Eco Chamber

Hosted by Environmental Data Services (ENDS)

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Oct 2026

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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 <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.endsreport.com</a> or follow us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/theendsreport" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@TheENDSReport</a> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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October 14, 202627 min

Déjà vu? The nature watchdog takes a political whipping

Natural England has taken a bruising in political circles in recent months, but particularly in the last week, after the Conservative Party outlined plans to abolish the watchdog were it to be in government. In September, Reform UK also threatened to abolish Natural England should it ever form a government, and the regulator has also come under recent criticism from a Liberal Democrat MP who chairs the Environment, Farming, and Rural Affairs committee. The news may sound like déjà vu – in the later years of the most recent Conservative governments, Natural England became wrapped up in what NGOs dubbed an ‘attack on nature’. But is it different this time? On this week’s ECO Chamber, special guest Sally Hayns, chief executive of The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management joins podcast host Tess Colley and ENDS Report editor in chief, Jamie Carpenter, to put the latest attacks in context. PLUS: The new taskforce on ‘climate security’; why the Tory shadow environment minister is calling for the Welsh environmental regulator to be scrapped; and the net zero chief who has just left his position in the government. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

October 7, 202621 min

Tory conference: What’s set for the bonfire under green deregulation plans?

Speaking live from the conference in Birmingham, ENDS Report editor Jamie Carpenter breaks down the most important green policy announcements from the party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, and her shadow cabinet. The party has set out plans to abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency, withdraw the UK from the Aarhus Convention and scrap the Future Homes Standard. With extensive coverage from across the conference, this on-the-ground episode of the ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. Plus:-<ul><li>Natural England will only provide <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1971474/natural-england-will-provide-bespoke-planning-advice-developments-significant-harm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘bespoke’ planning advice</a> moving forwards.</li><li>The Green Party has pledged to bring <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1971684/green-party-bring-two-water-companies-back-public-ownership-before-christmas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">two water companies</a> under public ownership. </li><li>A water company has been slapped with <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1971361/water-company-handed-8m-penalty-horrendous-sewage-spills-across-cornwall-devon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">£8m in fines</a>. </li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 30, 202640 min

Live from Liverpool: Chasing green policy answers at Labour Party Conference

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: <ul><li>Matthew Brown, head of public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts</li><li>Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network</li><li>Mary-Ann Ochota, president of Campaign to Protect Rural England</li><li>Bill Eyres, co-chair of Labour’s Environment Campaign – SERA</li></ul> With extensive coverage from across the conference, this special episode of the ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 23, 202633 min

'Blunt and daft': Natural England's new nature plan faces the heat

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<a href="https://cdn-files.smartsurvey.io/303398_Environmental_Delivery_Plan.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> EDP</a> 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. PLUS<ul><li>The prime minister’s route to net zero that shuns the ‘<a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1970376/burnham-pursue-different-route-net-zero-traditional-whitehall-way?bulletin=ends-report-daily-bulletin&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20260918&utm_content=ENDS%20Report%20Daily%20(300)::www_endsreport_com_articl_1&email_hash=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Whitehall way</a>’.</li><li>The lessons the Environment Agency has learned on <a href="https://www.endswasteandbioenergy.com/article/1970316/ea-says-lessons-learned-hoads-wood-pledges-faster-response-waste-crime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hoad’s Wood’s illegal dump</a>.</li><li>And the East Sussex town that has voted to recognise the<a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1970189/east-sussex-town-votes-recognise-rights-trees" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1970189/east-sussex-town-votes-recognise-rights-trees" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rights of trees</a></li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 16, 202628 min

Apocalypse, Now? The green sector's new AI principles

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 href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1970022/environmental-professionals-use-ai-responsibly-says-membership-body" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a new advice note</a> 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.  PLUS<ul><li>A <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1969664/welcome-change-praise-change-government-tone-following-nature-minister-speech" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">welcomed rhetoric</a> from the new nature minister.</li><li>DEFRA’s plans to <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1969773/defra-tighten-limits-forever-chemical-pfos-persistent-organic-pollutants" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tighten limits</a> on PFOS.</li><li>And <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1969466/investment-englands-protected-sites-needs-almost-double-meet-nature-targets-say-researchers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a new assessment</a> on the money England needs to reach its nature targets.</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 11, 202632 min

Clean Water Bill and watchdog interviews: On the ground at the River Summit

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 <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1969052/water-privatisation-very-difficult-reverse-not-off-table-says-burnham" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the renationalisation of the water sector</a> 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:  <ul><li>Natalie Prosser, the chief executive of the Office for Environment Protection about the funding pressures her organisation is facing.</li></ul> <ul><li>Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s director for water on her organisation’s priorities.</li></ul> <ul><li>And Yuan Yang, an economist and Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, on the risks and rewards of her government renationalising the water sector. </li></ul> 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. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 9, 202630 min

Axe Natural England, repeal net zero: Dispatches from the Reform UK conference

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.  PLUS <ul><li>Natural England chiefs champion growth alongside the regulator’s <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968970/new-natural-england-chief-understand-nature-give-us-services-says-outgoing-boss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nature remit</a>. </li><li>The <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968841/parliament-returns-30+-green-policy-moments-watch-first-autumn-burnham-era" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">policy agenda</a> set for parliament this Autumn.</li><li>And <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968926/scotland-create-single-national-environmental-body-part-regulator-reforms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scotland’s plans</a> for an all-in-one environmental watchdog. </li></ul> The Eco Chamber is brought to you by the journalists at ENDS Report.  <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

September 2, 202621 min

Tories take on the Climate Change Act as Habitat Regulations face change

Successive governments have tried to undermine the Habitat Regulations as red tape that needs to be cut.  Most recently, critics have pointed to <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1903903/government-confirms-timeline-major-planning-bill-set-amend-habitats-regulations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attacks on the regulations</a> made under the previous Starmer administration, including the  Planning and Infrastructure Act and legislation set to be brought forward following the Fingleton Review.  Those who want to water down the legislation point to data on <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1838956/extinction-declines-hope-10-key-trends-highlighted-landmark-state-nature-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">falling species abundance</a>, arguing the regulations aren’t working anyway.  But in a new report published by The Wildlife Trusts, Matt Browne, head of public affairs, joins podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons to discuss why the charity is arguing for  the regulations to be kept safe and what needs to happen next to do that.   ENDS Report senior journalist Shosha Adie also discusses the Conservative Party’s latest attacks on net zero and their attempts to repeal the Climate Change Act 2008.  PLUS<ul><li>Dame Angela Eagle’s pushback against Reform UK’s <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968640/reform-uk-response-climate-change-fuelled-heatwaves-insulting-says-eagle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">climate denial</a>. </li><li> </li><li>The Kidlington “<a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968635/kidlington-22000-tonne-mountain-waste-cleared" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">super waste dump</a>” in Oxfordshire that has been cleared. </li><li> </li><li>And the Government’s new <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968500/less-sticking-plaster-defra-launches-new-air-pollution-text-alerts-service" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">air pollution</a> alert system.  </li></ul> The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

August 26, 202633 min

Messy Business: DEFRA’s new top brass and a ‘waste crime crackdown’

On 20 July, Andy Burnham became prime minister alongside his newly appointed secretaries of state, including Dame Angela Eagle who took the reins at DEFRA.  In the days that followed, new DEFRA ministers were announced, but it’s taken until now for their briefs to be confirmed. In this week’s episode, ENDS Report editor Jamie Carpenter explains what the department’s minister will need to contend with as they get across their portfolios.  The team also speaks with Sam Riggs, an environmental barrister at 25 Bedford Row, about the government’s latest crackdown on waste crime, fly-tipping and the boosted powers for the Environment Agency.  Riggs believes the new fiscal powers granted to the EA will have little impact on the ground. Speaking with podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons, Riggs explains what needs to be done if DEFRA actually wants to ‘crackdown’ on waste crime.  PLUS<ul><li>The montagu’s harrier chicks hatched in a <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968086/delighted-uks-rarest-bird-raises-chicks-second-year-running" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">secret location</a> of England.</li><li>Campaigners take the government to court over <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1967983/government-faces-court-battle-water-company-special-administration-policy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Special Administration Regime</a> arrangements with water companies</li><li>And the new ‘<a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1968151/eia-development-exempted-proposed-extension-mayoral-planning-powers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">call in</a>’ planning powers mooted for mayors</li></ul> The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

August 19, 202637 min

The drinking water chief on the 'super' regulator and a new NPPF

When Labour entered government it pushed for a “reset” within the water sector promising tougher enforcement and major reforms.  The idea of a “powerful” single water regulator for England was mooted, that would replace Ofwat, parts of the Environment Agency and Natural England, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).  The head of the DWI, Marcus Rink, this month sat down with ENDS Report’s senior reporter, Shosha Adie to discuss why the so-called super regulator may not be all that super.  Plus, this week ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons also discusses the potential environmental consequences of the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework with special guest Pamela Chesterman, an environmental lawyer at Irwin Mitchel LLP.  Chesterman is optimistic about the new national planning blueprint but has concerns that in the short-term current local plans could now be considered “outdated” with a flood of planning applications likely. PLUS <ul><li>Hinkley Point C is <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1967001/court-rules-hinkley-developer-subject-environmental-transparency-rules-public-bodies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">now open</a> to environmental information requests.</li><li>Billions more have been raised on customers’ <a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1967316/water-companies-raise-further-511m-bills-unlock-housebuilding-data-centres-tackle-pfas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">water bills</a>.</li><li>The Office for Environmental Protection’s new agenda under an environment of “<a href="https://www.endsreport.com/article/1967340/prioritisation-choices-oep-reveals-areas-will-do-less" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">real-term cuts</a>”.</li></ul> The ECO Chamber is brought to you by the journalists of ENDS Report. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.