The Politics and Business of Climate Change in the US-China Race, a Conversation with Kate McKenzie

This week, our host Solarina Ho is joined by writer, podcaster and consultant Kate McKenzie to discuss the business of climate change amid geopolitical competition and the global energy transition.

Has the topic of climate change been weaponised amid the US-China trade war? How has the global rush to electric vehicles served global needs, both strategically and environmentally? In this episode, Kate McKenzie shares her insights into the latest trend of climate collaboration, renewable energy development, and how we could save our planet at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

On the impact of COVID on Global South countries in viewing climate disputes:

“One of the really profound things that happened in Covid was that it was a really big time in terms of the debt burden for a lot of global south countries.

And it became very clear at that point that this long standing of historic tension in international climate negotiations about development versus tackling climate change was really going to have to be confronted in a different way, because lower income countries want to become higher income countries.”

On renewable energy transition amid US-China race:

“The US has got this political and kind of cultural, very vibe-based attitude to energy dominance and wanting to maintain oil and methane gas as the predominant energy systems around the world, because those are systems in which the US is incredibly powerful.

China, by contrast, is coming at its role as a global energy player from a completely different perspective, it's almost like China's clean energy role in the world is a side effect of its own domestic economic goals.”

On whether discussion on climate has been sidelined:

“There is a bit of a retrenchment from talking about it and having that kind of focus and media attention and so forth on climate change mitigation. [But] the reality is a bit different to the narrative [that climate change has been sidelined].

Polling consistently finds that more people care about climate change than people believe, and this is true in many parts of the world. I'm not 100% sure if it's in the case in China, but I wouldn't be surprised [if it’s similar].”

Shownotes:

Kate's recommendations

How Asia Works, by Joe Studwell (Audiobook)
The Moment (2026) Mockumentary starring Charlie XCX
Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story, by Julie K Brown

Solarina's recommendations

Disney Pixar's Elio
Careless People (Audiobook) (again!)

About our guest:

Kate Mackenzie is a researcher, writer, strategist, and independent consultant who advises organisations pursuing the Paris Agreement goals on climate change, particularly in relation to finance and economics, strategy, and communication. She has a particular interest in the political economy of climate change. Through her work with think tanks, she played an instrumental role in getting Australia's financial climate risk regulation off the ground.

She is one of the co-authors of the monthly newsletter, The Polycrisis, which explores the intersection between energy, geopolitics, finance, industry, and climate change. Polycrisis is also now a podcast, which she co-hosts with her co-author Tim Sahay.

Kate was formerly director of Finance, Policy and Decision Metrics at Climate-KIC Australia, and before that, Head of Finance & investment at The Climate Institute. She also worked as a financial journalist, winning awards at the Financial Times and The Australian. She was also a regular contributor for Bloomberg Green. She has been a member of several advisory committees relating to the application of climate science.

About our hosts:

Solarina Ho is an executive board member of NüVoices, and a journalist and writer with more than two decades of reporting experience covering business, health, lifestyle, entertainment, and more. She has written for publications including The Walrus and The Globe and Mail, and is also the editor of research and publications at Nüora Global Advisors. Prior to freelancing, she spent nearly 15 years at Reuters. She has a deep interest in China, the environment, science and technology, arts and culture, and a particular passion and weakness for Asian dramas.