Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is nearing the end of its controversial passage in the House of Lords, but a new last-minute amendment has caused fresh consternation among environmental experts.
On this week’s ECO Chamber, deputy editor Tess Colley and podcast host James Agyepong-Parsons get to grips with the bill’s latest changes alongside special guest Ben Kite, policy chair at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and group strategy director at the consultancy Ecological Planning & Research.
The team also discusses a recent ENDS Report interview conducted with Marian Spain – the chief executive of Natural England – and her optimistic take on the bill, which she says is “pretty good”.
PLUS:
The sticking points at COP30 and the challenges for the UK’s own climate framework, news of a report written by members of a DEFRA committee which argues environmental policy ‘should be reshaped to focus on ecosystems not species’, and we bring you the regions set to benefit the most from a new £150m package to redevelop brownfield land.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Waste crime costs England's economy around £1 billion a year in damages, but a new inquiry has levelled accusations of “incompetency” at the Environment Agency in dealing with it. But the news has gone without comment from the regulator chief…
In this week’s episode, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and ENDS editor Jamie Carpenter discuss the story with Dr Anna Willetts – an environmental waste crime lawyer at Gunnercooke LLP and former president of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.
The team also discusses the final amendments to the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill being debated in the House of Lords, including new protections for wetlands and attempts to curb the scope of nascent Environmental Delivery Plans.
PLUS: The government has published a carbon budget and growth delivery plan, major infrastructure projects may have a new permitting slip stream, and an ENDS exclusive reveals the English landfills suspended and closed since the mid-2010s.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For years, a battle over nutrient neutrality has been raging in the courts.
This came to a head in the Supreme Court this month.
On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and deputy editor Tess Colley speak with lawyer Estelle Dehon KC from Cornerstone Barristers about the potential impacts of the ruling.
The trio also discuss the latest amendments to the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill being debated in the House of Lords. .
PLUS: The Environment Agency is developing a priority list for certain PFAS chemicals in a bid to help set emission limits, DEFRA has accepted a raft of recommendations from the Office for Environmental Protection over its Environmental Improvement Plan, and a prominent air campaigner has vowed to take the government to court for its failure to adopt WHO air quality guidelines.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In May, Reform UK took control of Lincolnshire County Council - a region set to become home to the UK’s largest solar farm..
With local opposition sounding the alarm over the project, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice has warned that the project would “devastate thousands of acres of productive farmland and countryside in Lincolnshire”.
This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons and senior reporter Shosha Adie discuss the significance of Tillbridge Solar – set to straddle 1,670 hectares of mostly agricultural land.
The team also discusses the latest amendments of the government’s controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill tabled in the House of Lords this week.
PLUS: International talks on a shipping carbon tax system flounder, England’s hydrogen and carbon capture cluster gains traction, and thousands of farmers see nature-recovery subsidies extended.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The government wants to ‘build, baby, build’ 1.5 million homes before the turn of the decade but could flooding scupper its ambitions? Listen to the ECO Chamber to find out more…
Flooding is the UK’s most frequent natural disaster, affecting people, properties, businesses and places in the short-, medium-, and long-term, destroying critical infrastructure.
This week, author and journalist Katerine Quarmby speaks with ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons about the increasing frequency of flood events across the UK and the difficult policy solutions that need to be found.
PLUS: Pro-growth amendments to the controversial Planning Bill have been put forward, Southern Water is to cut its water abstraction and the Crown Estate is being threatened by Greenpeace UK with legal action.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, ENDS Report’s news editor Pippa Neill speaks with ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons from the Conservative Party’s conference in Manchester with the lowdown on its plans to scrap the Climate Change Act, streamline nature regulators and abolish “carbon taxes”.
In the studio ENDS senior reporter Shosha Adie also discusses the key takehomes of the Green Party’s Bournemouth conference, including its new ‘eco-populist’ leader Zack Polanski.
The team also spotlights the departure of more than 100 Natural England staff, a reduction in nitrogen dioxide pollution levels in the capital, and the UK’s largest lawsuit on environmental pollution.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The government says it wants to “streamline planning rules” to kickstart the building of three “new towns” and a new environment secretary has promised to make DEFRA a department of growth. So is nature getting squeezed out?
ENDS Report’s deputy editor Tess Colley reveals her key takehomes from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool with Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons.
The team also spotlights an £80m unpaid tax bill rising from the notorious Walley’s Quarry landfill, PFAS’s 1,100°C kill zone and fears that national park protections are at risk of being watered down.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
This week, ENDS Report’s deputy editor Tess Colley speaks with news editor Pippa Neil.
After obtaining never-before-seen documents, ENDS Report can reveal that the chemical manufacturer, AGC Chemicals Europe Ltd, is making products containing the banned and carcinogenic forever chemical PFOA, and allowing it to be released into the air.
The company says that production of the chemical is inadvertent and within regulations – but it is on-going – and Pippa has uncovered that AGC has known about the risk posed to its workers for almost 20 years.
PLUS: a Reform UK-led council has dropped its climate change emergency declaration on climate skeptic grounds; Natural England has pulled the plug on its hen harrier conservation project and the EA has come out swinging against accusations that it is being pressured to waive through construction projects.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
This week, in a departure from business as usual, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons sits down with the creators of Boy Wasted – a Smoke Trail production for ENDS Report and De Groene Amsterdammer, developed with the support of JournalismFund Europe.
The investigation started with a photo: a concrete yard with piles of plastic, and lying on the ground was the body of a boy - grotesquely ripped apart.
Who was he? And what really happened to him?
All three episodes of Boy Wasted can be streamed on the Eco Chamber podcast feed now.
In this bonus episode, we find out how this story came about and what we as listeners can do next.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this finale episode, the team asks a disturbing question: what if there is not just one body, but hundreds? As the team join the dots between Britain and Turkey, they begin to uncover the awful scale of deaths, lies and secrets that are buried in our recycling.
Boy Wasted is the thrilling three-part environmental true crime investigation, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, and brought to you by ENDS Report, Journalismfund Europe and De Groene Amsterdammer. Dan and Lucy bring together a team of award-winning journalists across Europe to pursue the truth about a secret global scandal.
Presenters and Producers: Dan Ashby, Lucy Taylor and Adnan Khan
Reporters: Tess Colley and Pippa Neill
Sound Design and Series Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Editor: Jamie Carpenter
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's a case that doesn’t make any sense: a boy's body found shredded in a bale of plastic, kept entirely secret. The team begin investigating the people who know about the death. When an eye witness comes forward, the allegations get even bigger.
Boy Wasted is the thrilling three-part environmental true crime investigation, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, and brought to you by ENDS Report, Journalismfund Europe and De Groene Amsterdammer. Dan and Lucy bring together a team of award-winning journalists across Europe to pursue the truth about a secret global scandal.
Presenters and Producers: Dan Ashby, Lucy Taylor and Adnan Khan
Reporters: Tess Colley and Pippa Neill
Sound Design and Series Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Editor: Jamie Carpenter
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When a mystery body of a boy is found in a bale of recycled plastic in Turkey, a team of investigative journalists decide to work out what happened. They go looking for answers in industrial yards and dodgy offices, but the story gets more risky. Tensions explode in Istanbul and one of their team is arrested. But they have to know: who was the boy? And could it be linked to Britain?
Boy Wasted is the thrilling three-part environmental true crime investigation, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, and brought to you by ENDS Report, Journalismfund Europe and De Groene Amsterdammer. Dan and Lucy bring together a team of award-winning journalists from across Europe to pursue the truth about a secret global scandal.
Presenters and Producers: Dan Ashby, Lucy Taylor and Adnan Khan
Reporters: Tess Colley and Pippa Neill
Sound Design and Series Mixing: Jarek Zaba
Editor: Jamie Carpenter
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with editor Jamie Carpenter about Reform UK’s party conference hosted at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham over the weekend.
With prominent fringe events hosted by groups such as the US conservative think-tank, the Heartland Institute, we discuss how climate denialism has permeated Reform UK’s thinking around climate policy.
And what does it mean now Steve Reed is leading the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government? And who is his replacement at DEFRA? This and more…
PLUS: A new legal opinion casts doubt on Planning Bill protections, a new report suggests sewage capacity fears are holding up housing, and a first-of-a-kind local nature recovery strategy has been published.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There's a concrete yard with piles of plastic, and lying on the ground is the body of a boy - grotesquely ripped apart.
Who was he? And what really happened to him? A team of award-winning investigative journalists set out to find out.
You can listen to all three episodes of Boy Wasted on the Eco Chamber podcast feed from 16 September 2025.
A Smoke Trail production for ENDS Report and De Groene Amsterdammer, developed with the support of JournalismFund Europe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
This week, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with deputy editor Tess Colley about the chemicals industry’s attempts to influence UK politicians on regulating forever chemicals. But some experts have warned that their attempts to dissuade politicians from moving against PFAS chemicals like fluoropolymers are using “scaremongering” tactics from the ‘Big Tobacco’ playbook.
The team will also speak with the Wildlife Trust’s senior land use policy manager Barnaby Coupe about a report published by the charity this week revealing the billions of litres of manure produced every year from intensive pig and poultry farms – and the environmental impact.
PLUS: The slaughterhouse fined for pouring blood into a stream, the new leader of the Green Party and DEFRA’s new flexi-permit proposals for the industry and energy sectors.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with senior reporter Shosha Adie about a proposed golf course in the Scottish Highlands which one watchdog says has habitat-killing potential.
The proposed Couls Link Golf Course at Embo in East Sutherland is backed by billionaire Mike Keiser, business rival of US president Donald Trump. However, in a new setback for developers NatureScot has called for an outright objection to the scheme. What will this mean for the golf course plans?
PLUS: UK Butterfly populations continue their downward spiral, why the chancellor wants a new planning bill, and the legal action launched against a minister’s ‘irrational’ data centre EIA decision.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
For today’s episode we bring you an ENDS exclusive on the levels of toxic forever chemicals detected at English airports described as “alarmingly” high by experts.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of 10,000-strong man-made forever chemicals. They are found in all manner of consumer products, but particularly in firefighting foams.
ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report’s news editor Pippa Neill about her investigation – and what the high levels of PFAS found at airports could mean for nearby drinking water supplies.
PLUS: DEFRA appoints a new permanent secretary to replace Tamara Finkelstein, what happened at the failed global plastics treaty in Geneva, and the chicken megafarm farm rejected on climate grounds.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
In Scotland, the world’s largest wind farm has been approved.
SSE Renewable’s Berwick Bank offshore wind farm will be constructed 38km off the coast from St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve and close to Bass Rock, which is home to the world's largest island colony of northern gannets.
This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with RSPB Scotland’s head of policy and advocacy Aedán Smith about why the granting of planning permission for the wind farm was “a very dark day for seabirds”.
ENDS deputy editor Tess Colley also discusses the latest developments on the story of controversial plans for gas exploration in North Yorkshire, and why the Environment Agency has dropped its initial objections to the site.
PLUS: A first-of-a-kind PFAS dataset has been published, the UK Health Security Agency has appointed a new leader, and a push to bring lynx back has its second wind…
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
The pillars of biodiversity net gain - a flagship nature policy - are under stress as the Office for Environmental Protection has warned the government against making any substantive changes to it without safeguards.
This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with net gain expert Natalie Duffus at the University of Oxford about the proposed changes, their potential impacts and the government’s next moves.
ENDS Report news editor Pippa Neill also discusses an exclusive on the true cost of DEFRA’s digital waste tracking scheme. It was intended to help identify, tackle and prevent waste crime but why has its price tag tripled?
PLUS: The so-called world’s biggest offshore wind farm has been given the green light in Scotland, the UN’s Global Plastics Treaty in Switzerland has begun, and Yorkshire Water has been fined almost £1m for a ‘catastrophic’ chlorine spill.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Every week, the ENDS team enters the ECO Chamber to discuss the UK’s biggest green news stories and bring you up to speed on the latest developments in environmental policy.
In the last week, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn announced the launch of a new political party with water industry policy front and centre. And earlier this year, Reform UK – running on an anti-net zero mandate – took command of 10 councils in the May local elections.
What approach have these new councils been taking towards net zero policies since Reform took the reins, and what exactly does Corbyn plan to do with the water industry?
This week, Eco Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons, ENDS Report’s news editor Pippa Neill and WWF UK’s head of public affairs David Walsh explore the state of green policies in government and the threats they face at a time of political polarisation and upheaval.
PLUS : A £1.1bn promise to councils to help improve local recycling schemes, a new plan to tackle pet flea treatments, and the Environment Agency consults on reducing forever chemicals in the town with the UK’s highest known levels of PFAS.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.