Planet Possible

Hosted by CIWEM

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104

Latest episode

Jun 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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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 RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

June 4, 202622 min

'Dirty Business' Reaction

'Dirty Business' is a Channel 4 docudrama, released a few weeks ago, that focuses on England's water companies and sewage spills. The docudrama reported on real life dramas that have surrounded the water industry over the last five years. Environment harm, sewage spills, pollutions, and customerscommunities saying that these are no longer acceptable. Lizzie Frost and host Niki discuss their reactions, and reflect on the programme. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

May 28, 202615 min

Planet Possible News - May 2026

Planet Possible News - once a month an environmental expert joins Niki to highlight 3 big recent news stories in climate, nature and water from around the world. This month's guest is George Wade, co-Founder and COO of Zevero (helps companies calculate their carbon footprint) and blogger behind the Grumpy Optimists (collates climate positive news) Find out more about Zevero here Find out more about The Grumpy Optimists here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

May 21, 202620 min

What Will be the Next big Innovations in the UK Water Sector?

The winners of the sixth Water Breakthrough Challenge, part of the OFWAT £600 million Water Innovation Fund, have just been announced. In this episode, Hannah Muirhead joins Niki to discuss some of winners. Together, they highlight the emerging themes in innovation in the UK water sector, and some of the most exciting concepts. Find out more about the OFWAT Innovation Fund here Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

May 15, 202621 min

Re-wilding: From Over-farmed and Uneconomic... to Thriving

Jim Tan is CEO of Kuzuko Private Game Reserve, which has connected and rewilded 35,000 acres of un-economic and over-farmed areas in the Eastern Cape of South Africa since 2001. In this episode you’ll hear how Kuzuko is now a thriving wildlife reserve home to elephants, buffalos, lions and three of South Africas 9 biomes. Kuzuko has enabled local flora and fauna to re-populate huge swathes of land whilst providing a significant boost to the economy of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The project is also sequestering 1.5 million tonnes of carbon each year through the planting of 26 million cuttings of spekboom. Importantly, the principles pioneered here could be used in other locations around the world to provide environmental recovery that is investable. To find out more about Kuzuko, click here For weekly updates on the latest episodes of Planet Possible sign up to our mailing list Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

May 7, 202631 min

Soils

In this week’s episode, we dig into soils - both literally and metaphorically. Soils aren’t really visible to us, but they underpin every single life system on planet earth. Soil is one of our most important carbon sinks, critical to water, home to 60% of all bio-diversity and helping to produce 98% of our food. In this episode, Niki goes on location to a soil-progressive farm where Yorkshire Farmer, Paul Temple, is managing his soils a little differently and she is joined by Expert co-host, Ellen Fay, Founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Soils Alliance. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

April 30, 202622 min

Planet Possible News - April 2026

Each month Planet Possible News will bring you an update on the latest big environmental stories. Host Niki will be joined by an expert guest to discuss recent events in climate, nature and water. In this episode... Climate adaptation in the UK - what's coming in terms of reports, policy and progress How the Iran conflict is impacting the environment Crisis management - are extreme weather and flood warnings being communicated effectively? Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

April 23, 202631 min

Faith and the Environment

Niki is joined by Amandeep Kaur Maan, Founder of EcoSikh UK and Mumin Islam, a water industry leader with a passion for water demand management, equity, diversity and environmental and social justice to explore the relationship between faith, culture and our environment. Both guests have worked on the delivery of a groundbreaking project with Cambridge Central Mosque - the first 'eco Mosque' in the UK - and the conversation covers: The opportunities for conversations about environmental sustainability and water demand management through the lenses of faith and culture. Where Mumin and Amandeep see organisations that are getting this right - and what we can learn from these experiences. What needs to be in place to enable stronger relationships that deliver meaningful change for our environment. Find out more about the projects and organisations discussed in todays episode in the links below. https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/media/ykypg2ho/water-efficiency-in-faith-and-diverse-communities-final-report.pdf https://cambridgecentralmosque.org/environment/ https://ecosikhukdotorg.wordpress.com/ https://waterwise.org.uk/project/wefdc-toolkit/ Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

April 16, 202634 min

Advocating for the Planet - how law can Help the Environment

Monica Feria-Tinta is a lawyer based in England and Wales but with an international outlook . She has a passion for, and a world-leading expertise in, representing climate, nature, water and indigenous peoples in high-profile legal cases. In this episode she discusses: how she was the first lawyer to bring climate claims to court successfully. her famous work with indigenous people around the world. why she believes, eventually, rivers will have statutory protection in the UK. why the law needs to move from its previously anthropocentric focus, towards an environmentally inclusive approach. Monica Feria-Tinta's new book 'A Barrister for the Earth' is out now. Click here to find out more. Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 

April 9, 202638 min

New York City - A Planet Possible Special

New York City is the most densely populated city in the USA and, famously the "concrete jungle" of all those famous movies and TV shows. Surrounded by water on 3 sides and with old infrastructure, how does the Big Apple cope with rising sea levels, pressure on water quality and very little room for nature? Vincent worked on high profile projects like Hunter's Point and Little Island - pairing beautiful design with futureproof sustainability functions. Sarah was involved in a decades long project to lower the levels of nutrients in the water surrounding Manhattan. Both native New Yorkers, what are their professional and personal takes on how New York is doing? Are there lessons for other cities around the world? Credits Presented & Produced by Niki RoachExecutive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb LimitedWith thanks to Alastair ChisholmHonorary Executive Producer Jane Boland 