Wednesday 17 December
2025, 14.30, Thatcher Room, Palace of Westminster
On Wednesday, MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee will hear
pitches for the Committee's next inquiry as it concludes its call
for ideas from the public, campaigners and academic experts.
The topics up for selection are: protecting ancient woodlands and
peatlands; the environmental impact of data centres; air
pollution; UK-EU environmental cooperation; and climate breakdown
and multi-hazard weather risk.
MPs will consider what an inquiry into each subject might
achieve, why the Committee should explore it, and what
recommendations it could make to the Government.
WITNESSES
Ancient woodlands and Peatlands, 14.30-14.50
- Sally Nex, Advocate, Peat-free Partnership
- Dr Chris Nichols, Head of Conservation – Evidence and
Outcomes, The Woodland Trust
Data centres and the UK's sustainable development challenge:
environmental and housing implications of rapid digital
infrastructure expansion, 14.50-15.10:
- Miss Rowena Shivam, student of Sustainable Built Environment,
Energy and Resources at University College London
Air pollution, 15.10-15.30:
- Jemima Hartshorn, founder, Mums for Lungs
- Dr Nat Easton, Air Quality Researcher and Specialist Policy
Officer, University of Southampton
The state of UK EU cooperation on the environment, 15.30-15.50:
- David Baldock, Honorary Fellow, Institute for European
Environmental Policy (IEEP) UK
- Ben Reynolds, Executive Director, IEEP UK
Climate breakdown and multi-hazard weather risk, 15.50-16.10:
- Dr Susan O'Leary, Director, Centre for Research into
Sustainability, Royal Holloway, University of London
- Dr John Hillier, Reader in Natural Hazard Risk, Loughborough
University
