Electric aviation fulfills two futuristic promises – flying cars and emissions-free air travel. This week, meet the professor who is working to make it happen. Venkat Viswanathan, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is working to create a battery that can power an aircraft on a trip over 200 miles. Venkat talks to Akshat about the network of people involved in electric aviation, how long it will take to develop such a light and powerful battery, and why aviation is the most important problem for batteries to solve. 

Read a transcript of this episode, here.

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd and our senior producer is Christine Driscoll. Special thanks to Blake Maples, Stacey Wong, Sharon Chen, and Kira Bindrim. 

Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green

Electric aviation fulfills two futuristic promises – flying cars and emissions-free air travel. This week, meet the professor who is working to make it happen. Venkat Viswanathan, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is working to create a battery that can power an aircraft on a trip over 200 miles. Venkat talks to Akshat about the network of people involved in electric aviation, how long it will take to develop such a light and powerful battery, and why aviation is the most important problem for batteries to solve. 
Read a transcript of this episode, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-13/transcript-zero-episode-35-the-climate-case-for-flying-cars">here</a>.
Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd and our senior producer is Christine Driscoll. Special thanks to Blake Maples, Stacey Wong, Sharon Chen, and Kira Bindrim. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>

Zero is about the tactics and technologies taking us to a world of zero emissions. Each week Bloomberg’s award-winning reporter Akshat Rathi talks to the people tackling climate change – a venture capitalist hunting for the best cleantech investment, scientists starting companies, politicians who have successfully created climate laws, and CEOs who have completely transformed their businesses. The road to zero emissions has many paths and everyone’s got an opinion about the best route. Listen in.

Zero: The Climate Race

Zero

The climate case for flying cars

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/be042ea6-4d91-4f16-8376-afe200a12ba4/transcript

Ben & Jerry’s isn’t just known for ice cream, but also its support for social causes. With over $1 billion in sales last year, it’s an asset for its owner Magnum. So why has one of its founders quit, and the other launched a campaign to make Ben & Jerry's independent? Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi sits down with co-founder Ben Cohen to ask about the Free Ben & Jerry’s campaign, why businesses should pursue social causes, and the future of ice cream on a warming planet.

Explore further:
The Free Ben & Jerry’s campaign website: https://freebenandjerrys.com/
Watch this video on YouTube 

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.

Ben &amp; Jerry&rsquo;s isn&rsquo;t just known for ice cream, but also its support for social causes. With over $1 billion in sales last year, it&rsquo;s an asset for its owner Magnum. So why has one of its founders quit, and the other launched a campaign to make Ben &amp; Jerry's independent? Bloomberg&rsquo;s Akshat Rathi sits down with co-founder Ben Cohen to ask about the Free Ben &amp; Jerry&rsquo;s campaign, why businesses should pursue social causes, and the future of ice cream on a warming planet.
Explore further:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The Free Ben &amp; Jerry&rsquo;s campaign website: <a href="https://freebenandjerrys.com/">https://freebenandjerrys.com/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Watch this video on <a href="https://youtu.be/miHnJrXf_1Q">YouTube</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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 <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>.

Ice cream fight: Can companies have a social conscience in 2026?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/486e3f4d-f8ce-440a-b0d4-b46500dd9582/transcript

It's been more than three months since the US attacked Iran, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that carries 20% of the world's oil and gas. The shock to energy markets has been so intense that some countries are taking longer-term measures to cope. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi and Peter Guest explore the history of policy responses to energy shocks and what’s different in the 2020s.
Read Akshat's feature article here: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-energy-transition-iran-war

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.

It's been more than three months since the US attacked Iran, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that carries 20% of the world's oil and gas. The shock to energy markets has been so intense that some countries are taking longer-term measures to cope. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi and Peter Guest explore the history of policy responses to energy shocks and what&rsquo;s different in the 2020s.
<ul>
<li>Read Akshat's feature article here: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-energy-transition-iran-war" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-2508">https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-energy-transition-iran-war</a></li>
</ul>
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 <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>.

How Asia’s ‘Ukraine moment’ is supercharging the energy transition

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/226cf6f1-f75d-47b9-a607-b45c00be6436/transcript

At COP28 in December 2023, the world committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels. Yet in the years since, there’s been little progress. A meeting in Colombia last month hoped to change that, gathering ministers and climate envoys from 57 countries to try and chart a path to end the use of fossil fuels. This week on Zero, Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, tells Akshat Rathi what the conference achieved and where it goes next. 

Explore further:
Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative website
First Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
Countries Draw Up Next Steps to Decarbonize at Colombia Fossil-Fuel Summit
Climate Negotiators Meet in Santa Marta to Discuss Fossil Fuel Transition - Bloomberg

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, 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.

At COP28 in December 2023, the world committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels. Yet in the years since, there&rsquo;s been little progress. A meeting in Colombia last month hoped to change that, gathering ministers and climate envoys from 57 countries to try and chart a path to end the use of fossil fuels. This week on Zero, Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, tells Akshat Rathi what the conference achieved and where it goes next.&nbsp;
Explore further:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/">Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative</a> website</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.fossilfueltreaty.org/conference">First Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-30/colombia-summit-sets-next-steps-for-countries-to-exit-oil-gas-and-coal">Countries Draw Up Next Steps to Decarbonize at Colombia Fossil-Fuel Summit</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-04-30/climate-negotiators-meet-in-santa-marta-to-discuss-fossil-fuel-transition">Climate Negotiators Meet in Santa Marta to Discuss Fossil Fuel Transition - Bloomberg</a></li>
</ul>
Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Sommer Saadi, Sharon Chen and Laura Millan. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/green">https://www.bloomberg.com/green</a>.

The countries plotting the end of the fossil-fuel era

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e09bbc38-7278-4895-b7e7-b456013fd56c/transcript

The climate case for flying cars

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