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Every week, the ENDS team runs down the biggest green news stories, shines a spotlight on some pretty nasty chemicals, and takes a forensic look at one of the more deep-rooted environmental issues facing us today. Read more on the issues covered at www.endsreport.com or follow us on Twitter @TheENDSReport
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191 Episodes
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The space race is on but scientists are worried for our ozone. As this new frontier looks to expand with new investors, how should the environment sector respond? Plus, an unprecedented recommendation from the Environment Agency concerning PFAS. Listen to the ECO Chamber to find out more. Once only the domain of US and Russian governments, the cost of launching things into space has come down, enabling more and more rockets and satellites to enter space. However, NASA has warned that the growth of space travel could cause damage to the ozone layer. Dr Alice Bunn, the UK Space Agency’s former international director, joins the team this week to discuss the fine line to be treaded. PLUS: The Marine Management Organisation has hired a new chief after a two-year search; South West Water has pleaded guilty to offences related to the supply of water “unfit for human consumption”; and the UK has legislated a lead shot ban – the first chemicals restriction since Brexit. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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The Green Party’s by-election win in Gorton and Denton could represent a new dawn for environmental policy – or simply be a protest against the political status quo.That’s according to Shaun Spiers – the former head of the Green Alliance think tank and environmental veteran – who joined podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report senior reporter, Shosha Adie, on this week’s ECO Chamber podcast. The team discussed the implications of the Gorton and Denton by-election and what it might mean for the future of environmental policy under the Labour Party… or even Reform UK. Meanwhile, green NGOs are rallying behind a new campaign to push for stronger measures in the government’s promised Water Reform Bill. But has the sector changed its stance on the public debate about whether or not to re-nationalise water companies? PLUS: The EA has seized an illegal Wigan waste dump containing 25,000 tonnes of refuse, Thames Water’s pollution of England’s most protected chalk streams, and the beavers earning biodiversity net gain units. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Jo Morley – the head of campaigns and advocacy at Surfers Against Sewage – joins podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report’s senior reporter, Shosha Adie, to discuss the new docuseries on sewage pollution.Last year, 124,717 hours of sewage poured into England’s bathing waters with 1,236 people reporting sickness after using the water. Can greater public awareness change this? LISTEN NOW > God’s Own Dark Waters: Exposing a chemical scandal - part oneThe team also discusses why campaigners River Action applied for a judicial review against watchdog Natural Resources Wales’ decision to approve the expansion of three intensive poultry units in Powys. Plus, the UK’s biggest onshore wind farm in a decade has moved one step closer to creation, Scotland’s largest salmon farm has been given the green light in a protected nature area, and the hundreds of seabirds have washed up on England’s coastlines. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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On 15 February 1996, the Sea Empress oil tanker ran aground off the Welsh coastline. It released tens of thousands of tonnes of crude oil into the waterway and left an indelible mark on environmental action. On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Jamie Bevan from the Natural Resources Wales watchdog, joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report deputy editor Tess Colley, to discuss what it was like on the ground. The team also discusses the news that Reform UK is eyeing up the prospect of some new nature policies, with Boris Johnson ally and nature campaigner Ben Goldsmith in talks to advise the party. Plus, why campaigners claim the nuclear taskforce’s proposal to scrap the protected landscapes duty was not evidence based, the lawyers saying the government’s new plan to rescue an infamous Yorkshire stream lacks depth, and why native crayfish have been dying for reasons unknown. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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Following the update, the government must for the first time bed in the Environmental Principles Policy Statement when assessing the costs, benefits and risks of its policies and programmes across Whitehall. On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Ellie Strike from the Office for Environmental Protection, joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill, to discuss the impacts of the move. LISTEN NOW > God’s Own Dark Waters: Exposing a chemical scandal - part onePlus, the team discusses why a Welsh council is buying up flood-hit homes, the beavers taking up residence in the south-west of England, Scotland’s Ecocide Bill, and DEFRA’s plea to the OEP to be more innovative… The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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The government wants to create a new super regulator, which it says will be more “integrated and empowered” and “guided by clear objectives and flexible mechanisms with appropriate safeguards”. But what do we know of this new super power to be? And why are some environmentalists already worried about its ability to hold water companies to account? On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report senior reporter Shosha Adie discuss the implications of the new plan and what it means for England and Wales. The duo also assesses the latest developments of SSE Renewables’ Berwick Bank wind farm. Will it really be “the world’s deadliest” for seabirds as some fear?The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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As legally-binding nature targets loom in the years ahead, some campaigners say the government is at risk of being the first to ‘break nature law’. And that’s because according to the OEP this week, the chance to make a change on these targets before 2030 has ‘largely passed’. On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report senior reporter Shosha Adie speak with the OEP’s chief scientist, Professor Robbie McDonald, about the government’s poor progress on nature restoration targets, and what it would take to turn the tide. Are ministers at risk of breaking the law? The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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The global market in artificial intelligence is projected to hit $4.8 trillion by 2033, according to the UN’s latest analysis, and it seems all that anyone can talk about. But with its drain on water resources, and high energy demands, the technology could pose serious environmental risks. As AI’s deployment in the environmental space gathers pace, how are the UK’s green professionals squaring this circle? On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report editor Jamie Carpenter about how the sector is changing, and what’s at stake. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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PFAS are a group of around 10,000 man-made substances, often dubbed ‘forever chemicals’ because of how long they last in the environment, with some linked to certain cancers. On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Dr. Shubhi Sharma, scientific researcher at the CHEM Trust joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill, to discuss why the plan has been called “a roadmap to nowhere”. LISTEN NOW > God’s Own Dark Waters: Exposing a chemical scandal - part onePlus, the team discusses the OEP’s warning that it will need to shed its workload following DEFRA’s funding freeze, the author of a controversial nuclear review is in two minds about rolling out his plans across the Industrial Strategy; and the Scottish government brings in new nature legislation. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.LISTEN NOW > Access Denied: The environment sector’s problem with race
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In November last year, the economist John Fingleton published his recommendations for a “radical reset” for the nuclear sector, which included changes to the Habitats Regulations.In just three months’ time, the government will present its plan for how to implement Fingleton’s controversial recommendations across the whole Industrial Strategy. But some of the report’s evidence base has been called into question by NGOs, including the Wildlife Trust. On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Matthew Browne, head of public affairs at the charity joins host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill to discuss why he believes errors related to environmental case studies in the report could have serious implications for nature. Plus, we bring you news of the sixth mass extinction event you may already be living through. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.
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The government has announced that the flagship nature policy, biodiversity net gain, is set to see substantial revisions in 2026 with development sites up to 0.2 hectares in size to be exempt from the requirement. Labour has also revised England’s national planning policy blueprint – the National Planning Policy Framework. On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with lawyer Alexa Culver from RSK Wilding to unpick these updates, and hears why she says Labour’s net gain changes are a ‘wound’ to nature markets ‘but not a fatal one’.For this year’s final episode, ENDS Report deputy editor Tess Colley also looks back at the biggest UK environmental moments in Labour’s second year of government. PLUS: South East Water blames its own water sources following a two-week window where customers had to boil their water, the House of Lords has slammed the government’s response to its waste crime inquiry, and PFAS monitoring methods underestimate the true scale of forever chemical pollution, a cross-party group of MPs have been told.
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In this episode, we investigate the representation of working class voices in the UK’s environment sector, reveal exclusive ENDS analysis on the industry’s make-up and hear from those trying to break glass ceilings.New ENDS analysis shows that of more than 260 environmental professionals surveyed, more than two-thirds of respondents felt that working class individuals are either significantly or slightly under-represented in their organisations.Only a fifth felt this group was fairly represented. But the picture is arguably more nuanced that the data shows.To help wrestle with the numbers, in this podcast we speak to:Nadia Shaikh - a campaigner on land access and chair of the RAVEN networkDr Ciara Dwyer - a research fellow for DEFRA and co-chair of the Socioeconomic Equality and Diversity (SEED) networkSarah Mukherjee - chief executive officer at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental ProfessionalsEmma River-Roberts - founder of the non-profit Working Class Climate Alliance
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The economist John Fingleton has published his recommendations to streamline planning laws for the development of UK nuclear power – and they could have implications far beyond the nuclear industry.The prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has endorsed all of Fingleton’s recommendations and in a speech last week, promised to go further citing “well-intentioned, but fundamentally misguided, environmental regulations” as derailing the country’s infrastructure growth plans.On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber host, James Agyepong-Parsons, and ENDS Report deputy editor, Tess Colley, speak with Georgia Dent, the chief executive officer at the Somerset Wildlife Trust to find out what it means for environmentalists. The team also discusses the Office for Environmental Protection’s latest report looking at England’s protected nature sites. PLUS: The creation of a national park in Wales has been rejected due to its ‘adverse impact’ on development prospects; DEFRA confirms the green light for Habitats Regulations changes tied to offshore wind; and the High Court has dismissed a legal challenge over Luton Airport’s expansion.
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This week the government published its long-awaited Environmental Improvement plan. The report is intended to lay out how the government will deliver on the Environment Act 2021’s legally-binding targets.The reception has been mixed – but why has the prime minister’s words on the day sparked debate?On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber host, James Agyepong-Parsons, and ENDS Report deputy editor, Tess Colley, speak with Ruth Chambers, senior research fellow at the think-tank Green Alliance to find out. From nature targets to a promised PFAS action plan, the team discusses the implications and potential impact of the new EIP. The team also gets to grips with the ramifications of the new budget wherein policies on climate and nature were notably absent. PLUS: A former top ranking officer in the British Army has warned that the UK could become an ‘ungovernable state’ if climate change is not taken seriously; nature duty amendments in a new Devolution Bill have been quashed; and the UK takes a leaf out of the Trumpian handbook at an international meeting intended to uphold environmental democracy.
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Climate negotiations at COP30 in Belém, Brazil have come to an end. On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber special guest Dr Timo Leiter from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and a veteran of eight international climate conferences, shares his insights on the latest summit. The ENDS Report team discusses the progress made – or not made – on trade measures, climate finance and adaptation,and limiting global warming to a 1.5C increase. Did the ambitions of the 190 countries at COP 30 succeed, and what was it like without the US at the table? The team also discusses the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as it nears the end of its journey through Parliament: the Commons’ latest rejection of two pro-nature amendments have meant last minute changes were put forward by the upper house… but did they succeed? PLUS: Conservationists and land managers have warned the government against changing England’s flagship biodiversity net gain policy, an environment minister has been accused of ‘impinging the independence’ of the Office for Environmental Protection, and in Northern Ireland an investigation has been launched into the regulation of sewage discharges into Belfast Lough.
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The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is nearing the end of its controversial passage in the House of Lords, with NGO lobby groups trying to come up with a compromise in a last minute huddle. Will they succeed?At the same time, a High Court challenge and a new report from the Environmental Audit Committee has added more fuel to the fire.The team also discusses the significance of an Oxfordshire plastic waste mountain illegally dumped on a floodplain near the river Cherwell – a tributary of the river Thames.Who’s responsible for its clean-up and what will happen next?PLUS: Leaks during climate negotiations at COP30 in Belém suggest the UK is allegedly thwarting talks, UK-EU negotiations move a step closer towards closer alignment on chemicals and pesticides, and England’s ban on plastic wet wipes…
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The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is nearing the end of its controversial passage in the House of Lords, but a new last-minute amendment has caused fresh consternation among environmental experts. On this week’s ECO Chamber, deputy editor Tess Colley and podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons get to grips with the bill’s latest changes alongside special guest Ben Kite, policy chair at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and group strategy director at the consultancy Ecological Planning & Research. The team also discusses a recent ENDS Report interview conducted with Marian Spain – the chief executive of Natural England – and her optimistic take on the bill, which she says is “pretty good”. PLUS: The sticking points at COP30 and the challenges for the UK’s own climate framework, news of a report written by members of a DEFRA committee which argues environmental policy ‘should be reshaped to focus on ecosystems not species’, and we bring you the regions set to benefit the most from a new £150m package to redevelop brownfield land.
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Waste crime costs England's economy around £1 billion a year in damages, but a new inquiry has levelled accusations of “incompetency” at the Environment Agency in dealing with it. But the news has gone without comment from the regulator chief…In this week’s episode, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS editor Jamie Carpenter discuss the story with Dr Anna Willetts – an environmental waste crime lawyer at Gunnercooke LLP and former president of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.The team also discusses the final amendments to the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill being debated in the House of Lords, including new protections for wetlands and attempts to curb the scope of nascent Environmental Delivery Plans. PLUS: The government has published a carbon budget and growth delivery plan, major infrastructure projects may have a new permitting slip stream, and an ENDS exclusive reveals the English landfills suspended and closed since the mid-2010s.
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For years, a battle over nutrient neutrality has been raging in the courts. This came to a head in the Supreme Court this month. On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and deputy editor Tess Colley speak with lawyer Estelle Dehon KC from Cornerstone Barristers about the potential impacts of the ruling. The trio also discuss the latest amendments to the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill being debated in the House of Lords. .PLUS: The Environment Agency is developing a priority list for certain PFAS chemicals in a bid to help set emission limits, DEFRA has accepted a raft of recommendations from the Office for Environmental Protection over its Environmental Improvement Plan, and a prominent air campaigner has vowed to take the government to court for its failure to adopt WHO air quality guidelines.
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In May, Reform UK took control of Lincolnshire County Council - a region set to become home to the UK’s largest solar farm.. With local opposition sounding the alarm over the project, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice has warned that the project would “devastate thousands of acres of productive farmland and countryside in Lincolnshire”.This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and senior reporter Shosha Adie discuss the significance of Tillbridge Solar – set to straddle 1,670 hectares of mostly agricultural land.The team also discusses the latest amendments of the government’s controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill tabled in the House of Lords this week.PLUS: International talks on a shipping carbon tax system flounder, England’s hydrogen and carbon capture cluster gains traction, and thousands of farmers see nature-recovery subsidies extended.
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