Caution, not ambition, will shape the next decade of climate action

Zero: The Climate Race

Bloomberg

Technology, Business, Science

4.8 • 295 Ratings

🗓️ 16 April 2026

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the past month, we've seen two major plans from two of the world's biggest polluters. In March, China approved its 15th five-year plan, which gave us a clearer sense of how the government makes progress on its climate goals. A few weeks after that, India published its climate plan for 2035. This week on Zero, Bloomberg Green’s Lili Pike and Akshat Rathi discuss those climate plans, and whether they’re ambitious enough for the current moment.

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Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Mohsis Andam, Sharon Chen and Laura Millan. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Have you ever wondered what businesses are doing and should be doing to tackle climate change?
0:04.5	Then check out the award-winning and chart-topping podcast, Climate Rising, produced by Harvard Business School and hosted by me, Professor Mike Tawful.
0:11.9	Recently named one of the best environmental podcasts by Earth.org, Climate Rising shares a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the world's top entrepreneurs and business leaders
0:20.8	are addressing climate change, from climate storytelling and marketing to AI, regenerative agriculture,
0:26.2	and beyond. Don't miss out. Follow and listen to Climate Rising wherever you get your podcast.
0:31.0	Welcome to Zero. I am Akshatrati. This week, we are entering a decade of climate caution.
0:49.3	Thank you. This week, we are entering a decade of climate caution. The war in the Middle East has forced countries to focus their attention on the short term.
0:54.3	European countries are offering some subsidies to keep energy prices low.
0:58.6	The US under President Donald Trump is pushing the oil industry to drill more to try to keep
1:03.7	global oil prices from rising even further.
1:07.1	China has halted the export of petrol and diesel, while India has engaged with Iran to secure shipments of liquefied petroleum gas.
1:15.6	But beyond some of those immediate measures, the war hasn't stopped countries from continuing their long-term planning.
1:22.6	In the past month, we've seen two major plans from two of the world's biggest polluters.
1:28.7	In March, China approved its 15th five-year plan, which sets out the trajectory for its entire
1:34.1	economy and gives us a clearer sense of how the government makes progress on its climate
1:39.3	goals.
1:40.6	Then a few weeks after that, India published its climate plan for 2035.
1:45.0	The plan got both types of reactions, praising India's commitment to climate and criticizing it for its lack of ambition.
1:53.0	Today I'm joined by my colleague Lily Pike, who is Bloomberg Green's China reporter, to discuss what these plans signal for the next decade.
2:06.1	In our conversation, we will also touch on two other major emiters, the U.S. where Lilly used to live until last year and Europe where I live.
2:15.5	Lily, welcome to the show.
2:17.1	Great to be here, Akshad. I'm a longtime fan of the pod. Yeah, it's good to the show. Great to be here, Akshad.
	...

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