Who should I follow to learn about Climate tech?

If you want to **actually understand climate tech**, rather than just follow generic climate news, I’d build a small feed across technology, markets, policy, and science. ### My starter list - **Robinson Meyer** - Great for understanding the intersection of climate, energy, policy, and technology. His work through Heatmap is particularly useful for seeing *where the industry is going*, not just what happened yesterday. - **Jigar Shah** - Follow for practical thinking about deployment, energy infrastructure, financing, and the commercialization gap. - **Shayle Kann** - One of my top picks if you're interested in the **business and investment side** of climate tech. - **Nat Bullard** - Excellent for the big-picture economics of the energy transition: solar, batteries, EVs, grids, industrial decarbonization, etc. - **Ketan Joshi** - Useful counterweight to venture-capital-heavy climate coverage; good at scrutinizing claims about technologies and climate solutions. - **Emily Pontecorvo** - Particularly good for technically grounded explanations of emerging energy technologies. ### Publications I'd definitely follow - **[CTVC](https://www.ctvc.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** - Probably my **#1 recommendation if you mean “climate tech” specifically**. It tracks startups, funding, investors, technologies, and markets. It currently has a community of 70,000+ climate investors, founders, and market leaders. [CTVC by Currence](https://www.ctvc.co/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **[Canary Media](https://www.canarymedia.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** - Excellent for clean energy, grids, batteries, nuclear, electrification, and the actual deployment of technologies. [Articles | Canary Media](https://www.canarymedia.com/articles?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **[Volts](https://www.volts.wtf/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** - Deep dives into electricity, grids, policy, and decarbonization. It's especially good once you want to go beyond headlines. - **[Heatmap](https://heatmap.news/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** - Great for the broader climate/energy landscape and the politics and economics surrounding it. ### If you're interested in startups/investing I'd pay particular attention to **Shayle Kann, CTVC, Lowercarbon Capital, Congruent Ventures, Breakthrough Energy, and Energy Impact Partners**. The climate-tech investment ecosystem remains very active across energy, industrials, mobility, food, carbon, and climate intelligence. [🌎 Who are the climate tech VCs?](https://www.ctvc.co/climate-capital-stack-2023/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If I were starting from zero:** follow **CTVC + Canary Media + Robinson Meyer + Shayle Kann + Nat Bullard**. That's a very strong signal-to-noise ratio. If you tell me whether you're learning climate tech for **career, starting a company, investing, or general knowledge**, I can give you a much more targeted 10-person follow list.

**If you want to learn about climate tech, follow a mix of scientists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and sustainability influencers who are shaping the field. Some of the most impactful voices today include Christiana Figueres, Johan Rockström, Nan Ransohoff, and Andrea Gori.** ## 🌍 Key Climate Tech Thought Leaders Name| Role / Focus| Why Follow Them ---|---|--- **Christiana Figueres**| Former Executive Secretary of UNFCCC| Architect of the Paris Agreement, continues to lead global climate governance debates.[TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders in Climate Change | illuminem](https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/top-10-most-read-thought-leaders-in-climate-change-2) **Johan Rockström**| Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research| Pioneer of the “planetary boundaries” framework, influential in science-policy interface.[TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders in Climate Change | illuminem](https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/top-10-most-read-thought-leaders-in-climate-change-2) **Nan Ransohoff**| Head of Climate at Stripe & Frontier| Driving carbon removal markets and financing climate tech startups.[The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025](https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/) **Andrea Gori**| Founder of illuminem, Professor at HEC Paris| Recognized as a global impact maker, bridges academia and green tech entrepreneurship.[TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders in Green Tech | illuminem](https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/top-10-mostread-thought-leaders-in-green-tech) **Laurence Tubiana**| CEO of European Climate Foundation| Key strategist behind EU climate policy and Paris Agreement negotiations.[TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders in Climate Change | illuminem](https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/top-10-most-read-thought-leaders-in-climate-change-2) **Paul Polman**| Former CEO of Unilever, Co-founder of IMAGINE| Advocates for “net positive” business models and corporate climate leadership.[Top Sustainability & ESG Leaders of 2026 | The Industry Leaders](https://www.theindustryleaders.org/leaders/top-25-sustainability-esg-leaders-2026) **Katharine Hayhoe**| Climate Scientist, Texas Tech University| Known for making climate science accessible to the public.[Top Sustainability & ESG Leaders of 2026 | The Industry Leaders](https://www.theindustryleaders.org/leaders/top-25-sustainability-esg-leaders-2026) **Nan Ransohoff & Stripe Frontier Team**| Climate finance innovators| Building scalable carbon removal solutions.[The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025](https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/) **Pierre-Yves Paslier & Rodrigo García González**| Co-founders of Notpla| Innovators in seaweed-based packaging, winners of the Earthshot Prize.[TOP 10 Most-Read Thought Leaders in Green Tech | illuminem](https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/top-10-mostread-thought-leaders-in-green-tech) ## 📌 How to Engage With Them * **Twitter/X & LinkedIn**: Most of these leaders share insights, policy updates, and new research here. * **Podcasts & Blogs**: Figueres co-hosts _Outrage \+ Optimism_, while Polman and Winston publish on sustainable business. * **Reports & Publications**: Rockström’s scientific papers and Tubiana’s policy briefs are essential for deeper understanding. * **Startup & Investment Platforms**: Nan Ransohoff’s work at Stripe Frontier highlights emerging carbon removal companies worth tracking. ## ⚠️ Risks & Considerations * **Hype vs. Reality**: Climate tech is full of ambitious claims. Following scientists like Rockström helps balance optimism with evidence. * **Policy Shifts**: Leaders such as Tubiana and Figueres provide context on how political changes affect climate tech adoption. * **Commercial Bias**: Some influencers are tied to corporate agendas. Cross-check their insights with independent research. 👉 To tailor your learning, ask yourself: * Do you want **scientific depth** (Rockström, Hayhoe), **policy insights** (Figueres, Tubiana), or **startup innovation** (Ransohoff, Notpla founders)? * Are you more interested in **global governance** or **practical technologies** like carbon removal, packaging, or renewable energy? Would you like me to curate a **shortlist of climate tech newsletters and podcasts** alongside these leaders, so you can follow their work more easily?

**Top Newsletters & Substack Writers** * **Climate Tech VC (CTVC):** Run by Sophie Purdom and Kim Zou, this is widely considered the go-to weekly newsletter for data-driven insights, venture capital trends, and market mapping in climate tech. * **Canary Media:** An independent, non-profit newsroom offering deep-dive reporting on clean energy, electrification, and decarbonization technologies. [Climate Tech Reading Recommendations and Career Resources](https://evergreeninno.org/explore/article/climatetechreadingrecommendations2025#:~:text=Canary%20Media%20%E2%80%94%20Good%20source%20for%20news,Evergreen%20Climate%20Innovation's%20Blog%20and%20Monthly%20Newsletter.) * **Axios Generate:** Written by Alison Snyder, this daily newsletter covers the intersection of energy, policy, and climate technology. [Climate Tech Reading Recommendations and Career Resources](https://evergreeninno.org/explore/article/climatetechreadingrecommendations2025#:~:text=Canary%20Media%20%E2%80%94%20Good%20source%20for%20news,Evergreen%20Climate%20Innovation's%20Blog%20and%20Monthly%20Newsletter.) * **Cipher News:** Backed by Breakthrough Energy, this publication delivers sharp analysis on global innovations, policy shifts, and the hard-to-abate sectors. **Essential Podcasts** * **Catalyst (with Shayle Kann):** Hosted by an Energy Impact Partners partner, this show explores the commercial, structural, and technical realities of decarbonization. [Climate-Tech Podcasts: Our 10 top picks | by Rumbo Ventures](https://medium.com/@rumbo.ventures/climate-tech-podcasts-our-10-top-picks-51f28c197df4#:~:text=Our%20top%20picks%20and%20why%3A%20*%20%E2%80%9CCatalyst%E2%80%9D,%E2%80%9CA%20matter%20of%20degrees%E2%80%9D%20%F0%9F%8C%9E%20by%20%5BDr.) * **My Climate Journey (MCJ):** Hosted by Jason Jacobs, it features long-form interviews with founders, investors, and scientists tackling different parts of the climate puzzle. * **Climate Tech Cocktails:** Hosted by Matt Myers, this podcast offers engaging conversations with industry founders and builders in a more informal setting. [Climate-Tech Podcasts: Our 10 top picks | by Rumbo Ventures](https://medium.com/@rumbo.ventures/climate-tech-podcasts-our-10-top-picks-51f28c197df4#:~:text=Honestly%2C%20each%20episode%20is%20enlightening%20about%20the,perspectives%20\(with%20brutal%20honesty\)%20about%20technological%20solutions.) **Key Thought Leaders & Analysts on Social Media (X/LinkedIn)** * **Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson:** Marine biologist, policy expert, and co-creator of the Climate Action Venn Diagram - great for big-picture framing. [A Designer's Guide to Climate Tech](https://designerfund.com/blog/climate-tech-guide-for-designers#:~:text=I%20remember%20how%20much%20I%20loved%20spending,Venn%20Diagram%20by%20Dr.%20Ayana%20Elizabeth%20Johnson.) * **Jigar Shah:** Director of the Loan Programs Office at the DOE (and co-founder of SunEdison); shares pragmatic insights on deploying and financing climate infrastructure. * **Kingsmill Bond:** Strategist at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), offering brilliant perspectives on the economics of the energy transition. **Communities and Learning Platforms** * **Work on Climate & MCJ Collective:** Massive, highly active Slack communities full of operators, founders, and learners sharing resources, job boards, and deep-dive discussions. [Climate Tech Reading Recommendations and Career Resources](https://evergreeninno.org/explore/article/climatetechreadingrecommendations2025#:~:text=My%20Climate%20Journey%20\(MCJ\)%20Collective%20is%20a,a%20podcast%20series%2C%20among%20other%20items.%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mcjcollective.com%2F) * **Terra.do & Climatebase:** Excellent platforms offering structured learning boot camps, climate education, and comprehensive career transition guides. [A Designer's Guide to Climate Tech](https://designerfund.com/blog/climate-tech-guide-for-designers#:~:text=Platforms%20such%20as%20Climatebase%20and%20Terra.do%20are,that%20can%20guide%20you%20through%20the%20fundamentals.) What specific area of climate tech (e.g., energy, transport, food systems, or software) are you most interested in exploring?

To dive deep into climate tech, clean energy, and decarbonization, following the right journalists, podcasters, institutional leaders, and thinkers is the fastest way to get up to speed. Essential Newsletters & Podcasts * **Volts by David Roberts** : An absolute must-follow. _David Roberts_ breaks down the policy, politics, and nuts-and-bolts technology of decarbonization with incredible depth and clarity. [Top Sustainability Podcasts for 2026 | Articles - PureSky Energy](https://pureskyenergy.com/news-community/articles/top-sustainability-podcasts-2026/) * **[Outrage + Optimism](https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/outrage-optimism-the-climate-podcast/id1459416461)** : Hosted by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac (architects of the Paris Agreement), this podcast balances macro-level global climate policy with grounded optimism. [PureSky Energy] * **Bloomberg Green / Zero: The Climate Race** : Excellent for tracking the economics, financial markets, and global corporate strategies driving climate technology. [PureSky Energy] * **[Distilled by Michael Thomas](https://www.distilled.earth/)** : A sharp, highly readable newsletter focused on the clean energy transition and climate solutions. Leading Voices & Experts to Follow * * * ** _Jigar Shah_** : Director of the Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy and co-founder of Generate Capital. He shares pragmatic, deployment-focused insights on scaling commercial climate infrastructure. * * * **_Dr. Katharine Hayhoe_** : Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and climate communicator. She is brilliant at explaining how climate science connects to human realities and systemic solutions. * * * **_Kate Brandt_** : Chief Sustainability Officer at Google, offering an incredible inside look at how mega-corporations scale sustainable operations and green data infrastructure. * * * **_Joel Makower_** : Chairman and co-founder of GreenBiz, tracking the intersection of clean technology, corporate climate commitments, and market trends. [Top 25 LinkedIn Influencers in Climate Tech, Sustainability](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-players-top-25-linkedin-influencers-climate-tech-sustainability-u4vgc) Are you looking to learn about climate tech from an **investment/business angle** , a **policy perspective** , or the **pure science and engineering** behind the tech?