Everyone got a bit of a shock when a General Election was announced for July 4th. So, we know there is going to be a new government. Whoever ends up in power, what should they be doing - in the first 100 days and beyond - to do right by water and the environment?

Host Niki Roach and CIWEM Director of Policy Al Chisholm pick their 3 wishes (they actually end up with 4) for the new incoming government... plus there are things that need finishing and following through on. Water and environment have never been higher up the political agenda, nor more important to the public, so the whoever forms the next government, they need to get it right.

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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 

Can you be an activist and an environmental professional? How do we tackle eco-anxiety, especially for the next generation and is activism be something everyone can get involved in?

In today’s episode we’re exploring the role that activism plays in driving positive environmental and                                                                    climate outcomes. Increasingly we’re seeing and hearing individuals and groups looking to drive faster action on slowing the speed at which our planet is warming. What are some of the unintended consequences of activism - and how can we support youth activists more effectively?

To explore this - and much more - we're joined by a 24-year-old climate activist and the founding Executive Director of Force of Nature - a youth non-profit mobilising mindsets for climate action - Clover Hogan.

Listen to Clover's TED talk - viewed over 2 million times - here https://www.ted.com/talks/clover_hogan_what_to_do_when_climate_change_feels_unstoppable?language=en

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

We're exploring the topic of bioresources - sometimes called sewage sludge - and our interview is with Georgia Elliot-Smith, who's heading up 'Fighting Dirty' - a campaign to ensure environmental regulation around sewage sludge - last updated in 1989 in England and Wales - remains effective. Niki's co-host is the Director of Innovation & Delivery at CIWEM and supported the creation of the National Biosolids Strategy in 2023 - Paul Shaffer.

Find out what Fighting Dirty are aiming to change, how bioresources are currently managed in England and Wales and what our guests would make possible with the Planet Possible Magic Wand...

You can find more about the Fighting Dirty Campaign at https://fightingdirty.org/

This season of Planet Possible is supported by Atkins Réalis - https://www.atkinsrealis.com/

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

The water that runs off our traffic-filled roads ends up in our rivers, but we know little about it, it's hardly monitored and improving the quality of that runoff is a huge task.

Join us for this special episode of Planet Possible in collaboration with Watershed Investigations as we dig into the realities of highway runoff . . We’re joined from the front line by Jo Bradley from Stormwater Shepherds as she carries out water quality testing and hear from both National Highways, who own the strategic road network and the Environment Agency, the environmental regulator in England.  

We explore how we manage these flows and what the future looks like - and of course we’ll offer our guests the Planet Possible magic wand too.

Post-interview clarification on behalf of National Highways:

”National Highways developed its water runoff risk assessment tool in partnership with the Environment Agency, and it was agreed it was fit for purpose. Similarly, on the M6 J21A-26, seven Vortex Separation Chambers have been installed as part of upgrade work to keep pollutants in check. Along with drainage, these devices use hydrodynamic separation to capture and retain insoluble particles such as silt, hydrocarbons and debris from the surface water systems.”

Our 2024 season is supported by Atkins Réalis

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

Are you flood ready? How do you find out if your home is at risk of flooding? What can you do to protect your home and if water does suddenly come through your door, what should you do next?

With much of England and Scotland experiencing rainfall 70% above average for December, flooding has impacted thousands of homes and businesses. Join Niki and her co-host and Environment Agency Environment Manager, Ian Withers as they explore the role of the EA in flood forecasting, warning and operational response.

We hear the first hand impact of flooding from Mary Long-Donaugh OBE, who after experiencing significant flooding in 2007 is now a property flood resilience advocate.

And as ever, find out what our guests decided to make possible with the Planet Possible Magic Wand…

We mentioned these in the pod…

If you’re in the UK you can check your risk of flooding here: https://www.gov.uk/check-flooding

Check out Mary’s free flood guides here: https://floodmary.com

Warch the sandbag test here: https://floodmary.com/2022/02/23/when-a-flood-occurs-everyone-shouts-for-sandbags/

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

2023 is set to be the hottest year on record with temperatures 1.4 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average and sea surface temperatures for the polar oceans reaching almost 21 degrees C in October. In recent years we’ve seen the climate COPs making headline news - so what was it like to attend COP28, how significant were the outputs - and how did the paradox of a fossil fuel economy hosting COP hosting a COP play out?

Join Niki and her co-host and Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commissioner, Adam Ashman as they explore what COP28 means at a national and local level and hear from CIWEM President Bushra Hussain and Chair of the Trustee Board, Annie Shepperd, as they tell us about their COP28 experiences.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

You might already have a view on whether it’s a helpful way of bringing some greenery to a tricky space – or that it should be banned entirely. Either way, we’re going to explore in this episode some of the science and evidence behind the use of plastic grass, think about why it’s proving so popular and explore some great alternatives for people to think about. 

We’re joined by a fantastic co-host, Dr Chloe Sutcliffe of the Royal horticultural Society, and we speak with Professor Ross Cameron from the University of Sheffield on the radical changes he proposed need to be made to the way we think about our gardens.

You can read more about Professor Cameron’s paper that we chat about during the show here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/cut-council-tax-green-gardeners-help-cities-tackle-climate-change

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

Water in the UK has become both a political football and a source of vast public anger. Storm overflows, sewage spills, dying rivers and dividend payouts have dominated debates everywhere from parliament to the pub. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and clearly there are huge and complex issues... but what are the answers?

CIWEM Director of Policy Al Chisholm is in a unique position of objectivity and influence. He's across the detail and the breadth of the issues. Niki Roach, with her vast and varied experience within the water industry senses the nuances that the public may not see.

Between them they have an honest, focused and practical discussion about what the future of UK Water should be. Is the ownership model right? Is regulation suitable and strong enough? With a general election on the horizon, what do the major political parties want to do? What will win out - big infrastructure or nature based solutions?

This is an essential listen not only for those in the water industry but anyone and everyone who wants the water sector in the UK fixed.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

If you’re in the UK you’ll have heard about recent proposed changes to nutrient neutrality. Adding to the wider debate about the health of our rivers across England in particular, we explore the proposed changes & what they could mean for river health.

Niki is joined by Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow and the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee who in 2021 put forward the private members bill that kickstarted much of the debate around river health. Dr Gabriel Connor-Streich joins Niki to co-host and offer his perspective based on his experience of developing nutrient neutrality guidance with Natural England and more recently advocating for an alternative approach. 

An audio transcript of this episode will be available shortly after release & you can listen to the Accordion version of the episode here - https://www.accordion.live/planetpossible/

This season of Planet Possible is sponsored by Accordion.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

Uruguay has been facing the longest drought the country has ever recorded in it’s capital Montevideo, leaving the city almost completely dry and the Paso Severino reservoir, supplying over half the country’s 3.4 millions people, at 2.4% capacity in late June. This is especially fascinating for a country that in 2004 enshrined access to water as a fundamental right in it’s constitution.

To help us understand more about how Montevideo got here, what’s happening now and crucially, what lessons can we identify we're joined by a Uruguayan researcher, winner of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award and Professor at the University Center of the Eastern Region of the University of the Republic.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland