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Eco Chamber
Manifesto magic tricks, Reform’s revenge PLUS the carbon blowouts that could break our skies
Season 2024, Ep. 95
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Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.
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For this week’s Big Green News, the team discusses:
- The ming vase that Sir Kier Starmer is holding heading into the general election and the green policies held inside.
- The implications of Reform UK’s manifesto promises, including a pledge to axe net zero within the first 100 days of office.
- And for the news-in-brief, we find out more about one of the worst cases of illegal tree felling in Wales for over three decades, the King’s favourite environmentalist and the Environment Bank’s chief stepping down after 18 years at the helm.
For our deep dive, we’ll take-off with Tim Johnson, director of the Aviation Environment Federation, to gain his fascinating insights into the science of contrails, the need to get to grips with aviation emissions and the airport expansions that could break our carbon budgets.
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116. Souped-up landfills, welly wars, and HS2’s £100m bat ‘shed’
27:40||Season 2024, Ep. 116Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.This week, ENDS journalists look at:An exclusive on how the landfill treatment process is inadvertently creating a toxic liquid waste that could cause even bigger problems for a PFAS-filled future. The new ministers of the Conservative shadow government with ties to British Sugar and working wellies. And the news-in-brief: DEFRA’s farm water pollution rules are back in the spotlight, biodiversity net gain is about to get a lot bigger and a new bill to ban the sale of peat has been dug up in the halls of Westminster. For this week’s fact check, we get to the bottom of HS2’s multi-million pound ‘bat shed’: is it good value for money or a 'batty' white elephant?115. DEFRA’s Budget blues and will Reeves’ raid ‘ruin’ the countryside?
26:07||Season 2024, Ep. 115Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.This week, ENDS journalists look at:The environmental implications of Labour’s first budget in over a decade-and-a-half and what it means for DEFRA.And the news-in-brief: The mother of the first person in the world to have air pollution on their death certificate has settled her legal claim against the government, Natural England’s approval of a protected saltmarsh demolition may have been unlawful and the COP 16 walkouts. For this week’s fact check, we look into the truth behind claims made by the former president of the National Farmers Union that the government’s latest changes to agricultural property relief will ‘destroy lives… and ruin the countryside’.114. Big carbon budgets, the new PRO waste squad PLUS the DRS glass ceilings that won't shatter
20:17||Season 2024, Ep. 114Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.This week, ENDS journalists look at:The new waste group 'PRO' in charge of the government’s forthcoming extended producer responsibility roll-out.The big emission cuts that the government is toying as part of its next carbon budget.And the news-in-brief: the sand-eel fishing ban that’s irked the EU, Natural Resources Wales’ tax liabilities and the Somerset farmer blaming slurry pollution on the weather report. For this week’s fact check, we look into the truth behind the claim by government and industry that glass will be an expensive and complex addition to the forthcoming roll out of a UK-wide deposit return scheme.113. DEFRA’s growth mindset, sewage spills into court and EfW fighting ‘dirty’
21:06||Season 2024, Ep. 113Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.This week ENDS journalists look at:The ground-breaking community-led lawsuit attempting to hold a water company to account for the sewage pollution its let slip.Labour’s growth strategy and the ramifications for DEFRA and its regulatorsAnd the news-in-brief: a new nature tsar, Drax under attack and England’s terrible harvests.For this week’s fact-checker, we look into the truth behind the claim that energy-from-waste now ranks as the dirtiest form of energy generation in the country made in a BBC article following the closure of the country's last coal-fired power station.112. Starmer's red tape rampage rings alarm bells for nature
20:30||Season 2024, Ep. 112What were the regulation-slashing announcements in Sir Keir Starmer's speech, and do they signal a war on nature? Who is the 'nature voice' in the government’s new clean power unit? And are dams and reservoirs for hydro projects among the “least intrusive” of renewable energy technologies? Find out in this week's episode of the ECO Chamber...Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.This week ENDS journalists look at:The regulation-slashing stance taken by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer in his latest speech The nature charity chief appointed to the government’s new clean power unitAnd what you need to know about the Disneyland-style theme park plans haunting a nature reserve, deposit return scheme dramas; and a new natural capital reportFor this week’s fact-check, the team evaluate the truth behind a claim that dams and reservoirs are among the “least intrusive” of renewable energy technologies, made in a Telegraph article, in the wake of the government’s new dam building drive.111. Forbidden fruit, DEFRA’s growing pains, and the true cost of offshore wind
25:05||Season 2024, Ep. 111Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.In this week’s episode, the team unearths:The gardens of England where food grows with toxic PFAS pollution.The environment secretary's plan for growth, growth, growth at DEFRA.And the news-in-brief: Missed biodiversity targets, rotten ammonia protocols and landfill permit breaches. For this week’s fact-check, we look into the truth behind the claim made by Robert Jenrick – the front-runner for the Conservative party leadership – that offshore wind is the driver pushing energy prices up, up and away.110. Toxic shock: the nasties lurking in the sewage sludge being spread on UK fields
35:51||Season 2024, Ep. 110Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.In this week’s episode, the team explores:The Office for Environmental Protection's landmark legal action on how the government implements its statutory requirements to restore and improve the environmental condition of waterways.Northern Ireland's new environmental improvement plan published after more than a year-long absence.And for the news-in-brief section the team learns: Why the communities secretary approved housing in Cambridge despite water supply issues.The pesticides in our foodsAnd the appointment of a new climate envoy. For this week’s deep-dive the team brings you an ENDS' exclusive on the sewage sludge fertiliser spreading toxic PFAS on our crops and soil.109. Labour conference special: Passport controls, DEFRA ‘captured’, and farming budget fracas
22:16||Season 2024, Ep. 109Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.In this week’s episode, the team explores:The Labour Party conference and the takehomes, takeovers and takedowns that took place during its Liverpool event. And for the news-in-brief section the team learns more about: New guidance on scattering pet ashes The ‘world's rarest lichen’ discovered in Cumbria And the Welsh watchdog looking to cut staff numbers. For this week’s deep-dive, the team factchecks the truth behind claims that Labour is looking to buyout Thames Water108. PFAS price tag revealed, curtains for Cumbria coal mine, and the true cost of nationalising our water
26:27||Season 2024, Ep. 108Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories, and take a forensic look at one of the deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today.In this week’s episode, the team explores:PFAS. How much is it going to cost and how long have our agency’s known about its dangers? And planning for the UK’s first new deep sea coal mine in decades has been quashed by the courts… why?In the news-in-brief section the team discusses:DEFRA's order to ‘regulate more effectively’. Labour’s climate and nature special envoys and Severn Trent's £300K payout following the pollution of a Gloucestershire brook.For this week’s deep-dive, the team factchecks the true cost of renationalising the water companies.