Eco Chamber

Brexit 10 years on: Is the UK still the dirty man of Europe?

In the book, The Dirty Man of Europe, it was said that without pressure from Europe, it was difficult to see how the UK would have made any environmental progress in the 80s and 90s. Many in the environment sector feared that the UK’s vote to leave the EU in 2016 would herald a return to its position as the ‘Dirty Man of Europe’.We’re now a  decade on from the Brexit vote, which saw then prime minister David Cameron resign swiftly, followed over the years by four other Conservative prime ministers.In the last week, Labour prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that he too will be standing down following two years at the helm that saw a rise in anti-nature rhetoric, and a rise in support for right-wing politics in the form of Reform UK. Across the Channel, the EU too is witnessing its own surge in right-wing politics with key environmental policies now being unpicked. So is the UK still the dirty man of Europe ten years on? On this week’s podcast, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons is joined by ENDS Europe’s deputy editor Simon Pickstone and two special guests: Ben Reynolds, the director of the Institute for European Environmental Policy UK.And Dr Viviane Gravey, an environmental policy specialist from Queen's University Belfast.PLUS Sir Keir Starmer stands down as prime ministerAndy Burnham’s by-election win in Makerfield sets him on course for the keys to No.10And MPs are demanding full access to the government’s national security biodiversity report.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Power List: UK’s top environmentalists discuss Brexit, today's politics and the future

This month marks a decade since the Brexit vote and five years since the inaugural ENDS Power List – when Boris Johnson was the prime minister.  A place on the final list has become one of the UK environmental profession’s most sought-after accolades.Three environmentalists who have made the draw five years running are:Richard Benwell, chief executive at the Wildlife and Countryside LinkRuth Chambers, senior fellow at Green Alliance Estelle Dehon KC, environmental lawyer at Cornerstone Barristers All three heavyweights spoke with ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons on 29 May to take stock of Brexit’s impacts 10 years on, the issues at stake for environmental policy today and where the debate goes from here.PLUS The King’s Birthday Honours ListThe departure of DEFRA minister Angela EagleAnd the legal challenge on chemicals laws against the government. The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Green King of the North? How does Andy Burnham's environmental track record measure up?

On Thursday 18 June, the make-or-break Makerfield by-election will take place. Burnham is standing as the Labour candidate and is expected to launch a leadership challenge should he win.But where does he stand on environmental policy? To find out, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report senior reporter Shosha Adie, and the CEO of the Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust, Dr Tom Burditt. The team also discusses the NGO concerns over how “loopholes” in the government’s biodiversity net gain policy are exacerbating unequal access to nature.PLUS The RSPB announces staff redundancy plansThe home of the Devil’s Chimney becomes a national nature reserve.And the latest spread of UK solar power across the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

War of the words: Starmer's blog and Reform UK's quango policy

In the last week blog posts and essays have been published by the former Labour leader, Sir Tony Blair, and prime minister Sir Keir Starmer – along with potential contenders for the top job – over the future of Labour policy, including on net zero. Blair has called for the government to shift to the “radical centre” and remove those parts of the net-zero agenda which “prioritise clean energy over cheaper energy”.Meanwhile, Reform UK has also been publishing detail on its own plans for government – including what it thinks of arm’s-length bodies like Natural England.In this week’s ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report deputy editor Tess Colley to find out how the prime minister responded to Blair’s intervention, what’s at stake in this battle of the blogs – and what you need to know from Reform UK’s policy documents. PLUS The ‘hundreds’ of dead sharks found on Welsh beachesA new charter signed to protect the Wye catchmentAnd the Scottish salmon farm fined £70,000 over F-gas regulationsThe ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ties that bind: Toxic chemicals, dead monkeys and an English town

In the UK, no chemical company has ever been prosecuted for PFAS-related claims. But environmental law firm Leigh Day is currently investigating potential legal action against AGC Chemicals Ltd. on behalf of the residents in Thornton-Cleveleys. Now, documents unearthed by ENDS can reveal that representatives on behalf of the company knew that since the year 2000, one chemical used in its manufacturing – PFOA – caused lesions and decreases in cognitive and motor functions in long-tailed macaques that ultimately lead to their deaths. To find out more, ECO Chamber host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks to ENDS Report news editor Pippa about what six scientists meeting in a Scottish castle in 2000 has to do with the health impacts of PFAS forever chemicals on the residents of Thornton-Cleveleys now.Plus DEFRA’s £30m wildlife-farming fundScottish Forestry’s flawed environmental impact assessment over the northern brown argus butterfly And a new study linking moorland burning to air pollution impacting millions of people.The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.