The Green Alliance Podcast

Wales has passed landmark legislation to strengthen environmental governance and restore biodiversity. Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies joins Green Alliance Senior Fellow Ruth Chambers to discuss what the new laws mean and what must happen next to deliver for nature.

What if saving money, creating jobs and tackling climate change all went hand in hand? In this episode, we leave the policy talk behind and meet the people making the circular economy happen, from repair café volunteers and reuse hubs to engineers refurbishing tools and fashion workers giving textiles a second life. Their stories reveal five simple reasons people love the circular economy. This isn’t a distant ambition. It’s already here and people want more of it.

What does effective environmental scrutiny look like in parliament? In this episode, Toby Perkins MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, joins Ruth Chambers to discuss cross party working, real time influence on legislation and how committees can drive change, even when government resists.

Environmental rights are under growing pressure in the UK. With new limits on peaceful protest and worrying developments from the recent Aarhus Convention, questions are mounting around transparency, accountability and whether the public can meaningfully participate in environmental decision making.Ruth Chambers speaks with Chris Packham, Carol Day and Katie de Kauwe. They discuss the impact of recent laws on campaigners, what the Aarhus Convention means for access to justice and why protecting these rights is essential for both democracy and the environment.

AI is evolving at unprecedented speed and regulation is struggling to keep up. What does this mean for the future of democracy, UK climate goals and wider environmental ambitions?In this episode of the Green Alliance Podcast, Shaun Spiers, executive director at Green Alliance, speaks with Professor Gina Neff, executive director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy and professor of responsible AI at Queen Mary University of London. They explore the risks of unchecked big tech and the environmental costs of its rapid expansion: from energy-hungry data centres to the urgent need for transparency and accountability. 

The UK’s long-awaited Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan has finally landed, but what does it mean for climate action and green investment? In this episode of the Green Alliance Podcast, Holly Brazier Tope, director of politics at Green Alliance, is joined by Sam Alvis, associate director for energy and environment at IPPR, to share their first reactions to the plan. They explore the political backdrop, unpack the risks and opportunities in the plan, and consider what it means for the UK’s credibility on climate ahead of Keir Starmer’s trip to COP30. 

Wales stands at a crossroads in both its politics and its environmental ambitions. With the new environmental governance bill moving through the Senedd and an unpredictable election just half a year away, questions of leadership, independence and political will are taking centre stage. In this episode of the Green Alliance Podcast, senior fellow Ruth Chambers speaks with Joe Wilkins, policy and advocacy manager at The Wildlife Trusts in Wales. Together they share their thoughts on what the bill means for nature recovery, the risks and opportunities of political change and why cross-party cooperation will be vital in the months ahead.

With Parliament back from recess, the Labour government enters its second year facing climate and net zero as both a defining priority and a contested political battleground. Public attention is divided by global insecurity, the cost of living crisis and political polarisation, making the way we talk about climate more important – and more difficult – than ever.In this episode of the Green Alliance Podcast, deputy director of politics Holly Brazier Tope is joined by Fiona Harvey, environment editor at The Guardian. Drawing on more than two decades of reporting, Fiona reflects on the narratives that resonate with the public, the role of the media in shaping debate, and how government can avoid the pitfalls of weak communication in the months ahead.

In this episode, Liam Hardy and Heather Plumpton, heads of research at Green Alliance, unpack some of the key issues in the debate around carbon capture and storage (CCS), the technology many see as essential for meeting climate targets and others call an expensive lifeline for fossil fuels. From cement plants to gas power stations, they discuss where CCS might genuinely cut emissions, where it risks locking in oil and gas, and why households could end up footing the bill. With a focus on fairness, strategic investment and making polluters pay, the conversation comes as Green Alliance publishes a new briefing that delves deeper into these themes, putting forward some recommendations for what government can do.

In this episode, Alice Stafford, communications officer at Green Alliance, speaks to Molly Easton and Layla Mapemba from Youngwilders, a youth-led non profit working to make nature recovery more inclusive. From local rewilding initiatives to influencing national policy, they explore how young people are creatively restoring nature in their communities and why rewilding should be accessible to everyone, wherever they live. With a focus on access, equity and meaningful change, they reflect on the potential of youth-led projects to reshape our relationship with the natural world.

The UK government banned disposable vapes in June 2025, a major win for health, environment and campaigners across the country. But has the problem really gone away?In this episode, Green Alliance's senior fellow and head of resources Libby Peake speaks to the experts and activists behind the campaign to ban these devices. She’s joined by Scott Butler of Material Focus, climate campaigner Laura Young and Dr Michael McKean of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.They discuss the lasting damage disposable vapes still cause, from toxic waste and discarded lithium to misleading new products and weak enforcement. And with new threats like nicotine pouches on the rise, the pressure on regulators is far from over.

It’s been a year since Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 UK general election and we’re diving into what that’s meant for climate and nature. From bold moves on clean power and nature friendly farming to economic roadblocks and rising political division on net zero, this episode brings together voices from Green Alliance, Friends of the Earth and the National Trust to unpack Labour’s first 12 months. 

This episode explores the government’s new IT reuse for good charter and the broader Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which aim to get unused devices into the hands of those who need them most. The discussion highlights the scale of the UK’s e-waste problem, the persistent digital divide and the critical role of device redistribution in addressing both challenges.Presented by Emily Carr, policy adviser and author of our recent report Making the connection: ending digital exclusion with reused devices, this episode features Stuart Dossett, senior policy advisor and co-author the report; Sam, an asylum seeker whose life was transformed by receiving a donated laptop through Screen Share; Megan Barrett chief executive officer of Power to Connect, a charity working to bridge the digital divide in London through device redistribution and digital skills training; and Natasha Early, business development and partnerships manager at Good Things Foundation, a national digital inclusion charity, responsible for the National Device Bank. Their stories and insights underscore both the life changing impact of digital access and the ongoing barriers like limited device supply, data security concerns and funding constraints that must be overcome to achieve true digital inclusion.

In this episode, Libby Peake, senior fellow and head of resource policy, speaks to Patrick Grant, clothing designer and BBC's Sewing Bee judge, discussing Grant's book "Less." They delve into the shift taken over the last century from quality manufacturing that benefited communities to a fast fashion model that generates enormous waste and minimal value. In this conversation, Patrick Grant advocates for a "lower consumption, higher value economy," where people buy fewer but better quality items that last longer, create local repair economies and generate more satisfaction. He highlights how many consumers today lack a frame of reference for quality goods, having grown up with synthetic materials, and emphasises the distinction between enduring "clothing" versus disposable "fashion." The episode concludes with both speakers agreeing that while fashion has cultural value, the current system of AI-designed, oil-based disposable fashion is unsustainable and requires policy intervention to incentivise quality and local production.

Five years after Brexit, we take a moment to reflect on its impact on environmental protection. This episode of the Green Alliance podcast explores the fate of environmental laws inherited from the EU and the new systems put in place to watch over them.Ruth Chambers, Green Alliance senior fellow, is joined by Professor Maria Lee, an expert in environmental law, and Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection, for a discussion on the challenges and progress of the last five years. Together, they reflect on how our new environmental governance systems provide important checks and balances to bolster environmental protections through short term political cycles. Read our related report here.

In this episode, you'll hear highlights from our recent "in conversation" event with Guy Shrubsole where he and our head of natural environment, Lydia Collas, discussed his latest book “The Lie of the Land: Who Really Cares for the Countryside?”.The book examines some of the most dramatic failures of land stewardship in Britain’s recent history. But also tells the story of the people trying to pick up the pieces, the small scale farmers, community groups and members of the public who seek to be the custodians of land, whether or not they own it.Some other topics covered in the discussion include:Differences between Britain and other countries' land ownershipThe role and balance of private and public investment in nature restorationThe power and resources of National ParksA right to roam/right to responsible accessThe discussion concludes with an audience Q&A.

In this week's episode of the Green Alliance podcast, we dive into the UK’s evolving transport policy discussion with Green Alliance's head of climate, Nick Davies. The conversation covers recent developments on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the launch of the Integrated National Transport Strategy.Nick chats with experts including Michael Solomon Williams from Campaign for Better Transport, cycling journalist and author Laura Laker, and Green Alliance's Johann Beckford and Rosie Allen. Together, they explore the challenges and opportunities in decarbonising transport, from electric vehicles to active travel and the future of public transport. Tune in for expert insights on the policies shaping a cleaner, more sustainable transport system.

In this episode, Libby Peake, senior fellow and head of resources policy, sits down with Emily Carr, policy adviser, alongside members of Green Alliance’s Circular Economy Task Force, including our chair, Dr Colin Church, CEO of IOM3, Iain Gulland, CEO of Zero Waste Scotland, Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, and Dr Adam Read, Director of External Affairs at SUEZ, to discuss the circular economy and what the new government needs to do to bring about the policies we need to see to reduce resource use. In this conversation, our guests discuss where previous administrations have failed and what the new government must do differently to avoid past mistakes. They explore the benefits of embracing circularity, including its potential to boost economic growth. They highlight the urgent need for policy interventions that will best enable businesses to innovate and embrace circularity. A linear system has no future, and transitioning to a circular economy is the clear path forward- our guests dig down into exactly how the government can lead the charge and make this crucial shift happen.

In this episode, Ruth Chambers, senior fellow, sits down with crossbench Peer Lord Krebs and Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife & Countryside Link, to discuss the third anniversary of the Environment Act.In this conversation, our guests reflect on the colossal team effort required to get the Act onto the statute book, the standout moments from parliamentary debates and the collaboration between parliamentarians and campaigners required to push for high ambition legislation. We also evaluate whether the Environment Act has lived up to our expectations and discuss what more is needed to drive change in the future.

In this episode, Rosie Allen, policy adviser at Green Alliance, sits down with Liam Hardy, our senior policy analyst, and Jenniffer Pedraza, a research associate at Stockholm Environment Institute Research, to discuss the need to raise ambition on methane ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29).The conversation offers both domestic and international perspectives on the increased leadership required to tackle methane emissions. From the bold steps needed to develop methane roadmaps in Latin America to the key announcements we hope to see from global leaders in Baku, this episode is a must-listen for anyone engaged in climate policy and discussions surrounding COP29.

The Green Alliance podcast is back with its fortnightly episodes for a six-episode series.In this episode, Green Alliance's head of politics, Holly Brazier Tope, reflects on the first 100 days of the new Labour government, marking a pivotal shift after over a decade of Conservative leadership.Holly first sits down with Chris Venables, director of politics at Green Alliance, to discuss how things are going from an external viewpoint, examining key moments and opportunities for the environmental sector in recent months.You’ll also hear from Labour MPs Clive Lewis and Olivia Blake, who provide insider perspectives on the climate initiatives unfolding in Westminster right now.Tune in for a comprehensive overview of how this new administration is laying the groundwork for ambitious environmental leadership in the UK.

In this episode, you’ll hear highlights from our recent “in conversation” event with Tom Heap where he and our executive director Shaun Spiers discussed his latest book “Land Smart: how to give people and nature the space to thrive”.This book examines why we need land and how to give both humanity and nature the space to thrive, and includes conversations with farmers, scientists, conservationists and even warehouse managers who are solving the most pressing challenges facing our countryside and the world.During the discussion, Tom and Shaun touch on topics like: Energy, particularly the attraction of solar, including rooftop solar, and the indefensibility of biofuelsFarming.The importance of not offshoring the UK’s environmental footprint.Technophilia and openness to genetic engineering is an interesting challenge to some green thinkingDiet changeThe discussion then concludes with an audience Q&A.LINKSPurchase Tom Heap's Land Smart: How to give people and nature the space to thrive. Follow us on X and LinkedIn to keep up to date with new outputs from Green Alliance.Episode produced by Podcast Pioneers 

The actions taken over the next five years by the incoming Government will be make or break for the UK’s climate and nature targets – the stakes could not be higher.This podcast episode features highlights from the final event in our Election countdown series 'Election debrief – what now for the environment?' where we we analysed the results of the election and what they mean for the environmental agenda. Executive director Shaun Spiers hosted the panel, with inputs from Holly Brazier Tope, head of politics, Libby Peake, head of resource policy, Liam Hardy, senior policy analyst, and Lydia Collas, head of natural environment.Hear from experts across the Green Alliance team who will discuss how the new Government will likely approach environmental policy and politics, what the results mean for future of UK energy, resources and nature policy, and what the key moments will be over the coming months.LINKSVisit the Political Leadership page on our website to explore all our work on this topic.Follow us on X and LinkedIn to keep up to date with new outputs from Green Alliance.Episode produced by Podcast Pioneers

Nature underpins our economy, but this is not currently reflected in economic decision making.The Dasgupta Review, commissioned by the UK Treasury and published in 2021, sets out the strong case for changing our economic system to reflect that it does not exist outside of nature, but within it. It shows that, to prevent ongoing environmental destruction in the name of economic progress, we must use a measure of wealth that includes indispensable assets like nature on the balance books. But how do we get there? What should the government, business and the financial sector do to shift the economic system towards to that ideal? In this episode, you will hear from distinguished speakers on what’s necessary to implement the findings of The Dasgupta Review, so that we better value nature and can begin to restore our natural assets and wealth, avoiding counterproductive losses. LINKSVisit the Implementing Dasgupta page on our website to explore all our work on this topic.Follow us on X and LinkedIn to keep up to date with new outputs from Green Alliance.Episode produced by Podcast Pioneers

In this episode, Steve Coulter, Green Alliance’s head of economy, speaks to experts about why the UK is crying out for a green industrial strategy. Industrial strategies are driving change around the world, in the US, EU and China, but the UK has yet to follow suit. Green industrial strategy is more than just switching from carbon to electric power, it must encompass a broader vision integrating economic resilience by meeting environmental objectives across organisational, political and economic frameworks. We hear the case for the UK to join other leading nations by creating a bold vision for a green economic transformation from Matthew Lockwood, senior lecturer in energy and climate policy at Sussex University, who says the UK needs to be less reactive and start planning longer term, and Silvia Weko, postdoctoral researcher in European energy politics and policy with the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany.

The benefits and challenges of participatory policy making are discussed with Stephen Frost, Co-Head of Participative Research and Principal Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research. Many climate experts have expressed the need to bring people along in the transition to net zero, ensuring it is one of social justice. The use of participatory research methods and policy making processes is one way to do so. Stephen discusses IPPR’s Environmental Justice Commission and how the outcomes of its citizen’s juries have shaped IPPR’s policy recommendations.

How can inclusive policy making change policy outcomes? When individuals’ power and privilege often correlate with emission outputs, it is important to consider those involved in environmental policy making. Involving the public in policy making that impacts them often leads to ‘better’ policy and less backlash, yet it isn’t something think tanks consistently do. In this conversation Hirra explores what inclusive policy making means in practice and how Possible’s policies have consequently evolved.

Including those impacted by policy in the policy making process is not always a given. Green Alliance has been exploring how and why policy makers should be inclusive of the public, marginalised communities and communities that typically have not been sought out for engagement and implementation processes of environmental policy. The importance of think tanks and NGOs having inclusive policy making processes is discussed with Emma Vogelmann, Policy, Public Affairs and Research Manager at Transport For All.

Provisional figures from 2022 show a rise in transport emissions compared to the year previous. And while the transport system is already the largest emitting sector across the UK economy, this is a major obstacle for policymakers in their bid to reach net zero by 2050. In the last year, transport entered the political arena in a way not seen before. There were contradictory announcements on the sales of petrol and diesel cars and vans, conspiracy theories, strikes, budget cuts, headline announcements, world first flights and much more.    In this episode, head of climate policy Helena Bennett sits down with members of the Green Alliance transport team to discuss an up and down year for transport policy.    

Inflation hit a 41 year high in 2022. This was largely driven by high gas prices due to the war in Ukraine. Although that gas price spike is dropping out of inflation now, inflation is nowhere near pre-war levels and neither are energy bills.What is the policy response? Interest rates are currently at a 15 year high, the highest they've been since 2008. The Bank of England is raising interest rates to try and get inflation down closer to their target of two per cent. This is putting pressure on consumer spending and creating particular pain in housing costs through higher mortgage rates. So how do we get out of this high inflation, high interest rate world?To answer this question, our senior policy analyst Heather Plumpton speaks to our senior policy adviser Stuart Dossett and Eric Lonergan, policy economist and writer, about the role renewable energy can play in bringing down inflation.

The tax system is a major tool in the government’s arsenal when it comes to shaping the world we live in. It can be used to enforce policy aims, stimulate solutions to societal challenges and discourage adverse behaviours. However, the potential of the tax system to drive a green economy has barely been tapped into.As it stands, the UK tax system is geared towards a high carbon economy. It rewards polluters and lacks the incentives that would encourage green alternatives. At the same time, the government risks losing important sources of revenue (eg fuel duty) as industries decarbonise, with no clear plans on how to fix the looming fiscal black holes.In short, the tax system is not suitable for a net zero, nature positive future.So what needs to change?On Wednesday 21 June 2023, our expert panel discussed how to futureproof the tax system to support the wellbeing of people and the planet. They discussed the action needed from Treasury to secure a tax system that’s fit for net zero; one that holds polluters to account, enables people to make more sustainable choices and maintains a stable income for the public purse.This was the final event for Green Alliance’s TransformTax project, which has been generously funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust for the past three years.Watch the full event here.PanellistsChair: Peter Foster, public policy editor, Financial TimesLibby Peake, head of resource policy, Green AllianceChris Stark, CEO, Climate Change CommitteeJill Rutter, senior fellow, Institute for Government

Reducing raw material consumption in the UK is essential to meeting climate targets. Circular businesses can offer a host of environmental benefits as well as saving money for consumers and bringing in just as much, if not more, profit than linear companies. Our report 'Ready steady grow: how the Treasury can mainstream circular business' looks at case studies from ten circular businesses to show how the economics of circularity stack up and find out what is holding circular businesses back from mainstream adoption.In this episode, Jasmine Dhaliwal speaks to three of the innovative circular businesses we interviewed in our report. Listen in to hear from The Little Loop's Charlotte Morley, Techbuyer's Rich Kenny and SUEZ's Adam Read as they shed light on how they work, the business case for circularity and what further support is needed from government.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with our work.

One of the biggest challenges for getting the UK to net zero is building enough grid infrastructure. This is also essential to improve energy security and bring down bills for households. Grid is repeatedly cited as one of the biggest blockers to fast decarbonisation. So what are the obstacles?Regen's new report 'Building a GB electricity network ready for net zero' explores the scale of the challenge, the initiatives underway and key priorities. In this episode, Flossie Boyd speaks with the report's lead author Frank Hodgson, senior energy analyst at Regen. They discuss the report's core findings, the government's recent decision to give Ofgem a net zero remit and why improvements to the grid must happen now.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with our work.

Air pollution is one of the most pressing issues faced by London today. Affecting both public health and the environment, improving air quality is essential to making the city a safer and more sustainable place to live.So how can this be achieved? Shirley Rodrigues, London's Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, is working to deliver an environmental strategy for the city which will tackle air pollution. This includes policies ranging from implementing the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to rewilding London.Our policy adviser Sophie O'Connell sat down with the Deputy Mayor to discuss the rationale behind the planned ULEZ expansion and what it means for Londoners and the environment. This episode explores the relationship between health and the environment, clears the air around ULEZ and explains how people can support initiatives to green London.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with our work and read our blog for the latest environmental commentary.

The UK has shown strong climate leadership by setting a 2030 phase out date for ICE vehicles. But how can the automotive manufacturing sector secure a thriving electric vehicle supply chain in the UK?In this episode, Emma McKelvie speaks with Ian Constance, chief executive of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The APC provides funding and support to organisations across the electric vehicle supply chain, and publishes research and insights into how achieving a net zero transport system. They explore why domestic battery production is so important, the need for the UK to de-risk investment into battery manufacturing and build a narrative around being a globally competitive place to invest, and upcoming opportunities that the sector can take advantage of. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with our work.

The anticipated UK government's Energy Security Day on 30 March 2023 left much to be desired. While progress was made for heat pumps and the zero emission vehicles mandate, and the government seems to have abided by the High Court’s ruling, the UK's overall ambition to reduce emissions largely remained unchanged.In this special edition of the Green Alliance podcast, our research director Roz Bulleid sits down with our policy experts to discuss progress, where Energy Security Day fell short and what more this government can do before an election.Ahead of Energy Security Day, Green Alliance published a net zero policy tracker which revealed that the government is not on track to meet net zero by 2050, with a lack of ambition and policy delivery across all sectors. Look out for our updated analysis coming soon.

Amidst a quickly evolving global political landscape, the scope of the green transition is constantly changing.  Dr Nathalie Tocci is director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali and author of 'A Green and Global Europe', a book which affirms the inevitability of the green transition in Europe but sets out its complex social, economic and geopolitical challenges. Dr Tocci argues that these must be addressed head-on and collaboratively with other nations rather than in isolation.Our executive director Shaun Spiers spoke to Dr Tocci to discuss the book and its implications for how we approach the green transition. The episode covers the ramifications of the US Inflation Reduction Act, how we can ensure fairness in the move to green energy and why we are dealing with more of a revolution than a transition.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with our work.

The new Labour Climate and Environment Forum (LCEF) launched in December 2022 with the aim of strengthening climate and environmental ambition across the labour movement. But how does the organisation plan to achieve its goals?LCEF’s debut report uses polling to show that Labour MPs are viewed more favourably by voters when talking about their support for environmental issues. With a UK general election expected in 2024, the position of the major political parties on the environment will be electorally crucial. Our Environment APPG co-ordinator and political adviser Robbie MacPherson sat down with Paul McNamee, director of LCEF, to discuss his long term aspirations for LCEF, the innate importance of climate action to achieving social justice and the Labour Party’s relationship with climate and nature policy.

In 2021, 95 per cent of global trade was moved by sea. If you look around you, it's likely that the nearby furniture, technology, or at least the parts that made them were at some point in a shipping container heading overseas. In comparison to other modes of transport, however, shipping is often overlooked when it comes to decarbonisation.The shipping sector already has a tool to make the systemic changes necessary to decarbonise: the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO has the power to set international regulatory standards. But how should the UK and the IMO balance the responsibility to steer policy that accelerates the decarbonisation of shipping at the pace required to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees?In this episode, Rosie Allen speaks to Tristan Smith, associate professor at UCL Energy Institute, to explore the barriers to shipping decarbonisation, the domestic picture and the role of the UK in raising the IMO’s ambition.

What's on parliament's transport agenda this year? As a cross party body, the transport select committee plays an important role in scrutinising the government's transport policy. Following the publication of Chris Skidmore MP's Net zero review, transport decarbonisation will be a key priority for the committee. But how does the committee work to hold the government to account?In this episode Alice Watson sits down with Iain Stewart MP, newly elected chair of the transport committee, to understand his day to day responsibilities, how issues like transport decarbonisation are picked up and considered by the committee and how the public can get involved with shaping the future of the committee's work.

Rising prices and falling wages are driving the cost of living crisis, making it harder for people to heat their homes and travel to work or appointments. By the end of 2022, more than 6 million UK households were living in fuel poverty while increasing public transport and petrol prices drove many households into transport poverty.This comes at a time when the UK urgently needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions to reach net zero. Transport is responsible for more of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector, with residential properties the third most emitting.Our report, 'Green uplift', showed how the scale of change to reach net zero in transport and home heating is a major opportunity to remove structural causes of fuel and transport poverty. In this episode Stuart Dossett speaks to Mari Martiskainen and Neil Simcock, researchers for the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS) FAIR project, to delve deeper into the report findings and highlight the experience of those living in fuel and transport poverty.

What is the role of business in halting and reversing the decline of nature? At COP15 and COP27 this year, the interests of the private sector at these summits came under some scrutiny. There are concerns about large corporations having an outsize influence on international environmental agreements. To better understand the intention of businesses at summits like COP15, Jim Elliott speaks to Melissa Miners, global sustainability senior manager at Unilever. Ahead of travelling to Montreal to attend COP15, Melissa talked to us about what Unilever was hoping for out of the summit, the purpose of businesses being there and whether the outcomes of COP15 will lead to material changes in Unilever’s environmental impact. 

COP15 is a long awaited global moment for biodiversity. Countries around the world are joining together to agree on a new set of nature targets for the next decade. After two years of delay due to COVID-19, there is hope that COP15 will see meaningful action taken to end biodiversity loss. In this episode, Lydia Collas speaks to Patrick Greenfield, a reporter for The Guardian, who is in Montreal at COP15. Patrick provides an insight into the atmosphere on the ground and explains why we need a biodiversity COP, what some of the desired outcomes are and how this relates back to the UK context. 

The cost of energy has soared over the past year. As well as protecting consumers and industry from the higher energy bills, the UK government must address the root causes of the problem: the global price of gas.The current electricity market is designed for a commodity based system which reflects the fluctuating price of gas. However, as renewables make up a bigger proportion of our electricity system, a new approach is needed. One solution to bring down energy costs is to reform electricity markets to make the most of low cost renewables. This proposal is known as the green power pool. In this episode, Verner Viisainen speaks to Marian D’Auria, global head of risk and sustainability at GFG Alliance (Liberty Steel Group), and Paul Drummond, senior research fellow at University College London’s Institute of Sustainable Resources, to explain how energy prices are affecting the steel industry and how a green power pool could help. 

Electrical waste (ewaste) is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. The UK is the second highest producer of ewaste globally, throwing away 350,000 tonnes of electricals a year.From smartphones to single use vapes, disposable culture is contributing to an increasing environmental problem. It is estimated that 1.3 million vapes are thrown away each week in the UK. Aside from these environmental concerns, ewaste is a barrier to digital inclusion. Ten million people in the UK are digitally excluded and yet there are millions of unused and working electrical items hoarded in UK homes that could be redistributed to provide access to technology. Businesses are also starting to take action, but are the right systems in place to help them?Green Alliance recently hosted an event with Material Focus, the not for profit which works to transform the way we think about electrical waste, to explore the challenges and attitudes around ewaste. In this episode we speak to Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, to recap on the debate and delve deeper into this growing problem and what we can do about it. 

As part of its Net zero strategy and transport decarbonisation plans, the UK government is seeking to introduce a new zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate soon to boost the electric vehicle market. Ambitious targets are essential to achieve climate goals while also attracting new investment and securing market share to make the most of the UK’s transition to electric vehicles. Leading the world on a ZEV mandate is California which first implemented a ‘ZEV requirement’ over 30 years ago, in 1990, as part of its Low Emission Vehicle Regulation to combat local air pollution.In this episode Johann Beckford talked to Professor Daniel Sperling of the University of California who, as a member of the California Air Resources Board which administers the ZEV mandate, reveals how the strategy has worked in the state. They discuss what the UK from learn from the US experience.

The urgent need to tackle the climate and nature emergency is changing how we manage land, leading to new farming practices, more tree planting and the restoration of natural habitats. But private investment in these changes can be controversial, with some local communities worried that change is being imposed on them by corporations. In this episode, we discuss two approaches which seek to avoid this by giving local communities a more active role in the decisions made about the land around them. Our senior policy adviser Jim Elliott talked to Angela Williams, development manager of Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in Langholm, Scotland and Jenny Phelps MBE, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group’s senior farm conservation adviser. Angela is working on the Langholm Initiative, a community buy-out which has seen the local population successfully raise money to buy and restore 5,200 acres of land. Jenny has led work on an approach called Integrated Local Delivery (ILD) which brings together interested parties at a local level to collaborate on protecting their local environment.  This podcast is part of a new Green Alliance project, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, seeking to set out effective models for community ownership, benefit and involvement in land use change in different circumstances, to ensure changes are good for people as well as climate and nature.

Since World War Two, farming has been synonymous with growing as much food as possible. In wealthy countries, this has led to overabundance which is driving environmental and human health problems. We now know we need land to provide more than just food. As well as producing healthy and sustainable food, farmers must be empowered to rise to the challenge of offering restored habitats, carbon removal, wood for construction and land that soaks up floodwater and stores it through droughts. This will involve rethinking what farming is about.Our report Land of opportunity explores how we can go about doing this. It demonstrates how paying for nature restoration on farmland could raise farm incomes, reduce carbon emissions and increase bird populations by half. In this episode, Green Alliance policy director Dustin Benton spoke to the Soil Association’s chief executive, Helen Browning, about agroecology, organic and regenerative farming, and what these traditions can do to help build a nature positive and carbon negative food system. 

People are bracing themselves for extraordinary energy bills this winter, driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our homes are notoriously bad at keeping in heat and upgrading their insulation is a way to permanently reduce energy use.Although there will be savings in energy bills over the medium term, the upfront costs of upgrading a home’s energy efficiency can be significant. Support is available for lower income households through targeted government schemes like ECO, but the Climate Change Committee’s recent progress report identified a particular policy gap for owner occupiers who aren’t eligible for support.In this episode, Green Alliance policy analyst Zoe Avison spoke to Claire Tracey, chief strategy and sustainability officer at Nationwide. Claire spoke about Nationwide’s pledge to lead the greening of UK homes and how it intends to achieve that, as well as the wider policy challenges beyond the building society’s control.

The UK was the first major economy in the world to commit to a legally binding target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. However, transport is devolved and the approach to delivering net zero has varied between the countries of the UK.Road infrastructure investment increases traffic, exacerbating congestion and air pollution, resulting in higher levels of operational and embedded carbon. The UK government has an ambitious policy package to support vehicle electrification but, while it is reviewing the planning policy framework for major road investment, it has not paused its existing road building plans.Wales, on the other hand, is working to reduce car miles driven and has started to review all its major road building plans to align investment with its stated commitment to net zero.In this episode, Green Alliance’s policy adviser Johann Becker introduces the expert discussion Green Alliance jointly hosted with Campaign for Better Transport and Transport Action Network, in June 2022. The event featured contributions from Wales’ Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters, Silviya Barrett from Campaign for Better Transport, David Milner of Create Streets, Oxfordshire Councillor Charlie Hicks and Rebecca Lush from Transport Action Network. Hear about the action Wales is taking to move away from car reliance to sustainable transport options, the obstacles it has faced and how it is dealing with them. The speakers compare this with experiences in England and consider what the rest of the country could learn from Wales.SpeakersChair: Silviya Barrett, director of policy and research, Campaign for Better TransportLee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, Welsh GovernmentDavid Milner, deputy director, Create StreetsRebecca Lush, roads and climate campaigner, Transport Action NetworkCllr Charlie Hicks, Oxfordshire County Council, deputy chair of Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee