Why Rachel Kyte doesn't listen to climate polls

It's not easy to build a new international financial system capable of transitioning the global economy away from fossil fuels and protecting communities from the worst impacts of climate change. It's even harder when one of the world's most powerful governments and a collection of other vested interests are actively resisting that transformation. Rachel Kite, the United Kingdom's special representative for climate, is one of the key people fighting to usher that new system into reality. I've learned a lot from Rachel over many years about the real opportunities and the equally real obstacles to rethink the relationship between people, energy, and the planet. She's done that at the World Bank. She's done it as the head of an international organization called Sustainable Energy for All. Now she's a leading climate voice for her own government in the UK, where I caught her in the middle of a very intense, very, very hot London climate week. Talk about raising the stakes of an issue. One quick note. We recorded this podcast shortly before the US men's national team lost in the final minute of their World Cup match against Turkey. I stand by what I said. Here's Rachel Kite. Rachel Kite, welcome to the podcast.

Michael, it's lovely to see you. It's been a long time.

It has been. Too long. I really only have one question for you, Rachel. How are you processing the arrival of the United States of America as a footballing powerhouse on the global stage? Is that testing the limits of your diplomatic disposition?

No, I think that you got out of the round robin stage was not a complete surprise. And now true footballing nations show up. So let's see how well you do in the sort of circle of death, which is the competitive phase now.

So you're saying I'm being a little overeager, maybe a little presumptuous. All

right. No, I think young democracies need to take comfort from every little step forward. Let's young footballing nations too. So good luck. But this is when the big players arrive.

Fair enough and fair

warning.

In all sincerity, I feel like anyone involved in diplomacy must get a real sort of dopamine hit from this intercultural spectacle that is the World Cup. Are you able to enjoy this?

No, I'm an addict. Unfortunately, here in London, the games are at like, you know, 1am, 4am or whatever. So it's not conducive to London Climate Week where we're flat out all day, every day. But I actually lose, I use football a lot in my work, right? I mean, the the quickest way to make a connection with a taxi driver in Africa, the quickest way to make a connection with a minister in any country in the world is to talk about the beautiful game. Everybody has a team. And because of history and because of television rights, you can almost predict which team is normally a British team or a European team that somebody will support because... What happens is that as you grow up, you support the team that's really good at the time. So, you know, 25 years ago, Arsenal were really good. So there's a whole generation of Africans that support Arsenal, you know, there's a whole generation of Chinese people who support Man United. So, of course, I have my team, but it's a point