Welcome to Wild LIVE! Our series of discussions hosted by The Wildlife Trusts' Chief Executive, Craig Bennett. Each episode we'll be joined by a knowledgeable panel to chat about some of the really important issues relating to wildlife, the natural world and environment - as well as answering any burning questions you might have.
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And catch up on all the Wild LIVEs so far, below!
Wild LIVE: how can we support neonic-free farmers?
Despite nearly 15,000 people calling for better support for farmers and wildlife, the UK Government recently approved the use of a bee-killing pesticide (known as a neonicotinoid or neonic) on sugar beet crops in England for the fourth year in a row. For our February edition of Wild LIVE, we discussed why more than a third of sugar beet farmers chose to not use the chemical in 2023, and how we can support more to make that transition and stop the reliance on these hugely damaging pesticides.
Hear from our panel:
- Anabel Kindersley, Co-Owner of Neal's Yard Remedies
- Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology and Ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts
- John Pawsey, Organic Farmer, Shimpling Park Farm
- Vicki Hird, Strategic Lead for Agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts
Wild LIVE: Is it time to put the food vs. nature debate to bed?
For decades, the choice between food or nature has been presented as binary, with the two competing demands for land often seen as at odds with each other. For our first Wild LIVE episode of 2024, we asked whether it's finally time to put the food versus nature debate to bed. Watch this joint event with the Soil Association, during the Oxford Farming Conferences, where our expert panel discussed what barriers remain to achieving a food system with nature at its core and how we can build on the consensus for the future of farming that was agreed the last time this conference took place. Hear from our panel: Sarah Langford, Barrister, Farmer and Author, James Robinson, Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S and Steve Proud, Land Management Director at Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust.
Wild LIVE: COP28 - reasons to be hopeful on climate action?
As COP28 draws to a close in the United Arab Emirates - against a backdrop of alarming climate figures - The Wildlife Trusts quizzed decision-makers on what the conference means for us back here in the UK. In particular, we discussed how we can turn the climate story back round to one of hope and action, rather than empty words and hollow commitments.
Wild LIVE: What is the Labour Party's plan to tackle the nature crisis...
Our health is shaped by the world around us – from good-quality homes, to stable jobs, social connections, and neighbourhoods with green space and clean air and water. Right now in the UK, poor quality living conditions are damaging people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing and cutting lives short. Too many of us live in polluted, nature-deprived neighbourhoods, at a great cost. Nature can help tackle the strain on the NHS and other public services caused by these unacceptable living conditions. On Monday October 9th at 6:30pm, our panel will discuss whether Labour’s plan to tackle the nature crisis can help solve the crisis in healthcare too.
Panel includes:
- Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
- Fiona Harvey, Award-winning Environmental Journalist
- Jo Bibby, Director of Health at the Health Foundation
- Elliot Chapman-Jones, Head of Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts
Wild LIVE: Are the Conservative Party on track to deliver their manifesto promise of "the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on Earth"?
During the 2019 General Election, the Conservative Party manifesto pledged to deliver the “most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth”. Since winning the election, they have passed a new Environment Act and introduced a legally binding target to halt the decline of nature by the end of the decade. But, according to the Office for Environmental Protection, wildlife remains in chronic decline and the UK Government are not demonstrably on track to meet any of their environmental targets.
Our panel discussed whether the Conservative’s election pledge has been met and whether their manifesto this time round will deliver for nature. Panel included:
- Rebecca Pow MP, Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience at DEFRA
- Ben Goldsmith, chair of Conservative Environment Network and financier
- James Murray, editor-in-chief for BusinessGreen and co-founder of the Net Zero Festival
- Vicki Hird, agricultural policy expert and campaigner, The Wildlife Trusts.
Wild LIVE: Bringing rainforests back to the British Isles
British rainforests would have once covered vast expanses of our land, but over the centuries they have been destroyed for timber and to make space for farming and development, so that now less than 1% remains. Happily, this is set to change, thanks to a new partnership between The Wildlife Trusts and Aviva.
Live from the Isle of Man, where rainforests would have once been a significant habitat, our Wild LIVE panel, including The Wildlife Trusts’ president Liz Bonnin, explored the importance of Atlantic or temperate rainforests in tackling the climate and nature crisis – and how this exciting new programme will help!
Wild LIVE: HS2: Shouldn't green groups support it?
Three years on from the Government's 'green light' for the UK's largest national transport infrastructure scheme, we invited experts to discuss the need for sustainable transport vs. the damage caused by big infrastructure projects - and whether HS2 has found the balance.
Wild LIVE: In Conversation with Dame Glenys Stacey
Dame Glenys Stacey DBE - a solicitor and civil servant, and chair of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). The OEP was formed following the UK's exit from Europe, as a new public body to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account.
Taking a slightly different format to our usual panel events, this one-on-one conversation provided viewers with the opportunity to find out more about the Office for Environmental Protection and question exactly what their powers are in ensuring the UK Government and others are taking the necessary action at this critical time for nature and climate.
Wild LIVE: #AttackOnNature
The #AttackOnNature is not over yet. Whilst it might seem that the overt risk to nature through Government policy has lessened, one of the biggest threats remains: the Retained EU Law Bill. Quietly making its way through Parliament, it looks like many of the laws protecting everything from our environment to employment are about to be torn apart. Our panel help us understand just what this Bill means for nature and us.
Wild LIVE: How can we improve ethnic diversity in the environmental sector?
For October's episode of Wild LIVE we discussed ethnic diversity in the environmental sector and how we can improve it. Our panel discussed the important journey organisations, including our own, need to go on in order to improve ethnic diversity within our sector, create lasting change and hear about some of the programmes already underway. We also discussed the soon to be published report "Changing The World From Within" which highlights that our sector is currently one of the least ethnically diverse in the UK.
Wild LIVE: Are we living through an insect apocalypse?
This September broadcasted from The Big Buzz! Pollinator Conference & Fringe 2022, the UK’s biggest gathering of pollinator enthusiasts and professionals, organised and hosted by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. This very exciting conference gave us the opportunity to open tickets up to those that want to attend in person for the very first time, whilst still sharing a live broadcast for those that wish to join us online as usual! Hosted by The Wildlife Trusts’ Chief Executive, Craig Bennett, we put your questions to our expert panel, as we discussed whether we are facing an insect apocalypse – whilst also investigating how we got to this point and what we can do to turn it around.
Chair: Craig Bennett
Craig started as Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts in April 2020. On taking the helm he said: “We have long recognised that conserving nature is not enough; we must all do more to restore the abundance of nature, restore ecosystem processes, and reverse the UK’s status as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. We want to see at least a third of land and sea given to nature by 2030.”
Craig was previously CEO of Friends of the Earth, where he refocussed the organisation on its unique role of empowering communities to take action where they live, and use that momentum to tackle the climate and ecological crisis. He recently became a trustee of the independent think-tank and charity Green Alliance, and is a member of the Advisory Group for the new coalition Unchecked.UK which is making the cause for the common-sense protections that improve people's lives.
As Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts', Craig is calling on Government to commit to five principles to be applied to future planning, which would ensure planning reforms address the climate and nature crises. More information can be found here.
Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Watch all our Wild LIVEs
Catch up on our series of monthly discussions hosted by The Wildlife Trusts' Chief Executive, Craig Bennett.