Eco Chamber

The Labour Party Conference has concluded.The party entered its annual conference with a polling boost holding a four-point lead: 27% of the vote, under the newly-elected prime minister.On the main stage, Burnham used his address to focus on pensions, electoral reform, devolution, and a national care service. On the environment he pledged that “a strengthened water bill” will be brought forward to Parliament, the “centerpiece” of which will be “the repeal of Margaret Thatcher’s ideological ban on public ownership of water companies”. In this week’s episode, brought to you from the conference floor, the ENDS team speaks to DEFRA secretary Angela Eagle and hears from experts across the sector including:Matthew Brown, head of public affairs at The Wildlife TrustsMartin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming NetworkMary-Ann Ochota, president of Campaign to Protect Rural EnglandBill Eyres, co-chair of Labour’s Environment Campaign – SERAWith extensive coverage from across the conference, this special episode of the ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s podcast, environmental lawyer Alexa Culver from RSK Wilding gives her view on why Natural England’s first EDP, set for the Norfolk Broads, is riddled with flaws. She has described the blueprint as a “blunt and daft” tool that has pushed nature and developers in Norfolk into a “lose lose” situation. Last week, Natural England published its first EDP for consultation, which covers the Broads Special Area of Conservation, Broadland Ramsar site and the river Wensum Special Area of Conservation in Norfolk. Under the plan, developers will have to pay a levy to use the EDP, but ENDS has exclusively revealed that taxpayer money will be needed to deliver the initial environmental protections. We discuss whether the scheme is sustainable. The team also looks at the key takehomes of the Liberal Democrat’s party conference in Brighton, and why supporting new drilling in the Jackdaw gas field could be seen as a red herring for their leader, Ed Davey. PLUSThe prime minister’s route to net zero that shuns the ‘Whitehall way’.The lessons the Environment Agency has learned on Hoad’s Wood’s illegal dump.And the East Sussex town that has voted to recognise the rights of trees Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.