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Lucy Siegel: Hello and welcome to WSP’s Positive Impact Podcast. I’m your host, Lucy Siegel. In this series, we explore the ideas, innovations and voices shaping a more sustainable, resilient, and future-ready world. Today, we’re facing the triple challenge of climate change: preventing its worst impacts, adapting to changes already here and restoring natural systems. We’ll unpack what this means for infrastructure, industry, and the environment, with a focus on decarbonisation, climate resilience, and nature-positive solutions.

Lucy: Joining me are Rachel Skinner, Executive Director of UK Government Relations and Corporate Responsibility at WSP, and David Riley, Head of Carbon and Climate Adaptation at Anglian Water.

Lucy: David, could you share how Anglian Water approaches climate action? Where did you begin, where are you now, and what’s next?

David Riley: My journey with carbon began in 2000, when the idea of measuring carbon emissions seemed irrelevant to my role in energy operations. Over the years, I’ve come to realise how central carbon is to the water industry and UK infrastructure. At Anglian Water, we’ve shifted our focus to reducing emissions, making our assets resilient to climate change, and recognising the importance of nature in our operations. Since 2006, we’ve taken a strategic approach, identifying climate change and population growth as our biggest challenges. We’ve seen the effects of a changing climate—more dry periods, increased storms, and shifting coastal tides—which all influence how we plan for the future and manage water resources.

Lucy: What technical standards guide your work, and do you draw inspiration from other countries?

David Riley: When we first started looking at carbon, there was little guidance available. It was very much a behaviour change initiative. Over the past 25 years, we’ve seen the development of frameworks and standards, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Infrastructure Carbon Review, and PAS 2080. These frameworks emphasise leadership, measurement, reporting, and collaboration across the value chain—from suppliers and designers to asset owners like Anglian Water. When everyone is aligned and challenging themselves in similar ways, we can identify carbon hotspots and deliver meaningful reductions, while also building resilience.

Lucy: Rachel, what did COP26 bring from your perspective, and what’s its legacy?

Rachel Skinner: COP26 in Glasgow felt like a pivotal moment for climate action, building on the momentum of the Paris Agreement. It brought people together with a renewed focus on decarbonisation and net zero, but at the time, the details of what that meant were still being unpacked. The event highlighted the need to decarbonise, build resilience to extreme events, and restore nature. While decarbonisation was front and centre, resilience and nature restoration were less prominent. Since then, there’s been a shift toward integrating all three themes into a holistic approach. As president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, I saw that built environment professionals were still figuring out their role in climate action. Now, there’s a greater understanding that decarbonisation, resilience, and nature restoration must be tackled together, not in isolation. The Infrastructure Client Group has broadened its focus, bringing together major UK infrastructure providers to collaborate on impactful change.

Lucy: The language around climate action often needs tidying up. Rachel, can you share your thoughts?

Rachel Skinner: There’s a lot of confusion and misuse of terms like “net zero”. Many people use these words without fully understanding their meaning or context, and definitions have shifted over time. This can lead to unrealistic targets and policies, and repeating myths is unhelpful. It’s important to clarify what these terms mean and ensure everyone is on the same page. Senior leaders often feel pressure to use the right language, but it’s not always within their comfort zone or training. Education and clear communication are essential.

David Riley: Jargon can make carbon reduction seem more complex than it is. We need to focus on practical actions rather than getting bogged down in terminology. Reducing carbon is as much about business efficiency as it is about sustainability. Understanding where emissions come from—direct, indirect, and supply chain—helps us identify hotspots and make cost-effective changes. Sometimes, we don’t even need to mention the word “carbon” to drive positive action.

Lucy: How have national policy and priorities helped or hindered progress?

David Riley: The journey has been a rollercoaster, with climate action sometimes prioritised and sometimes sidelined. Net zero is a long-term commitment, and urgent, consistent action is needed. We can’t wait until 2050 to start making changes—the climate is already shifting. Government and industry collaboration is crucial, especially when climate and nature risks are recognised as economic risks. When these risks are acknowledged, it drives momentum and investment.

Rachel Skinner: Political cycles often clash with the long-term nature of climate action. Stable, long-term decision-making is needed, but politics tends to operate on shorter cycles. Increasing public awareness and regulatory pressure are helping to drive progress, but there’s still a challenge in explaining what changes mean for people’s lives. The cost of inaction is not zero—it adds risk and expense over time. Organisations are learning to adapt their ambitions and language as regulations and evidence evolve.

Lucy: What role does data play in driving meaningful action?

David Riley: Data is only valuable if it’s used to inform decisions and drive change. At Anglian Water, we measure the carbon impact of our business plans and use this information to set baselines and challenge our supply chain. This helps us identify where reductions can be made and ensures that investments are aligned with our climate goals. Data also supports resilience planning, allowing us to understand how climate scenarios might impact our assets and infrastructure.

Rachel Skinner: At WSP, we’ve been working to understand who holds carbon data across projects and sectors. Some areas, like buildings and transport, are more advanced, while others are still catching up. Sharing knowledge and coordinating efforts is accelerating progress. By bringing together data from different clients and sectors, we can identify hotspots and opportunities for action, making every investment more impactful.

Lucy: How do you balance short-term investments with long-term resilience and system benefits?

David Riley: There’s a misconception that reducing carbon always costs more. In reality, efficiency and material choices can often reduce both carbon and costs. Regulatory support is important for encouraging investment in low-carbon solutions, and collaboration across the value chain is key. Not every carbon-saving measure is cheaper, but many are, and it’s important to look at the overall outcome rather than individual products.

Rachel Skinner: The relationship between cost and carbon is linked to the broader climate strategy. Data-driven decisions and coordinated action are essential for success. By understanding where investments are being made and what materials are being used, we can identify opportunities to reduce both costs and emissions.

Lucy: If you could change one thing to create positive impact, what would it be?

David Riley: I’d bring greater urgency to climate action, similar to the response to COVID-19. The time for talking is over; organisations should start making investments and taking action, even if mistakes are made along the way.

Rachel Skinner: I’d ban the excuse that individual actions don’t matter. Everyone should identify what they can control and make a difference in their own domain. There are always “no regrets” actions that can be taken, and positive impact starts with each person.

Lucy: Thank you to our guests for a thoughtful and energising conversation. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast. Explore more on today’s topic in the episode description. Join us next time as we continue to explore ideas shaping a smarter, greener future.