas collide and real collaborations begin. From clean energy and biodiversity to the future of work and regenerative business, Earth Set explores what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. Listen, get inspired, and be part of the movement toward a thriving planet for people and nature. Find upcoming events at www.earthset.co

Information

  • Creator
    Earth Set
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Earth Set
  • Show Website
    The Earth Set Podcast

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