Planet Possible

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 t...

Katie Hargrave-Smith sits in for Niki Roach as host for this August 2026 edition of Planet Possible News - 3 stories making the headlines in water, nature and climate in the UK and around the world.

Al Chisholm (Policy, Regulation and Governance lead for Water at ARUP) joins as our expert guest. The three stories being discussed are:

Welcome to the first of two 'Best Of' compilation episodes we will make this year (one in the summer and one at Christmas). 

This collection of highlights covers the first half of 2026, and features some incredible guests. 

A great chance to catch-up on some of our most-listened-to, and most-talked-about, episodes that you may have missed first time around.

The three guests featured here are...

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 Wri...

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...

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 E...

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

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

Wi...

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

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.u...

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

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...

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

...

'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 Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chi...

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 Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With...

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 Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary E...

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 cu...

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 Sust...

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 Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor...

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:

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:

Monica Feria-Tinta's new book...

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...

Al Chisholm is CIWEM's Director of Policy, though he will be soon be leaving to take on a new role at a different organisation. 

In his last appearance on the podcast in his current role, he gives his thoughts on 3 big current nature, climate and water news stories.

Niki and Alastair discuss: 

Find out more about the stories Niki and Al discussed here...

St...

The King’s Foundation, founded by His Majesty King Charles III in 1990, was inspired by his philosophy of Harmony: that by understanding the balance, order and relationships between ourselves and the natural world, we can create a more sustainable future.

Niki heads to Dumfries House, home of The King’s Foundation, to see how the concept of Harmony comes to life.  Hear from Dr Simon Sadinsky, Executive Director of Education at the Foundation about the impacts both locally and internationally of the work happening on site and how the principle of interconnectedness is at the heart of th...

On this MiniPod episode, Niki Roach is joined by The Guardian’s Biodiversity correspondent - Phoebe Weston.

Together, they discuss:

1) Why honey bees aren’t necessarily good for ecosystems and the Italian island that’s banned them.

2) China’s carbon dioxide emissions fall by 1% in the final quarter of 2025.

3) And a radical project in Belgium that’s turning off street lights to preserve wildlife.

Thanks to our sponsors BMA, Mackley and MWH Treatment for their support of Planet Possible.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Ro...

To meet future water demands we will have to embrace water reuse and advanced water recycling. What's possible? What's best practice? What do the public think? Traditionally there has been a public perception challenge over reusing water (the so-called "yuck factor") - how do we get past that?

The UK is just starting to really get going on water reuse, while in the USA they're further ahead. So, in this episode we talk to experts on both sides of the pond to get the latest thinking...

UK Experts:

Simon Langley from MWH Treatment...

The Planet Possible MiniPod focuses on big current stories in climate, water and nature, providing a detailed update in just 15 mins. 

Our guest on this episode is Lee Pitcher, the Labour MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, who also chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Water. 

Water is firmly in the spotlight in the UK, with recent supply outages in the South East Water region making headlines. Alongside this, and following last year's Cunliffe Review, the government has published a white paper called 'A New Vision For Water'.

Lee, who pr...

In this month’s Planet Possible, Niki Roach is joined by Ruth Chambers OBE - a Senior Fellow at Green Alliance, and honorary professor of practice at the UCL Centre for law and the environment.

Ruth, and host Niki, metaphorically travel around the nations of the UK - identifying what will be making the headlines in UK environmental policy, in 2026.

Our last Minipod of 2025 welcomes John Curtin, the president of CIWEM. John joins Niki Roach in this 15 minute episode, to discuss the following 3 current stories in Water, Climate and Nature:

In this month’s Planet Possible, we’re going beyond the specifics of COP30 and reflect on the shifting geo politics of climate leadership, and what it could mean for our future generations.

Niki Roach is joined by two experts in this field - Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow, a Political Economist with a focus on the Asia specific region, and Professor of International Politics at the University of Leeds - Richard Beardsworth.

Together, they discuss:

In this MiniPod episode, Niki is joined by freelance environmental journalist Jo Caird, whose portfolio includes Editor of The Environment Magazine - a CIWEM publication.

They discuss:

1) Using geoengineering to repair the climate, and how the technology has the potential to adjust global temperatures. The process of solar radiation modification could see injecting aerosol compounds and potential refreezing of the arctic.

2) The unprecedented drought impacting Tehran, Iran, where the main source of drinking water for residents is at risk of running dry within a matter of weeks. 9 million people may need to be...

On this month’s Planet Possible, Niki is joined by co-host Polly Cook - Chief Officer for Climate, Energy and Green Spaces at Leeds City Council.

And for our deep dive interview, on this episode into Heat Networks, Niki and Polly are joined by David Riley - Head of Carbon and Climate Adaptation within Anglian Water and Michael Avant Smith - Senior VP for Decarbonisation at BMA.

This Episode is an introduction to Heat Networks and a look at an innovative plan to harness waste heat from sewers:

We’...

The stories on this week's Minipod are:

Lord Zac Goldsmith has been a voice for environmental issues throughout his political career. He has held vital positions of power in government that have made him able to move the needle on climate and nature. His insights take us inside the cabinet meetings, international negotiations and global summits where progress can be encouraged and delivered... but also stifled.

In this wide-ranging interview he talks candidly about:

Emma Reynolds has been appointed the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK. How will she sort through all the recent reports and reviews into the highly contentious future of the water sector in the UK? What actions will she take from the various recommendations

There is drought in many parts of the UK. Should it be water companies that decide (and announce) when things like hosepipe bans are implemented or could there be a better process?

What are Sponge Cities? How has China had so much success with...

This episode explores Niki's visit to Havant Thicket, the first new reservoir to be built in the UK, in 30 years.

Niki spoke to Terry Fuller from Future Water, Robert Taylor CEO of Portsmouth Water and other key members of the delivery team about this ambitious project.

The site is owned by Portsmouth Water, who will store and supply Southern Water, as part of a water cooperative.

Once complete, the site will hold 9 billion litres of water and will serve 160,000 customers. 

It’s also the first of ten further reservoirs that are pla...

In this month's MiniPod, we're joined by CIWEM President Hannah Burgess and we discuss...

1. The consultation on how flood funding is awarded and how that opens the door to more voluntary groups, and environmental NGOs, directly accessing funding.

2. The news that a global plastics treaty is being debated, alongside some ideas for individual actions.

3. We also consider the updated national sustainable drainage standards which should drive more consistency in what's delivered. 

Useful Links

Join our mailing list to be the first to hear about new episodes - http://eepurl.c...

Have we reached an important positive tipping point where more people than ever of power and influence want to talk about - and take action on - the challenges facing our planet in climate, nature and water?

It certainly seems to us - making this podcast - that more people want to talk about environmental issues, and we want to play our part by amplifying planet positive messages both from people of real influence... and people making real progress.

In this episode we bring you a collection of interviews. First up, two new conversations, recorded...

We're joined by Adam Bedford - Collaborative Projects Director at FERA Science, in this month’s MiniPod and we discuss...

1. The news that more than 80% of famers are worried about the climate crisis harming their livelihood.

2. A group of British, Ukrainian and Dutch engineers trying to rebuild Ukraine as efficiently and sustainably as possible, by recycling the rubble from bombed buildings to make new concrete.

3. We also consider the impact of the recent final report, from the Independent Water Commission, on our farming communities and agriculture.

Useful Links

Read Th...

The Cunliffe Review has just been published and proposes massive change to the UK water sector.  What are the headlines? Are the recommendations right? Do they go far enough? What are the implications for the water companies, campaigners, the general public... and the bigger picture of climate, nature and the environment as a whole?

CIWEM's Director of Policy Al Chisholm and host Niki Roach give their expert analysis.

Read the summary report here

Read the full report here

Planet Possible is supported by BMA, Mackley and MWH Treatment.

...