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China is winning the clean energy race
As the world speeds up the transition to renewables and away from fossil fuels, China is betting bigger than anyone else on the energy technologies that will power the world for decades to come. Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to talk about Beijing’s wholehearted embrace of clean energy compared to the US. It’s not just that they’re manufacturing solar panels or putting up wind farms, McKibben says, they’re investing in a technology that will transform the global economy.
Energy demand is rising, driven in large part by data centers that power AI, and McKibben argues that the only way to meet that demand is with cheap, clean energy. While it’s true China still burns large amounts of coal, increasingly it’s used as a second or third tier power source because of the cost compared to solar and wind. China’s investment in renewable energy gives them a competitive edge in technologies that will reshape the balance of power—literally and figuratively.
“China become the world's first electro state,” McKibben says, “They're learning how to use that flood of cheap clean energy to run everything around them.”
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
Will the clean energy revolution leave the US behind?
Over the past decade, renewable energy has exploded. Technology is improving. Costs are plummeting. This is now the fastest energy transition in human history. But just as the world goes all in on renewables, the US is doubling down on fossil fuels. Does it risk being left behind in the race to power the future? Environmentalist and author Bill McKibben joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to discuss the sudden and overwhelming surge of clean energy installation and generation over the past two years, China’s push to dominate the renewable market, and whether the Trump administration’s policies will put the US at a disadvantage.
The White House has cancelled funding solar and wind projects and is pushing other countries to buy more oil and gas, but McKibben says the scale and pace of the global energy transformation is just too powerful to ignore. McKibben’s new book, "Here Comes the Sun," argues that renewables aren’t just a climate fix—they’re a political and economic opportunity to reshape our future. He has no doubt that 30 years from now, we’ll run the planet on sun and wind simply because of economics, but also warns the world will face serious problems if it takes that long to get there
“Fossil fuels become harder to get over time. Renewable energy is the opposite,” McKibben says, “We now live on a planet where the cheapest way to make energy is to point a sheet of glass at the sun.”
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube.Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
Renewable energy and the case for climate optimism with Bill McKibben
Is the clean energy revolution finally here? Over the past few years, the world has experienced a sudden and overwhelming surge in renewable energy installation and generation, outpacing even the most optimistic predictions from experts. This week on the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer talks to with Bill McKibben, an environmentalist and author, about the stakes and scale of the global energy transformation. His new book, "Here Comes the Sun," argues renewables aren’t just a climate fix—they’re a political and economic opportunity.
Costs from solar and wind have dropped so dramatically in the last 36 months that they’re now the cheapest way to produce electricity worldwide. And energy independence has become a national security issue amid so much global instability. But while China and Europe are pushing ahead in the race to power the future, the Trump administration is doubling down on fossil fuels. What happens if the US puts the brakes on clean energy, just as the rest of the world hits the gas? Or rather... plugs in the solar battery? Do we risk being left in the dark?
Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're publishedWill Trump's energy policies set back climate progress?
President Trump has made no secret of his distaste for wind and solar and preference for fossil fuels. His administration has canceled subsidies for renewable projects, lifted drilling restrictions on federal land, and is pressuring allies to buy more American oil and gas. On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down the reality of the energy transition and whether US policies will slow down global progress in moving toward a renewable future.
No matter what the White House says, the incentives for renewables are hard to ignore. From Texas to Saudi Arabia, India to China, governments all over the world are embracing solar and wind not just for the planet, but for economic and security reasons. Clean energy is now the cheapest power source almost everywhere. And, amid rising instability, energy independence has become a safety and security issue. You can’t embargo the sun. No one controls the wind. Fossil fuels still matter, but the question is no longer if the world will transition. It's how fast.
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
Fukuyama: It’s hard to build anything in the US with so many rules
Stanford's Francis Fukuyama is no conservative. However, in a wide-ranging interview with Ian Bremmer on GZERO World, he argues that excessive proceduralism in the United States has made it nearly impossible to build critical infrastructure, even for projects aligned with liberal priorities like renewable energy. He warns that this gridlock erodes public trust in government and fuels frustration that can drive people toward authoritarian solutions as they seek leaders who promise decisive action over endless bureaucracy.
"You can't build anything in the United States right now because there are way too many rules... we've lost sight of the need for governments to actually deliver concrete results," Fukuyama tells Bremmer. "Part of the impulse toward more authoritarian government is that people are just fed up with all the rule-of-law constraints on doing stuff.
Watch the full episode: Francis Fukuyama on the new leaderless global order
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).
- The White House sees AI clash with climate goals ›
- Can the world run on green energy yet? Author Bjorn Lomborg argues that's very far off ›
- Can we keep energy affordable, safe, and secure? ›
- Ian Bremmer: AI and clean energy are reshaping the US-China rivalry ›
- Top Risks 2025: America's role in the crumbling global order ›
- A Russian victory would end the global order, says Yuval Noah Harari ›
- How Trump won – and what it means for the world ›
- Quick Take: Trump's foreign policy legacy - the wins ›
- Exclusive: Ian Bremmer’s Top Risks for 2025 ›
Can we keep energy affordable, safe, and secure?
Listen: Energy transition is a big idea with big implications for daily life. But what does it actually look like in practice? In this episode of Energized: The Future of Energy, host JJ Ramberg and Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel talk to the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Vice Chair of Global Investment Banking for CIBC Capital Markets and former member of the Canadian parliament. During her time in government, Lisa served as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. Lisa talks about the tangible steps that need to be taken to move us down the road to energy transition, as well as how businesses and governments can work together to create a more sustainable, more affordable energy future.
Catch up on other episodes of Energized: The Future of Energy below — or listen on Apple, Spotify, Goodpods, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin on energy security in a changing world ›
- Introducing “Energized: The Future of Energy”, a new podcast series ›
- From AI to Food Recycling: Innovations transforming the Energy Sector - GZERO Media ›
- What role does natural gas play in a clean energy transition? - GZERO Media ›
- Fukuyama: It’s hard to build anything in the US with so many rules - GZERO Media ›
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin on energy security in a changing world
Listen: Whoever controls the energy controls the power. But what happens when the resources needed to create that energy change? In this episode of "Energized: The Future of Energy”, host JJ Ramberg and Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel talk to Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global and author of The New Map: Energy, Climate & the Clash of Nations. They discuss the relationship between energy and geopolitics, how changes in energy resources impact the relationships between global superpowers, and the most effective ways to bring along developing nations as we move further down the path to energy transition.
“Energized: The Future of Energy” is a new five-part podcast series from GZERO Media's Blue Circle Studios and Enbridge, exploring the biggest ideas about the current energy transition and how it will impact geopolitics, the economy, and your bottom line.
Catch up on other episodes of Energized: The Future of Energy below — or listen on Apple, Spotify, Goodpods, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Introducing “Energized: The Future of Energy”, a new podcast series ›
- Energized: The Future of Energy - GZERO Media ›
- Can we keep energy affordable, safe, and secure? - GZERO Media ›
- From AI to Food Recycling: Innovations transforming the Energy Sector - GZERO Media ›
- Partnering for the future: Indigenous communities and energy transition - GZERO Media ›
- What role does natural gas play in a clean energy transition? - GZERO Media ›
- International markets and global energy transitions - GZERO Media ›
Listen to “Energized: The Future of Energy”, a new podcast series
In our rapidly changing world, the critical role of energy is constantly evolving. Global energy investment continues to rise, with investment in low carbon fuels and renewables growing rapidly. Competing needs like affordability, energy security, and cleaner, more sustainable options make it hard to know what the future of energy will look like in the short or long term.
That’s why we’re diving into the biggest ideas about the current energy transition to learn where we’re going, and how it will impact geopolitics, the economy, and your bottom line. We’ll explore all those topics on “Energized: The Future of Energy”, a new five-part podcast series from GZERO Media's Blue Circle Studios and Enbridge premiering on Thursday, September 5th.
On each episode, host JJ Ramberg will be joined by Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel along with some of the top experts in the industry, including Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin, former Canadian Member of Parliament Lisa Raitt, and former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan. We’ll also talk about how technology is changing the game, and the diverse partners and Indigenous communities that are shaping the future of energy. This series is a must-listen for anyone interested in the next phase of the energy transition.
Catch up on episodes of Energized: The Future of Energy below — or listen on Apple, Spotify, Goodpods, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin on energy security in a changing world - GZERO Media ›
- Can we keep energy affordable, safe, and secure? - GZERO Media ›
- From AI to Food Recycling: Innovations transforming the Energy Sector - GZERO Media ›
- Partnering for the future: Indigenous communities and energy transition - GZERO Media ›
- What role does natural gas play in a clean energy transition? - GZERO Media ›