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Teaching children about money Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

Though children will usually learn how to add, subtract or multiply in school, very often they are not taught the skills they need to manage their money in older life. We’ll hear from children around the world about their understanding of, and relationship with, money. Then, Lily Lapenna MBE, of MyBnk, describes her decades long campaign to improve financial education in UK schools, and how a gap still remains between boys and girls in financial literacy. Eddie Behringer, CEO of the fintech firm Copper, explains how their bank accounts for teenagers can help build skills from early on. And Dhruti Shah, author of the illustrated business dictionary Bear Markets and Beyond, recounts how she wishes she’d realised sooner just how much finance and business would factor in her life, and how a basic business vocabulary can help you understand your world better.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bill Gates versus climate change Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Eliminating carbon emissions in the next 30 years would be "the most amazing thing humanity has ever done".

In an exclusive interview, Bill Gates tells Justin Rowlatt why he has set his sights on tackling global warming, and how the challenge compares to efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic - which he is also taking a leading role in, with the funding of vaccine rollouts. The Microsoft founder and world's most influential philanthropist is particularly focused on the parts of the economy that are the toughest to decarbonise - things like cement, steel and aviation.

His thinking is strongly influenced by the energy historian Vaclav Smil. Gates says he has read every one of the Czech-Canadian professor's 40-odd books on the subject. But in a rare interview, Professor Smil tells Justin that he has a decidedly more pessimistic view of how quick and painless the energy transition can be.

Producer: Laurence Knight

(Picture: Justin Rowlatt interviewing Bill Gates at the Natural History Museum)

Business Weekly: 13/02/2021 Feb 13, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Business Weekly, we examine the world of amateur traders. One in five Americans now play the stock market, but there are warnings that inexperienced traders could be caught out. Also, we take a look at the new space race. Commercial enterprises are vying to see who can get the most satellites into orbit in order to provide internet connectivity to some of the world’s poorest and most rural regions. In the week when Bumble made its market debut, we hear how dating apps are faring during the pandemic. And we chat to the man who provides books for home offices so his clients can seem well-read on video conferencing calls. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

African Free trade: What’s in it for women? Feb 12, 2021

Show notes

After years of planning and delays, Africa’s new trade bloc, the African Continental Free Trade Area, opened in January with the promise of transforming the continent’s economies. Amandla Ooko-Ombaka of McKinsey and Company in Nairobi explains the enormous poverty-reducing potential the bloc represents. But some are calling for the agreement’s terms to more directly benefit women, by helping facilitate trade in their wares across borders. Caroline Gethi of the Organisation of Women in International Trade and Gloria Atuheirwe of Trademark East Africa say the agreement hasn't gone far enough to promote gender equality, and that it as yet doesn’t even recognise the role of women in informal trade which is the backbone of Africa’s economies.

Producer: Frey Lindsay

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

Brexit and the City Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Is one of the world's mighty financial centres under threat from the damage done by the UK's departure from the EU? Six weeks after the final Brexit divorce, Katie Martin of the Financial Times explains the short-term impact, and long-term implications. One winner is Amsterdam. Michael Kent, co-founder of Azimo, a digital payments firm, tells us why he's opened an office there. And if the City of London is losing its allure, why are bankers so optimistic? We hear from the boss of Barclays.

Photo: A man wearing a traditional bowler hat looks over at London's financial and business district known as the Square Mile (Credit: Getty).

The rise of amateur day traders Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

When shares in the apparently declining games company Gamestop soared almost 2000% in less than a month, the world’s attention was drawn to an army of amateur investors on new mobile trading platforms such as Robinhood. Investment author Ann Logue breaks down what makes these amateur traders different from regular day traders, and we’ll hear from one such amateur on the ups and downs of playing the market. Professional investor Bill Brewster speaks about what responsibilities the new investing apps have in making sure their users are informed both about the risks and how the apps actually work, and Barbara Roper of the Consumer Federation of America suggests where regulation can play a part. We’ll also hear from day trader and YouTuber HumbledTrader, who cautions people from getting into the game without doing their own research.

Producer: Marie Keyworth.

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

Satellites to breach the digital divide Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Bridging the global digital divide, using satellites in space, is the dream of the world's richest men like Elon Musk of SpaceX and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. They're joined in a new space race to carpet the earth in satellite constellations with national governments, private companies and the recently rescued OneWeb, under the new ownership of the British government and Bharti Enterprises. Sunil Bharti Mittal, the executive Chair of OneWeb tells us why firing hundreds rockets skywards makes business sense, even in a crowded market. And he's promised to leave no-one behind. We also speak to Caleb Henry of Quilty Analytics who tells us about the players in the market and Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation warns of the dangers of a crowded Lower Earth Orbit. Presented by Ed Butler and produced by Clare Williamson. (Image: Lift off Vr, Credits: Roscosmos and Space Center Vostochny, TsENK)

Stormy seas for global shipping Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

We explore the twin crises affecting the shipping industry. First, thousands of seafarers are stranded far from home, unable to travel because of the coronavirus. Add to that congestion at ports across the globe and sky-high freight rates. The result? Unprecedented pressures on an industry that’s usually far from the public eye. We hear from stranded ship-workers and those trying to help them return home. And we speak to the importers and exporters struggling to stay afloat as shipping rates go up and up.

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

Business Weekly: 06/02/2021 Feb 06, 2021

Show notes

As protests continue against the military coup in Myanmar, Business Weekly hears how the army controls the country’s economy. Jeff Bezos has announced that he’s stepping down as Amazon chief executive so he can concentrate on other projects. We think about the good he could he do if he really put his mind - and his money - to it. And it’s a dog’s life - we hear how the trade in lockdown pets is booming. Business Weekly is presented by Lucy Burton and produced by Matthew Davies.

Moon landings and economic priorities Feb 05, 2021

Show notes

Manuela Saragosa speaks with economist Mariana Mazzucato, who argues that America’s Apollo programme, which landed people on the moon in the 1960s, has a lot to teach us about tackling some of the biggest economic challenges on earth today. Mazzucato is calling for a bolder, more visionary and interventionist state which would take on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, among others. But would that work at a time of declining trust in government institutions and competence? And don't the UN's goals encompass societal challenges that are far more politically complex than Apollo's technological mission?

(Image credit: Getty Images.)

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