logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2023
35m 33s

Money Talks: Will green flying take off?

The Economist
About this episode

The aviation industry is responsible for more than 2% of annual carbon emissions. That figure is set to rise as more passengers take to the skies. But the sector has set itself an ambitious target: to hit net-zero emissions by 2050. 

On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin and Alice Fulwood ask if airlines can really go green. Tom discovers the limits of battery-powered flight when a trip in one of the world’s first electric planes ends in an emergency landing. Andreea Moyes, from Air BP, explains why sustainable aviation fuel—and not batteries—will help solve the industry’s carbon problem. And Jim Harris, from consultancy Bain, argues that the days of cheap flying may be behind us.

Sign up for our new weekly newsletter dissecting the big themes in markets, business and the economy at www.economist.com/moneytalks 

For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economist at www.economist.com/podcastoffer



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Finally, a deal: the fragile peace in Gaza
Donald Trump has brokered an agreement between Israel’s government and Hamas. It’s a momentous breakthrough. Our correspondent analyses what comes next. We launch “The Economist Insider”, our new TV show for subscribers, where senior editors debate the news. And, do red-light mas ... Show More
23m 25s
Yesterday
Liberté, égalité, désordre: chaos in France
France’s newly-appointed prime minister has resigned only weeks into the job. Now President Emmanual Macron has given him 48 hours to come up with a plan for next year’s budget. Can Macron survive the turmoil? As driverless taxis take over San Francisco, what will happen to the h ... Show More
21m 3s
Oct 7
Man of steel, and aluminium: Carney talks trade with Trump
The swiftest way for Prime Minister Mark Carney to ease pressure on Canada’s economy is to convince President Donald Trump today to pare back tariffs. But he has far broader plans afoot, too. A heady online mix of e-commerce and entertainment is creating a new generation of shopp ... Show More
21m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2023
Money Talks: Will green flying take off?
The aviation industry is responsible for more than 2% of annual carbon emissions. That figure is set to rise as more passengers take to the skies. But the sector has set itself an ambitious target: to hit net-zero emissions by 2050. On this week’s podcast, hosts Tom Lee-Devlin an ... Show More
35m 33s
Sep 2022
Money Talks: Beyond seasonable doubt
Lawsuits aimed at green-house gas emissions are a growing trend, and better science is making them more precise. As ESG comes under attack, could these suits represent a different front in pressuring companies to act on climate change? On this week’s episode, hosts Alice Fulwood ... Show More
37m 50s
May 2023
We've Got Electric Cars. Why Not Electric Airplanes?
Europe’s ambitious climate targets are putting pressure on airlines and airplane makers to come up with sustainable alternatives to dirty jet fuel. Bloomberg reporters Siddharth Philip in London and William Wilkes in Frankfurt join this episode to talk about some ideas on the dra ... Show More
23m 41s
Sep 2022
Money Talks: Running on empty
Europe is facing a catastrophic energy crisis. Prices for the natural gas needed to power many of its electricity plants have increased ten-fold since last summer. Most recently, Russia has choked off gas supplies to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in retaliation against the G-7’s dec ... Show More
37m 41s
Sep 2021
Money Talks: Volatile gas
The price of natural gas is rocketing, with global consequences. Is volatility in this crucial fuel here to stay? We also ask why an investigation at the World Bank has put Kristalina Georgieva, the head of the International Monetary Fund, in the spotlight. And, after our adventu ... Show More
27m 42s
Jan 2020
Aviation Demand: Come Fly With Me, and Everyone Else
Do you fly more than you used to, or less? For most of the world, the answer is more, and it’s likely to be more for the foreseeable future. This week, Switched On speaks with BloombergNEF oil demand analyst David Doherty about aviation’s current and future demand paths. Expandin ... Show More
20m 38s
Nov 2020
EU auditor: Brussels too slow to tame Big Tech, FAA clears Boeing 737 Max, Johnson’s green economy
A new report from the EU’s external auditor has found Brussels failed to tame Big Tech because it moved too slowly, the US Federal Aviation Administration issues an order on Wednesday allowing Boeing’s 737 Max to fly again, and Wall Street analysts expect the arrival of a coronav ... Show More
10m 49s
Nov 2022
Introducing Tech Tonic, Season 5: Climate tech to save the planet
Tech Tonic is back with a new season about climate tech. As more people fly, aviation is on track to becoming a much bigger problem for climate change. Host Pilita Clark, FT columnist and climate journalist, looks at the potential for a more sustainable aviation industry, a secto ... Show More
25m 9s