Cleaning Up Podcast  cover art
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Cleaning Up Podcast

Hosted by Cleaning Up

Two leading British climate practitioners interview the global leaders building and financing the world's clean energy transition.

The brief

A long-form interview podcast where two deeply-networked hosts, who alternate episodes, talk shop with the CEOs, policymakers, and scientists shaping the net-zero transition. Conversations are for insiders, diving into the specifics of supply chains, energy economics (like LCOE), and policy mechanisms, while also exploring the personal leadership philosophies of their guests.

Unlike many climate podcasts, the hosts are peers of their high-level guests, bringing decades of practitioner experience from finance and policy. This creates an atmosphere of a candid, expert-to-expert conversation rather than a standard journalistic interview, yielding more specific and less guarded insights.
— What makes it distinctive
§1 · The host

Who hosts this show

Once a week, hosts Michael Liebreich and Baroness Bryony Worthington speak with a leader in clean energy, mobility, or climate finance. Liebreich is the founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and Worthington was a lead author of the UK's 2008 Climate Change Act. The show leverages their deep industry connections for candid conversations on the technical, financial, and political realities of decarbonization.

AI-extracted bio · help us verify· Source: gemini-video-grounded

Credentials & credits

  • Michael Liebreich: Founder, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF)
  • Michael Liebreich: Chairman & CEO, Liebreich Associates
  • Michael Liebreich: Visiting Professor, Imperial College London's Energy Futures Lab
  • Bryony Worthington: Baroness, House of Lords (Crossbench Life Peer)
  • Bryony Worthington: Lead author, UK's 2008 Climate Change Act
  • Bryony Worthington: Founder, Sandbag (now Ember)

Other ventures

  • Michael Liebreich: Co-Managing Partner, EcoPragma Capital
  • Michael Liebreich: Former Board Member, Transport for London
  • Michael Liebreich: Angel investor (Chargepoint, Azuri Technologies)
  • Bryony Worthington: Co-Director, Quadrature Climate Foundation
  • Bryony Worthington: Deputy Chair, Board of Trustees, WWF-UK
  • Bryony Worthington: Former Executive Director for Europe, Environmental Defense Fund
§2 · Classification

What kind of podcast

§3 · Cadence & catalog

When new episodes drop

§3b · Editor's picks

Notable episodes

AI-extracted picks + commentary · help us verify
  1. 01
    How the US Makes and Breaks Global Deals | Ep 263: John Kerry

    A direct conversation with a key architect of the Paris Agreement about US diplomatic credibility and the process behind major international deals.

  2. 02
    How China Became an Energy Superpower | Ep262: Professor Ning Li

    An insider's perspective on China's energy strategy, electrification, and the origin of the term 'Small Modular Reactor' from the academic who coined it.

  3. 03
    RCP8.5 Is Dead, What Comes Next? Ep260: Roger Pielke, Jr.

    A deep dive into the science and politics of climate scenarios, explaining the implications of declaring the worst-case scenario 'implausible'.

  4. 04
    How Wind Energy Overtook Nuclear in Just Two Decades | Ep261: Henrik Andersen

    Features the CEO of Vestas in a comprehensive 'myth-busting' session on wind power, covering economics, waste, and intermittency.

§4 · Signature

What you'll be asked on this show

AI-extracted from recent episodes · help us verify
How Cleaning Up interviews

The interview style varies by host. Michael Liebreich is analytical and data-driven, often setting up a detailed premise or historical context before posing a question. He is known for structured 'myth-busting' segments where he systematically asks a guest to debunk common criticisms or misconceptions in their field. Bryony Worthington's style is more collaborative and conversational, often building on shared experiences or asking broad, multi-part thematic questions to guide the discussion. Both hosts are deeply prepared and leverage their own expertise to probe for specific, nuanced answers beyond surface-level talking points.

The show alternates between its two hosts, Michael Liebreich and Bryony Worthington. Michael often opens episodes with a detailed monologue to frame the topic before the guest is introduced. The conversations are deeply informed, with hosts frequently referencing specific data, white papers, and their own professional experiences.

Questions Cleaning Up keeps coming back to

13 catalogued

If you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Cleaning Up reaches for it.

origin

2
  1. Q.01

    Could you introduce yourself and describe what you do in your own words?

    This is a frequent opening question, allowing the guest to frame their own role and organization.

  2. Q.02

    You're associated with a key idea or term. Can you tell us the origin story?

    Used to explore the history behind influential concepts, like the coining of 'Small Modular Reactors'.

craft

1
  1. Q.01

    How has the technology in your field evolved over your career?

    This question prompts a historical overview of technological progress from a leadership perspective.

money

1
  1. Q.01

    What are the current economics of your technology, for instance the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)?

    A direct question to get current, hard data on the financial viability of a given energy source.

process

2
  1. Q.01

    Can you walk us through your supply chain strategy? What do you centralize versus localize?

    Probes the operational and logistical strategy of major industrial players.

  2. Q.02

    Can you walk us through the process of a major achievement in your career, like the Paris Agreement?

    Asks for a narrative breakdown of a significant professional accomplishment, revealing process and strategy.

controversy

4
  1. Q.01

    How do you think about geopolitical risk and supply chain dependencies, particularly concerning China?

    A recurring question that addresses the intersection of technology, trade, and international politics.

  2. Q.02

    Let's address a common criticism: [insert myth]. What's the reality?

    A signature format, especially for Michael Liebreich, to systematically debunk industry myths (e.g., blade recycling, intermittency).

  3. Q.03

    What is the solution to the challenge of intermittency/variability?

    Directly addresses one of the most fundamental technical hurdles for renewable energy.

  4. Q.04

    What is the truth about the waste and recycling story in your industry?

    Focuses on the end-of-life and circular economy aspects of clean technologies.

future

3
  1. Q.01

    What are the practical implications of [a recent scientific or policy development]?

    This question moves from abstract news to concrete consequences for the industry.

  2. Q.02

    Given the current situation, what would your strategy be today?

    Pushes the guest for forward-looking strategic thinking based on current events.

  3. Q.03

    What is the potential for [a country or company] to take on a global leadership role?

    A closing question that asks for a big-picture perspective on future global dynamics.

Signature segments

  • · Host Introduction: "Hello, I'm Michael Liebreich/Bryony Worthington and this is Cleaning Up."
  • · Tagline: "Leadership in an age of climate change"
  • · Myth-Busting Segments
  • · Host-alternating format
  • · Opening monologue by host to set context

Topics covered repeatedly

Climate FinanceEnergy PolicyWind PowerSolar PowerNuclear EnergyElectrificationGeopolitics of EnergySupply Chain ManagementSustainable DevelopmentEnergy Transition
§5 · Guests

Who gets booked here

AI-extracted guest list + profile · help us verify
Typical guest

Guests are top-tier leaders and decision-makers in the climate and energy space. The roster includes CEOs of major energy and technology firms (Vestas, Wärtsilä), senior diplomats and politicians (John Kerry), and influential academics and policy experts (Roger Pielke Jr., Prof. Ning Li).

Recent guests
  • John Kerry
    on How the US Makes and Breaks Global Deals | Ep 263: John Kerry
  • Professor Ning Li
    on How China Became an Energy Superpower | Ep262: Professor Ning Li
  • Henrik Andersen
    on How Wind Energy Overtook Nuclear in Just Two Decades | Ep261: Henrik Andersen
  • Roger Pielke Jr.
    on RCP8.5 Is Dead, What Comes Next? Ep260: Roger Pielke, Jr.
  • Håkan Agnevall
    on Why Flexible Power Is Suddenly So Valuable | Ep259: Håkan Agnevall
§6 · Channels & links

Where to find this show

§7 · Stats

Audience & reach

YouTube · first-party
Subscribers
17.1K
17,100
Avg views / video
6.1K
Trailing window
Total views
1.3M
1,303,264
Videos published
315
Sponsor readEstimated

The podcast is supported by a "Leadership Circle" of companies in the energy and finance sectors, including Actis, Arup, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, KKR, Octopus Energy, and Schneider Electric. This model suggests a B2B sponsorship strategy targeting a niche, high-value professional audience.

AI-extracted sponsor read · help us verify

Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.

§8 · Contact

Pitch Cleaning Up

Sign-in required
Verified contact
Host / booking email
c•••@•••.uk
Public channels

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§9b · FAQ

People also ask

AI-extracted researched answers · help us verify
Who are the hosts of Cleaning Up?
The podcast is hosted by Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and Baroness Bryony Worthington, a life peer in the UK House of Lords and a lead author of the UK's Climate Change Act. They typically alternate episodes.
What is the format of the show?
It is a weekly, long-form interview show. Each episode features one of the hosts in a detailed conversation with a single guest who is a leader in the climate and energy space.
Is the Cleaning Up podcast still running?
Yes, it releases new episodes on a weekly basis, as of late June 2026.
Where can I listen to the podcast?
The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and the video versions are posted on the 'Cleaning Up Podcast' YouTube channel.
Who is this podcast for?
It's primarily for professionals, investors, and policymakers in the energy and climate sectors who want deep, technical, and strategic insights from industry leaders.
Last updatedJun 29, 2026Not yet host-verified
Research depthDeep dossierHigh confidence · Jun 29, 2026 · gemini-2.5-pro

Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.

§9c · Methodology

Sources & how this page was built

This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence

  1. [01]Official Websitecleaning-up-leadership-in-the-age-of-climate-change.simplecast.com
  2. [02]Michael Liebreich Bio - Liebreich Associatesliebreich.com
  3. [03]Bryony Worthington, Baroness Worthington - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
  4. [04]Michael Liebreich - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
  5. [05]Baroness Bryony Worthington - World Economic Forumweforum.org
  6. [06]Michael Liebreich - Bloomberg New Energy Finance Founderchartwellspeakers.com
  7. [07]Cleaning Up - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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