Bats, Buildings and Big Ideas

In this month's bumper episode we are joined by Malcolm Tait, Kiera Chapman and Hugh Ellis for a feature on the UK government's planning reforms, how we can save nature and whether we need more utopian thinking to engage citizens in planning for sustainable communities.

With Liz Sharp and Antonio Navas, Tom and Beth also dive into the local impacts of the UK's water crisis and the urban impacts of tariff wars.

Also on our radar:

• How levels of urbanization impact on Myanmar's earthquake resilience, and man-made factors shaping urban crisis 
• Paris city hall's anti-tagging campaign, and the implications for graffiti and protest art in urban public space
• Does Gen Z struggle to pick up the phone? The importance of communication amongst strangers to city life 
• The potential impacts of closing embassies in cities abroad on diplomatic relations globally 

Guests:
Liz Sharp is a Professor of Water and Planning in the School of Geography and Planning. She is an environmental social scientist whose work supports practical interventions related to water supply, waste and flooding.

Antonio Navas is a Lecturer in the School of Economics. His work focuses on international trade, foreign direct investment and technology adoption.

Malcolm Tait is Professor of Planning in the School of Geography and Planning. He leads the Planning for Nature project, and is interested in how planning relates to ecology, housing, and urban renewal.

Hugh Ellis is the Director of Policy for the Town and Country Planning Association and Honorary Professor of Utopian Studies (according to the website) at the University of Sheffield.

Kiera Chapman is an author and Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. She was lead author on the Lost Nature report for Wild Justice.