Planet Possible

In this episode we explore the recent flooding that has happened across the south of Spain, resulting in the tragic loss of 224 lives, and resulting in Spain mounting it’s biggest peacetime disaster recovery operation.

One of the consequences of a changing climate is more extreme weather and that’s what exactly what the Valencia region experienced in late October.

You'll hear what happened, what the situation is like at the moment in Valencia and what early lessons are beginning to be shared. We're joined by Miguel Cano, a Principal Hydraulic Modeller at Anglian Water who was born and raised in Valencia and is there at the time of this recording and a wonderful cohost to help us navigate the topic, CIWEM’s President and a Regional Delivery Director for Flood, Coast and Maritime at Binnies, Hannah Burgess.

You can view a map of the impacted area that Miguel discusses in this episode here: https://planetpossible.eco/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ValenciaFloodMap.jpg

All of our episodes are available in audio transcription in multiple languages.

Thanks to our sponsors Atkins Realis for supporting Planet Possible.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Find out more about The Water Report here:

www.thewaterreport.co.uk

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

Interview guest - Bevis Watts (CEO of Triodos Bank UK, a leader in ethical and sustainable banking)

Co-host - Ed Dick (CEO of Great Yellow, a company that sources long-term capital for nature restoration projects)

We’re often joined by guests on Planet Possible who identify and look to take action to solve the challenges that we face in our water and environment. But we don’t often talk about how the work gets paid for.

We know that water customers' bills can provide funding for environmental improvements or flood schemes, and governments can pay directly for infrastructure improvements.

At a level beyond this, though... who benefits when we improve our natural environment and therefore who is willing to fund those improvements and why? Plus, a bigger question... how do we get better at truly valuing nature in a way that global financial structures can understand, work with and amplify?

Could green finance be the answer? Can it play a massive part by funding the planet-positive projects, innovations and processes that can start to address the world's urgent environmental challenges?

Helping to answer these questions are two expert guests. Our main interview is with Bevis Watts, the CEO of Triodos Bank UK and to help us navigate this topic our co-host is Ed Dick, the CEO of Great Yellow.

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Find out more about the projects that Bevis mentions in the episode...

• Wyre NFM project: press release and video overview of the finance model
• Oxygen Conservation: web article
• Read how Triodos has pioneered commercial investment in nature-based solutions. This is Nature Impact - find out more here.

Find out more about the York and North Yorkshire Local Investment in Natural Capital programme that Ed talks about here...

https://yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/project/local-investment-in-natural-capital/

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

What does the future of water look like? Do we need a single organisation managing our water catchments and do we need more resources to regulate the quality and quantity of our water? Join the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, John Curtin and CIWEM's Director of Policy, Alastair Chisholm as we explore these topics - and find out what John's biggest environmental concern is.

A fresh water future?

You can read more from the conversation in CIWEM's new series, A Fresh Water Future - just click the below.

A Fresh Water Future - Home

In the UK our freshwaters are under stress like never before. Pollution from farming, wastewater and sewage, and impermeable urban surfaces is precipitating a steady decline in our water’s health despite a raft of existing regulation aimed at protecting it.

On top of this, climate change is exacerbating these challenges through droughts, floods and extreme weather.
The public and politicians are gradually waking up to this. But what can be done? We need food, we need housing, we need infrastructure. But above all we need a healthy environment – with freshwater as its lifeblood – to sustain us.

So how do we achieve healthy rivers, lakes and seas and a resilient water system for people?

From sewage pollution to flood and drought resilience, A Fresh Water Future is a space for CIWEM research, opinion, interviews and guest features on how we can manage water better in the future.

This special episode of Planet Possible is sponsored by Skewb.

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland

The short-lived Truss government's push for growth at all costs sent shockwaves through the environmental sector as green policies were abandoned, reversed or shelved... potentially leaving UK nature in crisis. In this special episode of Planet Possible, host Niki Roach is joined by two sector heavyweights and key players in the coalition of environmental organisations that spoke up in opposition to the so-called 'War On Nature' and mobilised - Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB and Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts. CIWEM's Director Of Policy Al Chisholm is also on hand providing industry context to set up the key theme of the discussion - what happens next?

Credits

Presented & Produced by Niki Roach

Executive Producer Andy Taylor - Bwlb Limited

With thanks to Alastair Chisholm

Honorary Executive Producer Jane Boland