This summer’s drought is putting UK food production under pressure. Crops are failing, forage for livestock is becoming scarce and wheat yields are 13% below average. The Government has been warned that the UK could face a “food shock” driven by climate disruption, geopolitical instability and rising production costs. This is not simply a short-term problem. It is a warning about the food system we are building for the future.

A symbol allows one object, image, phrase or gesture to carry a much larger emotional message. It is political shorthand: a way of triggering an argument that is already lodged in people's minds. This is something the political hard right has understood remarkably well.

On the surface, potholes have little to do with climate policy. But politically, they have everything to do with it. They have become shorthand for a deeper public anxiety: the sense that basic services are deteriorating while government appears unable, or unwilling, to fix them.

With the introduction of Simpler Recycling reforms and the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), there is a need to shift established behaviours at scale across the UK. How can the sector successfully influence daily routines to ensure the effectiveness of this new recycling infrastructure?

A growing body of evidence points to a troubling disconnect: public support for climate action remains relatively strong, yet the story we hear about it is increasingly negative.

Recent survey data suggests that right-leaning media narratives are amplifying a false backlash against net zero. Coverage is now more than twice as likely to skew negative than public opinion would justify. The result?

Until now the environmental focus has been predominantly on mitigation cutting emissions to prevent future harm. This remains essential. But as the realities of extreme weather events become more immediate and visible, the debate is shifting…

If 2025 felt like a bruising year for the sustainability movement, 2026 is unlikely to offer much respite. Against a challenging backdrop, how should sustainability professionals respond? Here are five suggestions.

Is the move to a circular economy stalling because people are worried about the quality of reusing materials?

Bill Gates has recently committed to giving away all his wealth – what can he learn from Thomas Carnegie a pioneer of this approach?

International evidence demonstrates how effective water conservation campaigns can be. Will anyone have the foresight to launch one in the UK or are we going to hope it rains heavily soon?

At a time when we need bold radical leadership, I despair at the paucity of the political debate and highlight some of the things I would like them to talk about.

‘Brain Rot’ is the Oxford Dictionaries word of the year, but what is the one that you have heard most in meetings and events?

I am sure like many people the recent global events have led me to question how best I personally can make a positive impact. Eighteen months ago I left leading Hubbub to set up Sizzle – was it the right decision?

A key message from the US election is that if people feel things aren’t improving, they are less likely to vote for you. A ground-breaking report suggests that tackling inequality is essential in addressing social and environmental challenges. Will anyone be brave enough?

Extreme weather, recent political events and hard-hitting reports can make it hard to remain optimistic. Perhaps one response is to celebrate the amazing range of local community initiatives driven by passionate people intent on improving their locality.

Can a different approach to policymaking remove some of the barriers that have prevented successive governments from introducing a ban on the use of peat in growing?

After years of experimentation is the Circular Economy about to hit the mainstream?

Delivering systemic change is complex and time-consuming.  Here are five things I have learned and how they have changed the way I think and work.

Our first attempt to creating systemic change has proved highly challenging. Here are five key findings from our initial independent evaluation.

Getting a rejection from a potential funder is a regular occurrence and can be demoralising. This is how I have learned to react.