Akshat Rathi
Senior climate/energy reporter at Bloomberg; covers global energy markets, decarbonization finance, industrial policy, hosts the Zero podcast.
Electrification Offers Fuel Flexibility; China Leads Purchases
"An electron can be sourced from coal, gas, sun, wind, or uranium; a combustion engine is married to a single fuel that must cross someone else’s chokepoint. Electrification is the purchase of optionality, and China bought more of it than any nation in history." https://www.ft.com/content/2f13778e-5946-450b-9df3-84c907a032c0
Energy Transition Thriving, Says $1.5T LGIM
“There has been this market narrative that the energy transition has slowed and perhaps is even heading into reverse in some places. From what we can see of the data, the energy transition is alive and well,” says LGIM with...
Every €1 on Cyprus Renewables Yields €11‑€19 Returns
New study: For every €1 spent on renewables in Cyprus, it has generated between €11 and €19 in benefits. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6683998
2020s Shocks Could Spark New Oil Exploration Wave
The 1970s oil crises forced Western countries to seek new oil reserves outside of the Middle East. It took a while, but vast fields opened up in the North Sea, Alaska, Mexico, Brazil and Siberia. Who dares invest in new...
AI Tool Deanonymizes Quarter of Anonymized Interview Subjects
Anthropic publicly released the text of 1,250 anonymised interviews about views on AI — about 125 scientists. Using a publicly available AI tool, Tianshi Li of Northeastern University was able to deanonymise 25% of those who mentioned specific scientific papers....
Agriculture Drives 94% of Global Tree Cover Loss
Nearly all of that permanent loss (94%) of global tree cover between 2001 and 2025 is linked to the removal of trees for agricultural activities. https://www.wri.org/news/release-tropical-rainforest-loss-drops-36-2025-fires-threaten-global-progress
April Confirms Record Global Demand for Chinese Clean Tech
There was some concern that export figures in March 2026 may have been higher because of expiring tax rebates. But April figures out now and the world continues to want Chinese solar panels, batteries, and electric cars in record amounts....
IAEA: Iran's Nuclear Risk Rose After US‑Israel Strikes
🤦 "The risk that Iran is covertly pursuing nuclear weapons is higher today than before the US and Israel launched their first military attacks on the Islamic Republic a year ago, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-03/iran-nuclear-risk-seen-higher-than-before-trump-attacks-began
Uber Doubles Kenyan Electric Motorcycle Fleet to 5,000
“Every week more and more drivers are switching to electric, choosing electric, and the fleet is just growing exponentially.” Electric two-wheelers on Uber's platform are expected to jump to more than 5,000 from 2,500 as riders ditch internal combustion engines....
Hormuz Shutdown Cuts 20% LNG, Hits Growth Markets
"Strait of Hormuz closure removed 20% of the world’s LNG supply leaving some importers desperately short. They won’t forget. Most-affected nations — think India, Bangladesh or Pakistan — are the price-sensitive markets the industry counts on as future consumers." https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-06-01/lng-prices-strait-of-hormuz-squeeze-could-give-way-to-a-glut
Solar to Lead, Wind Second as Coal, Gas Fade
Renewables are unstoppable. BNEF's New Energy Outlook for this year says solar is set to be the biggest source of electricity in 2032 and wind will be second biggest in 2034. Both coal and gas displaced from those thrones. This...
Laos Slashes EV Fees, Hikes ICE Fees to Curb Fuel
Iran war has made Laos cut EV registration fee by 30% and increase ICE registration fee by 30%. Goal: cut petrol/diesel use. Govt agencies have stopped purchase of all ICE vehicles. https://www.eco-business.com/news/laos-slashes-ev-fees-hikes-petrol-car-charges-to-curb-fuel-use/
Indonesia’s EV Subsidies Save Triple Fuel Costs
In Indonesia, the government subsidizes petrol/diesel ICE cars and electricity for EVs. But for every rupiah the state spent covering EV electricity, it saved about three rupiahs in fuel disbursement. https://theicct.org/indonesias-growing-electric-car-fleet-is-cushioning-the-financial-damage-of-the-oil-price-shock-may26/
China Curbs Demand as US Supply Stalls, Reshaping Oil Market
Supply and demand determine the oil price. If the Americans can't boost supply to keep prices low, then the Chinese know how to dampen demand. Superb insights in here: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-05-08/iran-war-china-s-invisible-hand-is-rebalancing-the-oil-market
Record‑breaking El Niño Offers Early Glimpse of 2035 Climate
"A climate monster is growing in the Pacific Ocean, perhaps the most fearsome El Niño since before scientists even began modeling them. It will give us at least a brief preview of a hotter and more chaotic world — a...