91: Lean into Clean with Jarvis Smith - Episode 9191: Lean into Clean with Jarvis Smith - Episode 91
UK Health Radio Podcast
Jarvis Smith talks with Professor Paul Behrens about the UK’s fragile food system, the proposed Climate and Nature Bill and the urgency of joined-up climate and nature action. The conversation balances stark science with practical hope, focusing on plant-based diets, citizen power and the push for stronger legislation.
46:22•8 Apr 2026
Zero Hour, Full Plates: Climate, Food and Hope with Professor Paul Behrens
Episode Overview
- Climate and biodiversity must be tackled together, with UK law aligning to science-based targets for both.
- The UK’s food system is highly vulnerable due to high import dependence, damaged nature and climate-driven crop failures.
- Simple dietary shifts towards more plant-based meals can cut emissions, improve health and free land for nature recovery.
- Citizens’ assemblies show the public often supports stronger climate action than politicians assume.
- Individual actions, such as contacting local MPs and making everyday lifestyle changes, can add up to meaningful pressure for systemic change.
“What I'm hearing is this, is we don't have a knowledge problem. We have an implementation problem. The science is clear. Nature is speaking.”
What if fixing the climate crisis started with your dinner plate and a quick email to your MP? This episode of UK Health Radio’s **Lean into Clean** with Jarvis Smith puts that idea centre stage, with guest Professor Paul Behrens offering a clear-eyed look at climate, food and hope. You’ll hear Jarvis set the scene with a mix of family chat, current eco-innovations and his trademark straight talking about "zero hour" for people and planet.
Professor Behrens, a British Academy Global Professor at the University of Oxford and ambassador for the Zero Hour campaign, explains why he’s so alarmed about food security in the UK. He shares that the country imports around 40–50% of its food and has had three of the worst harvests on record in the last five years, painting a picture of rising prices, fragile supply chains and shrinking nature.
The conversation keeps circling back to one core idea: climate and nature can’t be fixed separately. Behrens explains the proposed Climate and Nature Bill, which aims to bring science-based climate and biodiversity targets into UK law and give citizens’ assemblies a key advisory role. He stresses how often people underestimate both the urgency of the science and each other’s appetite for change, sharing research that shows strong public backing for tougher climate policies. There’s practical hope too.
Behrens highlights how shifting towards more plant-based eating could free huge areas of land for nature, improve health and even boost farm incomes. Jarvis keeps it human and relatable, asking the questions many people might be wondering and sprinkling in music choices like Talking Heads’ "Once in a Lifetime" and Bowie’s "Heroes" to frame the mood. If you’ve ever thought, "What difference can I really make?", this conversation might leave you rethinking your own power to act.
Could your everyday choices and a few emails help shape a fairer, greener future?
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