The global market in artificial intelligence is projected to hit $4.8 trillion by 2033, according to the UN’s latest analysis, and it seems all that anyone can talk about. But with its drain on water resources, and high energy demands, the technology could pose serious environmental risks.

As AI’s deployment in the environmental space gathers pace, how are the UK’s green professionals squaring this circle? On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with ENDS Report editor Jamie Carpenter about how the sector is changing, and what’s at stake.

The ECO Chamber is brought to you by journalists at ENDS Report.

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The government has announced that the flagship nature policy, biodiversity net gain, is set to see substantial revisions in 2026 with development sites up to 0.2 hectares in size to be exempt from the requirement.

Labour has also revised England’s national planning policy blueprint – the National Planning Policy Framework.

On this week’s ECO Chamber, host James Agyepong-Parsons speaks with lawyer Alexa Culver from RSK Wilding to unpick these updates, and hears why she says Labour’s net gain changes are a ‘wound’ to nature markets ‘but not a fatal one’.

For this year’s final episode, ENDS Report deputy editor Tess Colley also looks back at the biggest UK environmental moments in Labour’s second year of government.

PLUS: South East Water blames its own water sources following a two-week window where customers had to boil their water, the House of Lords has slammed the government’s response to its waste crime inquiry, and PFAS monitoring methods underestimate the true scale of forever chemical pollution, a cross-party group of MPs have been told.

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In this episode, we investigate the representation of working class voices in the UK’s environment sector, reveal exclusive ENDS analysis on the industry’s make-up and hear from those trying to break glass ceilings.

New ENDS analysis shows that of more than 260 environmental professionals surveyed, more than two-thirds of respondents felt that working class individuals are either significantly or slightly under-represented in their organisations.

Only a fifth felt this group was fairly represented. But the picture is arguably more nuanced that the data shows.

To help wrestle with the numbers, in this podcast we speak to:

• Nadia Shaikh - a campaigner on land access and chair of the RAVEN network
• Dr Ciara Dwyer - a research fellow for DEFRA and co-chair of the Socioeconomic Equality and Diversity (SEED) network
• Sarah Mukherjee - chief executive officer at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals
• Emma River-Roberts - founder of the non-profit Working Class Climate Alliance

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