Eco Chamber

The government has confirmed potentially far-reaching changes to England’s biodiversity net gain (BNG) policy. These include exemptions for development sites 0.2 hectare in size, targeted exemptions for residential brownfield development, and a delay to the inclusion of nationally important infrastructure under BNG’s remit. But what does it all mean in practice? On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest, Dr Sophus zu Ermgassen, an ecological economist from the University of Oxford, joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report senior reporter Shosha Adie to discuss the changes to BNG.The team also discusses the government’s first choice for new leader of the Office for Environmental Protection: Dame Helen Ghosh.Who is she? PLUS: Clearance of the notorious Kidlington waste dump has begun; a treasure-map for soil health has been revealed to the public; and an aquatic nightmare-from-hell for the thousands of fish that died in gruesome fashion…

On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Frankie Mayo, policy analysis and research lead at the energy think tank Ember, joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill to discuss the conflict between solar power and Reform UK.Heading into May’s local elections, Reform UK looks set to sweep more than 1,000 seats across England’s councils. Party deputy, Richard Tice, has vowed to reverse some of the planning decisions made in favour of giant solar projects should they be elected to government. Will Reform UK’s anti-net zero rhetoric affect the outcomes of the upcoming local elections?The team also discusses the risks posed by proposed AI-data centres in England, which are planned for development in some of the most water stressed areas in the country. PLUS:  One quarter of local nature recovery strategies have not yet been published; outdated’ furniture fire safety rules are set for an overhaul; and plans for the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields could be revived.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.

The Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has attacked Labour’s manifesto commitment to end new oil and gas licences as “reckless” and "catastrophic" in the middle of the global energy crisis.But with only 10% of the North Sea’s original reserves estimated to still be available for extraction, can it really help steer the country towards a more energy secure future? On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Ed Matthew, the UK director of the climate change think tank E3G joins ENDS Report’s deputy editor Tess Colley and ENDS’ senior reporter Shosha Adier, to unpick the Conservative’s rhetoric.Meanwhile, a group of MPs has urged DEFRA to consider a merger of England’s watchdogs for the environment: the Environment Agency and Natural England. PLUS: Scotland’s nature watchdog has a new plan and a new cash injection; DEFRA’s new Nature Investment Standard and a multi-million pound waste plastic packaging scandal busted.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.

Bentham is home to firefighting foam factory, Angus Fire, and ENDS has previously exposed the sky-high PFAS levels in the soils and groundwater on its site. Now, first-of-its-kind blood testing carried out as part of the ITV Exposure documentary ‘In Our Blood: The Forever Chemicals Scandal’ has opened a new chapter in the story.On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Martha Elwell, director of the documentary, and Pippa Neill, the ENDS journalist behind this exposé join podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons to discuss the making of the film. The trio discuss the results of the blood testing, which found “alarming” levels of PFAS in the blood of a group of residents and former and current factory workers in Bentham.We also hear from the team about how the duty of care to residents in Bentham was handled, and why the story took them to the US. PLUS:  The government’s three-part waste crime action plan; the new land-use framework revealed; and the UK’s international climate fund cuts. 

Last year, a review into nuclear regulations recommended a “radical reset” to speed up the build out of new nuclear infrastructure, and proved controversial for some of its radical proposals for environmental regulation.With the government response now out, green groups have expressed relief that the government stepped back from the most extreme reforms, but some lawyers have warned that its proposals will still see a degradation of the environment.Environmental lawyer Alexa Culver joins the team this week to unpack everything you need to know about what the government has proposed.PLUS: The regulator chief executive who has announced their retirement; why Chris Packham has hit out at environmental NGOs; and what you need to know about new guidelines giving DEFRA regulators a  ‘mandate to prioritise outcomes over process’.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.

The space race is on but scientists are worried for our ozone. As this new frontier looks to expand with new investors, how should the environment sector respond? Plus, an unprecedented recommendation from the Environment Agency concerning PFAS. Listen to the ECO Chamber to find out more. Once only the domain of US and Russian governments, the cost of launching things into space has come down, enabling more and more rockets and satellites to enter space.  However, NASA has warned that the growth of space travel could cause damage to the ozone layer. Dr Alice Bunn, the UK Space Agency’s former international director, joins the team this week to discuss the fine line to be treaded. PLUS: The Marine Management Organisation has hired a new chief after a two-year search; South West Water has pleaded guilty to offences related to the supply of water “unfit for human consumption”; and the UK has legislated a lead shot ban – the first chemicals restriction since Brexit. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.