In this episode, Niki Roach is joined by expert guests: Davey Jones - Professor in Environmental Science & Public Health at Bangor University and Dr Helen Howard-Jones - Research Project Manager (Wastewater) at Bangor University.

Sewage contains a whole lot of substances and a whole lot of data. Pathogens, pollution, illicit substances... even human DNA. Analysing sewage, detecting what's present in it, tracking and mapping it - this is an emerging science that holds a lot more potential than has yet been harnessed. 

First tried back in World War 2, the techniques have modernised and came to the fore during the COVID pandemic. Now, there is an opportunity to collect more data, better analyse it, and create a kind of national health early warning system that is cost effective, and works across the country.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Katie Hargrave-Smith sits in for Niki Roach as host for this August 2026 edition of Planet Possible News - 3 stories making the headlines in water, nature and climate in the UK and around the world.

Al Chisholm (Policy, Regulation and Governance lead for Water at ARUP) joins as our expert guest. The three stories being discussed are:

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Welcome to the first of two 'Best Of' compilation episodes we will make this year (one in the summer and one at Christmas). 

This collection of highlights covers the first half of 2026, and features some incredible guests. 

A great chance to catch-up on some of our most-listened-to, and most-talked-about, episodes that you may have missed first time around.

The three guests featured here are...

We hope you enjoy this look back at some of the best bits of 2026, so far.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Vast kelp beds once supported a wondrous diversity of marine life, off the coast of Sussex in the UK. They filtered the water, protected the coast from storms and supported local fisheries. By the mid-1980s, 96% of Sussex kelp had disappeared. However, there is an ambitious project underway to bring it back. 

This is an example of rewilding - an approach that can enable progress in the face of today’s biggest global issues, from biodiversity loss to the climate crisis.

In this episode host Niki is joined by two expert guests.

Rebecca Wrigley (CEO, Rewilding Britain) and George Short (Sussex Kelp Recovery Project), to discuss rewilding as a concept... and see how it works in action.

By understanding the case study of taking a nature-led approach to the recovery of kelp beds, off the Sussex coast.

In this episode, topics discussed include:

- What rewilding is and how it can offer a "buy one - get five free" list of additional benefits.

- How the Sussex kelp beds got so degraded, and what the process is to enable them to recover.

- Early signs of hope in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, and the emotional impact they have had on the passionate delivery team.

- How rewilding can work, at both vast and tiny scales, enabling anyone to get involved.

- A fascinating provocation for those living in the British Isles, to get more in touch with an island mentality (and how that could help environmental progress).

Find out more about Rewilding Britain here

Find out more about the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project here

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Originally published in June 2025, this interview with one of the UK's most influential voices on nature - Tony Juniper - is well worth a revisit.

In this episode, host Niki and Tony discuss:

- How there can be a "both and" approach to nature and economy, not an "either or".

- The scale of the challenge facing the planet, and what can be done.

- The vital roles of media, and culture, in enabling people and politics to make the changes necessary.

- How environmental challenges and inequality are linked, (and how addressing one helps the other).

- Where there is hope, and what people listening can do (plus how they can influence people in power to do more).

(The original episode has been abridged with some time-specific references removed).

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Guy Thompson is an expert in clean energy transition, nature positive economy and environmental policy and regulation, having worked at Natural England, Wessex Water and EnTrade (environmental market/credits startup). 

In this episode, he discussed with Niki the challenges facing the new Burnham-led government, particularly in terms of addressing the root causes of environmental issues, as opposed to addressing the symptoms with surface-level policy tweaks.

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Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

In this episode of Planet Possible News, Emily Blaney and Niki Roach discuss: 

- Extreme weather becoming the new norm in the UK.

- Whether water-saving campaigns work?

- and why do animal "characters" go viral, without the wider environmental message connecting?

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Our climate is changing. When it rains, it’s often more frequent, heavier and likely to cause flooded roads, gardens or even properties.

In this episode, we explore how we can create homes, cities and infrastructure that can cope with these changing rainfall patterns.

Niki is joined by expert and subject champion, CIWEM’s Director of Policy and Projects - Paul Shaffer, and Cristina Refolo - Founding Director of Refolo Landscape Architects.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

In this episode, we explore how the change in our climate is likely to change the economics of free resources, as well.

Niki is joined by Adam Lovell - Executive Director at The Water Services Association of Australia, and Karma Loveday - Water sector journalist and Founder and Editor, at The UK Water Report.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

David Shukman is shocked. Both at the climate change induced extremes that Britain now faces... and the nation's lack of preparedness. In his new book 'The Response - A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain's New World of Extremes' makes the argument that things are probably worse than we think... but also that there's more than can be done than we realise.

David joins host Niki to discuss his new book, the research behind it and the future that could lie ahead.

You can buy David’s book here…

https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/210672/david-shukman

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland