Eco Chamber

On this week’s podcast, Martin Baxter, the deputy chief executive of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) discusses the risks and rewards of AI adoption within the environmental profession. On Tuesday, ISEP published a new advice note on the responsible use and application of AI by sustainability and environmental professionals. Baxter believes the negative impacts of AI adoptions needs to be better understood by the profession. His warning comes at a time when top AI safety researchers are warning of potential human annihilation within a decade, and the heads of AI companies are pleading for greater regulation from lawmakers. The team also discusses comments made to ENDS by the Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, on the aspects of biodiversity net gain policy he thinks are increasing social inequality.  PLUSA welcomed rhetoric from the new nature minister.DEFRA’s plans to tighten limits on PFOS.And a new assessment on the money England needs to reach its nature targets.

The Labour Party promised a major water reset when it was elected, and Andy Burnham’s government shows no sign of reversing that direction. New powers have been granted to regulators like the Environment Agency under the Water Special Measures Act, a major review of the sector was carried out by Sir John Cunliffe to ascertain how a more joined-up approach to regulation could be achieved, and a new Clean Water Bill was announced in the King's Speech earlier this year. On top of that, the prime minister himself has signalled that the renationalisation of the water sector isn’t off the table. For this ECO Chamber podcast bonus episode, the ENDS Report team travelled to Henley-on-Thames on 4 September to find out what’s at stake for the water sector. Backstage, the team spoke with policy-makers, watchdog leaders and environmentalists, including: Natalie Prosser, the chief executive of the Office for Environment Protection about the funding pressures her organisation is facing.Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s director for water on her organisation’s priorities.And Yuan Yang, an economist and Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, on the risks and rewards of her government renationalising the water sector. The podcast also includes extracts from an expert panel hosted by ENDS’ senior journalist Shosha Adie with Wakeham, the chief executive of the Wildlife and Countryside Link, Richard Benwell, and Ofwat’s senior director of communications and engagement, Mark Wiltsher. The panel discussed the pros and cons of a slated new super regulator, the sector at large, the challenges ahead for policymakers, and more.The Eco Chamber is brought to you by the journalists at ENDS Report.

On this week’s podcast, ENDS Report editor Jamie Carpenter discusses his key takehomes from Reform UK’s second annual conference in Birmingham. The party’s leadership has been keen to emphasise drastic reductions in the size of the civil service – a 13% cut or 68,500 full-time equivalent roles – should it form the next government. Reform UK politicians like Robert Jenrick have also called for the complete defunding of regulators like Natural England within the first 100 days of taking over government. Other nature policies would also be weakened and amended under recent Reform proposals, including the Habitats Regulatons and biodiversity net gain. But hostile nature policies could be “a real electoral Achilles heel” for Reform UK, according to new polling from More in Common. Andrew Fowler, the pollster’s engagement and research associate, speaks to the Eco Chamber this week about why 80% of Reform voters' support of nature is at odds with its leadership. PLUSNatural England chiefs champion growth alongside the regulator’s nature remit. The policy agenda set for parliament this Autumn.And Scotland’s plans for an all-in-one environmental watchdog. The Eco Chamber is brought to you by the journalists at ENDS Report. 

Successive governments have tried to undermine the Habitat Regulations as red tape that needs to be cut. Most recently, critics have pointed to attacks on the regulations made under the previous Starmer administration, including the  Planning and Infrastructure Act and legislation set to be brought forward following the Fingleton Review. Those who want to water down the legislation point to data on falling species abundance, arguing the regulations aren’t working anyway. But in a new report published by The Wildlife Trusts, Matt Browne, head of public affairs, joins podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons to discuss why the charity is arguing for  the regulations to be kept safe and what needs to happen next to do that.  ENDS Report senior journalist Shosha Adie also discusses the Conservative Party’s latest attacks on net zero and their attempts to repeal the Climate Change Act 2008. PLUSDame Angela Eagle’s pushback against Reform UK’s climate denial. The Kidlington “super waste dump” in Oxfordshire that has been cleared. And the Government’s new air pollution alert system.  The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report.

When Labour entered government it pushed for a “reset” within the water sector promising tougher enforcement and major reforms. The idea of a “powerful” single water regulator for England was mooted, that would replace Ofwat, parts of the Environment Agency and Natural England, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). The head of the DWI, Marcus Rink, this month sat down with ENDS Report’s senior reporter, Shosha Adie to discuss why the so-called super regulator may not be all that super. Plus, this week ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons also discusses the potential environmental consequences of the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework with special guest Pamela Chesterman, an environmental lawyer at Irwin Mitchel LLP. Chesterman is optimistic about the new national planning blueprint but has concerns that in the short-term current local plans could now be considered “outdated” with a flood of planning applications likely.PLUS Hinkley Point C is now open to environmental information requests.Billions more have been raised on customers’ water bills.The Office for Environmental Protection’s new agenda under an environment of “real-term cuts”.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report.

Over the past few weeks, environmentalists have been celebrating the release of six young sea eagles into Exmoor National Park. Their release means more than 50 have now taken flight across England since their reintroduction on the Isle of Wight in 2019. However, a recent investigation by the wildlife watchdog Natural England has found that some sea eagles, found dead, had ingested enough rat poison for it to have contributed towards their demise. Dorset has been a particular hotspot for the poisoned birds. On this week’s episode, podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons asks, why?With special guest Bob Elliot, the CEO of the legal campaign outfit Wild Justice, the pair discuss the importance of raptor reintroductions and the reality of what it takes to launch a successful wildlife crime investigation.  Alongside sea eagles, ospreys in England are also making a comeback. The RSPB Campfield Marsh reserve in Cumbria has become the latest home to a pair of breeding ospreys, marking an end to their century-long absence from the bird charity’s reserves.Elliot explains why the return of large birds of prey is so crucial for England’s natural environment to recover. The team also looks at recently released data giving an update on England’s ailing water bodies. PLUS The Clacton by-electionThe UK’s ‘largest ever’ pollution legal claim…And the airport runway, running away in the courts…The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report.

The Environment Agency has declared droughts across half of England, as parts of the country are experiencing the longest dry period in 30 years.At the same time, wildfires have raged across the UK. Most recently, this has included the Dunwich Heath wildfire in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths protected area, which saw more than 150 hectares of rare coastal lowland heath burned.  On this week’s episode, the National Trust’s senior national specialist on climate adaptation, Keith Jones, tells the Eco Chamber what’s been lost, and what needs to happen next. Jones explains how the National Trust is taking action now, but as a nation, he doesn’t believe the UK has the capacity to respond to a catastrophic wildfire event such as those seen in Europe this summer. The podcast team also gets to grips with the recently assigned portfolios of DEFRA’s new ministers.PLUS The deaths of England’s sea eagles tied to rat poison The bat nightmare of Lochmaben And the river Ouse’s new charterThe ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report.

Since taking office as prime minister, Andy Burnham has made a swathe of ministerial changes across Westminster, including within DEFRA. Dame Angela Eagle has succeeded Emma Reynolds as the new environment secretary and new faces have entered the department’s fold.They include Suffolk Coastal MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, who has joined DEFRA as a junior minister and water industry veteran Lee Pitcher, the Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme MP.  Pitcher is one of more than 50 new parliamentary private secretaries appointed across government.But one name absent from DEFRA’s ranks is Mary Creagh, the MP for Coventry East and the first nature minister who served under both environment secretaries Emma Reynolds and Steve Reed.  Across her career, Creagh has acted as both shadow secretary for DEFRA and later as chair for the Environmental Audit Committee. On this week’s episode, the team discusses what her absence could mean for the department and asks why Natural England is worried about the implications of a recent High Court ruling on gamebirds. PLUS The Environment Agency’s campaign to clamp down on waste crimeThe Sea Use Framework sunk by the government.And the former Southern Water chief executive charged with ‘conspiracy to defraud’