In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, TechCrunch’s Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos interviews former Vice President Al Gore and Lila Preston from Generation Investment Management, a firm focused on sustainability, to discuss insights from their ninth annual Sustainability Trends Report and examine how the global shift toward climate solutions continues to gain speed despite facing political resistance.
Although mainstream media often highlights policy reversals under the Trump administration, the conversation reveals why the economics of renewable energy have reached a turning point: now, 65% of energy investments are directed toward renewables, while fossil fuels account for only 35%—a dramatic change from ten years ago. They also address China's emergence as the first “electro-state,” with electric vehicles making up 60% of new car purchases; discuss whether the immense energy needs of AI—driven by a $500 billion expansion of data centers—could impede or speed up climate initiatives; and share Gore’s perspective that the political grip of the fossil fuel sector is slipping as communities push back against environmental harm.
New StrictlyVC Download episodes are released on Tuesdays. Subscribe via Apple , Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to receive notifications about the latest episodes.
