Planet Possible

Hosted by Andy Taylor, Niki Roach

Business Science

Website RSS feed

Episodes

112

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

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

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 13, 202633 min

Kelp Beds - A UK Rewilding Case Study

Vast kelp beds once supported a wondrous diversity of marine life, off the coast of Sussex in the UK. They filtered the water, protected the coast from storms and supported local fisheries. By the mid-1980s, 96% of Sussex kelp had disappeared. However, there is an ambitious project underway to bring it back. This is an example of rewilding - an approach that can enable progress in the face of today’s biggest global issues, from biodiversity loss to the climate crisis. In this episode host Niki is joined by two expert guests. Rebecca Wrigley (CEO, Rewilding Britain) and George Short (Sussex Kelp Recovery Project), to discuss rewilding as a concept... and see how it works in action. By understanding the case study of taking a nature-led approach to the recovery of kelp beds, off the Sussex coast. In this episode, topics discussed include: - What rewilding is and how it can offer a "buy one - get five free" list of additional benefits. - How the Sussex kelp beds got so degraded, and what the process is to enable them to recover. - Early signs of hope in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, and the emotional impact they have had on the passionate delivery team. - How rewilding can work, at both vast and tiny scales, enabling anyone to get involved. - A fascinating provocation for those living in the British Isles, to get more in touch with an island mentality (and how that could help environmental progress). Find out more about Rewilding Britain here Find out more about the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

August 6, 202634 min

Tony Juniper (Repeat)

Originally published in June 2025, this interview with one of the UK's most influential voices on nature - Tony Juniper - is well worth a revisit. In this episode, host Niki and Tony discuss: - How there can be a "both and" approach to nature and economy, not an "either or". - The scale of the challenge facing the planet, and what can be done. - The vital roles of media, and culture, in enabling people and politics to make the changes necessary. - How environmental challenges and inequality are linked, (and how addressing one helps the other). - Where there is hope, and what people listening can do (plus how they can influence people in power to do more). (The original episode has been abridged with some time-specific references removed). Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

July 30, 202629 min

Towards a Green Economy

Guy Thompson is an expert in clean energy transition, nature positive economy and environmental policy and regulation, having worked at Natural England, Wessex Water and EnTrade (environmental market/credits startup). In this episode, he discussed with Niki the challenges facing the new Burnham-led government, particularly in terms of addressing the root causes of environmental issues, as opposed to addressing the symptoms with surface-level policy tweaks. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

July 23, 202614 min

Planet Possible News - July 2026

In this episode of Planet Possible News, Emily Blaney and Niki Roach discuss: - Extreme weather becoming the new norm in the UK. - Whether water-saving campaigns work? - and why do animal "characters" go viral, without the wider environmental message connecting? Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

July 16, 202636 min

SuDS - Forgotten Methods & New Approaches

Our climate is changing. When it rains, it’s often more frequent, heavier and likely to cause flooded roads, gardens or even properties. In this episode, we explore how we can create homes, cities and infrastructure that can cope with these changing rainfall patterns. Niki is joined by expert and subject champion, CIWEM’s Director of Policy and Projects - Paul Shaffer, and Cristina Refolo - Founding Director of Refolo Landscape Architects. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

July 9, 202640 min

Water In Transition

In this episode, we explore how the change in our climate is likely to change the economics of free resources, as well. Niki is joined by Adam Lovell - Executive Director at The Water Services Association of Australia, and Karma Loveday - Water sector journalist and Founder and Editor, at The UK Water Report. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

July 2, 202639 min

Climate Extremes - Dangers & Hope (with David Shukman)

David Shukman is shocked. Both at the climate change induced extremes that Britain now faces... and the nation's lack of preparedness. In his new book 'The Response - A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain's New World of Extremes' makes the argument that things are probably worse than we think... but also that there's more than can be done than we realise. David joins host Niki to discuss his new book, the research behind it and the future that could lie ahead. You can buy David’s book here… https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/210672/david-shukman Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

June 25, 202613 min

Planet Possible News - June 2026

In this episode of Planet Possible News, Niki is joined by Lee Pitcher, MP for Doncaster East & the Isle of Axholme. The topics being discussed are: -The UK national water safety campaign. - The hidden human health costs for the decline of bees. - News that the UK government has set a target of 87% of a cut in carbon emissions, by 2042. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

June 18, 202636 min

Flooding: The Latest Strategies, Ideas & Tech

Guests and themes: New ways to fund nature-based solutions at a catchment scale with Jonathan Moxon from The Aire Resilience Company Tim Armour & Johnny Phillips from United Utilities show Niki a variety of projects designed to make Liverpool more flood resilient Garden Designer Leon Davis on making rainwater management in gardens more effective and beautiful Mary Long-Dhonau OBE on the latest tech that homeowners and renters can use to prepare for, stop and recover from flooding Tor Coombes (Leicestershire County Council) on how flood risk management is done best at local authority level Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

June 11, 202633 min

The new National Grid of Nature

Niki Roach is joined by Steve Elderkin - Director of Environmental Sustainability for National Highways and Evan Bowen-Jones, Chief Executive - Kent Wildlife Trust and MD of Wilder Carbon, co-founder of Rebuilding Nature. In this episode, our guests speak to Niki about a visit to the Netherlands to see how the Dutch were delivering on their nature objectives. Inspired by what they learnt, they went on to develop a similar approach in the UK through the launch of the Strategic Nature Network. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki Roach Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited With thanks to Alastair Chisholm Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland