In this episode: Amy and Matt investigate the green surge in the European parliamentary elections and look ahead to another really significant election - but one with a much smaller electorate: the race to become the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister, following Theresa May’s resignation. Plus, can we achieve #coalfreeforever? Amy and Matt celebrate the UK's longest period without burning coal for electricity since the Industrial Revolution.

Plus reasons to be cheerful: we celebrate the Welsh government's decision to protect the Gwent levels and not build the M4 Relief Road and Michael Gove's ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds.

Music by Podington Bear used under Creative Commons licence.

The UK is in the midst of a tumultuous redefinition of its place in the world. Its success to date has been built on high environmental standards, reinforced by its position in the EU. Depending on our future relationship with the EU, what is the likely future for our domestic and international environmental ambitions as a result of new trade deals, both with the EU and other major trading blocs?

For this event, we were delighted to have Pascal Lamy, president emeritus of the Jacques Delors Institute and director-general of the World Trade Organization from 2005 to 2013, as our keynote speaker.

The keynote address was followed by a panel discussion addressing the importance of trade deals to clean growth and environmental protections, where trade negotiations could pose environmental risks and what the outline of a UK clean trade strategy might look like.

Expert panelists:

The event was chaired by Randeep Ramesh, Chief leader writer, The Guardian.

This event also launched a new report by Dr Markus Gehring, director of studies at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge and lead counsel at the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, that looks at the legal framework to ensure high climate ambition within the UK and the EU agreement and other future trade deals.

See here for photos of the event and an event summary: https://wke.lt/w/s/t4XYvx

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In this episode: what do we know and how should we act? We look at two major reports that have landed with an almighty thump: the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) report on net zero and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report on species loss. Plus, we join climate twitter in the campaign for two football finals to come home to the UK.

Interested in what you're hearing? Here are some links to read on:

CCC

IPBES

Europa and Champions league finals

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

Music is Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

In this episode: extinction rebellion, MPs' responses to the draft Environment Bill and natural climate solutions. Plus we discuss climate change in pop culture: RSPB's dawn song competing with Taylor Swift and Lil' Dicky's 'Earth' feat 30 celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio.

Interested in what you're hearing? Here are some links to read on:

Extinction Rebellion:

Environment Bill:

Natural Climate Solutions:

And listen to the songs:

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

Music is Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

Changes to the way we manage and use land will play a vital role in achieving the UK’s climate change objectives in the coming decades. Currently, farmers and land managers can sell carbon credits for woodland and peatland projects to businesses wanting to reduce their environmental impact. However, the voluntary carbon market is small. This podcast discusses how we can boost the amount of funding available for UK carbon markets which could help to decarbonise agriculture and re carbonise soil.

This event launched our new report with The National Trust: New routes to decarbonise land use with Natural Infrastructure Schemes which investigates how a Natural Infrastructure Scheme (NIS) could be used to achieve land based carbon reductions. Find out more here: https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/new_routes_to_decarbonise_land_use.php

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

Music is Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

In this episode: are we going back to the 20th century? We look at plans for a new coal mine in Cumbria which has just been approved by the local council, CPRE's new report on how new homes should be built on recycled land, and we discuss the devastating impacts of Cyclone Idai on the global South.

Disasters Emergency Committee is still raising money for relief efforts - please consider donating: https://donation.dec.org.uk/cyclone#/

Interested in what you're hearing? Here are some links to read on:

Cyclone Idai

Cumbria's coal mine

Building on brownfield sites:

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

Music is Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

From rooftop and community solar to electric vehicles and heat pumps, the UK’s low carbon transition is driving change. One study estimates that 11 million households in the country could be producing or storing energy by 2030, compared to under a million today.

The UK government is consulting on the design of the future energy system, to determine new rules and regulations around how we buy, sell and manage our energy. What do these changes mean for the development and direction of community energy over the next ten years? How can we ensure the future energy system is fair?

This event launched our new report Community Energy 2.0, alongside a Community Energy Manifesto signed by over twenty community energy and affiliated groups. Find out more here: https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/community_energy_2.0.php

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

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The UK government is in the middle of four substantial consultations aiming to reboot a recycling system in the UK currently stalling at best, and failing at worst.

Our panel examines the government's proposals to bring in a deposit return scheme for beverage containers and to reform packaging regulations so that producers bear the full cost of dealing with material they put on the market. These major overhauls promise to change how producers, retailers, householders, local authority and waste managers deal with waste materials. However, it is important that these designs ensure the best environmental outcomes and avoid perverse or unintended consequences.

This event launched our new report, Closing the loop, which outlines the steps to almost 100 per cent aluminium packaging recycling. The report is a reminder that plastic isn't the only material and demonstrates what can be achieved through ambitious policy making. Find out more here: https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/resources/Closing_the_loop.pdf

Questions or comments? Tweet us @GreenAllianceUK!

Music is Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

Our fortnightly round up of the top environmental topics in the news, hosted by Amy Mount and Matt Williams.

In this episode: how Brexit might affect the imported food we eat, politicians’ responses to the climate strikes, microplastics everywhere from Antarctica to a river in Manchester, and the Chancellor’s announcements of money for nature and the climate.

Music by Podington Bear used under Creative Commons licence.

Our fortnightly round up of the top environmental topics in the news, hosted by Amy Mount and Matt Williams.

This episode spans school strikes, hot weather, domestic heating, waste, Brexit and giant insects.

Music by Podington Bear used under Creative Commons licence.