Planet Possible

Hosted by Andy Taylor, Niki Roach

Business Science

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Episodes

124

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Planet Possible gets behind the headlines and straight to the facts of global environmental issues. Join host Niki Roach as she meets practitioners and visionaries working on the big issues in water, nature and climate change - and finds out what they would make possible with the Planet Possible Magic Wand! Planet Possible is brought to you by CIWEM; a community of environmental professionals creating a more positive world. Not enough time to listen to a full episode? Choose the length of pod to fit the time you have with Accordion.live/PlanetPossible

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November 5, 202631 min

The OEP - Marking the Government's Environment Homework

The OEP (Office for Environmental Protection) might be the most important legal entity you've never heard of. It holds the UK government to account on its own environmental targets and has the power to both launch investigations - and, crucially, force action - when it finds evidence of poor environmental performance against existing environmental targets and policies. In this fascinating interview the CEO of the OEP (Natalie Prosser) talks about the importance of long-term compliance with environmental targets, instances where the government, ministers and local authorities have been required to take action and future areas of concern and focus. There are fascinating insights here on how to use independent bodies with real power to ensure planet positive progress at a national scale. If you would like to find out more about the OEP's current call for evidence asking for examples of practical or regulatory barriers getting in the way of measures to protect and improve nature, then click here . Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

October 29, 202631 min

The Chip Age... and its Environmental Footprint

Microchips drive the tech that run the world. Devices like smartphones and laptops, smart functionality in the Internet Of Things and, of course... AI and the data centres that it is built on. Energy demand, water demand (for cleaning and cooling), air quality... all are being impacted by the world's relentless demand for more chips, and the functionality they unlock. But what about the outputs of tech advances? New material discoveries, algorithms that drive efficiency, processing that powers the R&D that could deliver significant planet positive breakthroughs. All are discussed in this fascinating interview with Rakesh Kumar, Professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois and author of new book ' The Chip Age ', out now. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

October 22, 202616 min

Planet Possible News - October 2026

Planet Possible News This month our expert co-host is Lee Pitcher MP - Parliamentary Private Secretary for DEFRA (UK Government Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) and he discusses; 1. Public state of preparedness for environmental emergencies such as flooding, wildfires and others. Lee has been involved in the government's process of gathering best practice examples from around the world. What has he learnt? 2. Development of a new International Standard for corporate purpose designed to help organisations go beyond a profit-first mindset. Is this a sign of environmental and sustainable responsibility becoming more prioritised by businesses? 3. Recent successes in restoring nature, like the large blue butterfly in the UK and Chester Zoo's work with rare snails - can these capture the public's imagination and help deliver wider progress on protecting and restoring nature? Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

October 15, 202622 min

Derek Vs Derek: Farming Vs Rewilding on Film

'Derek Vs Derek' is a new documentary feature film telling the story of two neighbouring farmers in Devon - one who makes maximum food yield his aim... and another totally committed to rewilding. It's an entertaining, funny and engaging story that brings attention to a far more serious debate - how do we feed our population but also stop nature depletion? The film's Director James Dawson and Impact Producer Nicola Brown join host Niki roach to discuss. To find out more about the Derek Vs Derek film, click here . Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

October 8, 202642 min

Sport and the Environment

Almost 80 million fans attended professional sporting events in the UK in 2025. 8.9 million people watched England vs Mexico in the World Cup - even though it didn’t kick off until 2am UK time and 150, 000 grassroots sports clubs operate each week across the UK. So what’s that got to do with water, nature and our climate? We’re joined by Head of Commercial at Bradford City Football Club, Adam Keizer to explore the role football plays in tackling the climate and nature emergencies and hear what Bradford City, winners of the 2026 English Football League Environmental Award, are already doing to make a difference. Niki’s co-host, CEO of Active Humber and Climate Commissioner, David Gent, shares the wider opportunities that sport provides to help communities understand and take action for both climate and nature. And find out how Bradford's goal prediction for the 26/7 season makes a difference on and off the pitch! Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

October 1, 202633 min

Nature Finance in Practice

If you had to - could you put a price on how much you value nature? A recent guest, Guy Thompson, described nature as "a supermarket with no checkout" – we just take what we need. But nature provides us with so much value - underpinning our food and farming systems, providing resilience to flood and drought and benefits to our health and wellbeing. And there is a growing movement that is changing the status quo, in recognising the value of nature and creating a market to manage the flows of the services it provides. So how could it work, who pays what and what’s already happening on the ground? Expert guests, Anne Reaney from Rebalance Earth and Isabel Milligan from Great Yellow, are here to demystify nature finance - and share what they'd want with the Planet Possible Magic Wand. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

September 24, 202619 min

Planet Possible News - September 2026

In this episode of Planet Possible News, Niki Roach and Jo Caird chat about these UK focused stories: Fridge mountains - how piles of unwanted fridges are appearing at recycling centres, across Wales and England. Our overheating cities - some new data reveals how our cities are heating up. National Trust plant-based food - how a major UK charity has switched the food in their cafes, to 50% plant based. Find out more about The Guardian's fridge mountain story here Find out more about Ordinance Survey's research into overheating cities here Find out more about The National Trust's plant food policy here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

September 17, 202629 min

Costa Rica - A Planet Possible Special

In this episode, host Niki Roach travels to Tortugero National Park - 77,000 hectares of tropical rainforest, plough forest and marine protected area. And Monteverde Institute - a 38-acre campus, and part of 65,000 acres of endangered tropical forest. Niki’s guests are Andres Gonsalez and Alejandro Torrentes (Tortugero National Park who work alongside SINAC). They share how the country balances economic growth and nature, and the connection between nature and the Costa Rican culture. Niki also chats to with Anibal Torres (Director for Community Initiatives, Monteverde Institute) and discovers how the institute supports sustainable tourism, delivers training and research, whilst supporting the local community. Find out more about Tortugero National Park here Find out more about Monteverde Institute here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

September 10, 202633 min

Climate Progress & Inter-Generational Justice

In this episode, Niki Roach chats to our expert guests - Jonathon Porritt (author and campaigner) and Niamh Lynch (Just Stop Oil activist and campaigner) who share their insights, motivations, hopes, fears and expectations on climate change. A sobering and insightful listen for anyone who lives on planet Earth. Two campaigners of different generations, they also share their thoughts on inter-generational justice when it comes to climate. Read the UN's 'Limiting Overshoot' report here Find out more about Jonathon Porritt's new book 'Love, Anger & Betrayal' here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

September 3, 202633 min

Wastewater Based Epidemiology

In this episode, Niki Roach is joined by expert guests: Davey Jones - Professor in Environmental Science & Public Health at Bangor University and Dr Helen Howard-Jones - Research Project Manager (Wastewater) at Bangor University. Sewage contains a whole lot of substances and a whole lot of data. Pathogens, pollution, illicit substances... even human DNA. Analysing sewage, detecting what's present in it, tracking and mapping it - this is an emerging science that holds a lot more potential than has yet been harnessed. First tried back in World War 2, the techniques have modernised and came to the fore during the COVID pandemic. Now, there is an opportunity to collect more data, better analyse it, and create a kind of national health early warning system that is cost effective, and works across the country. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland