Rebalance Earth Podcast

Episode 13 - Chris Walters, OFWAT: Water is a Serious Business

Most people only think about water when it stops working. But the story of UK water is far bigger, and far more broken, than those moments suggest. £104 billion. That's the investment committed to the UK water sector over the next five years. A system serving 70 million people, running on Victorian infrastructure, facing a reckoning it can no longer defer. In this episode, Rob Gardner sits down with Chris Walters, CEO of Ofwat, the economic regulator at the centre of that transformation. Chris explains why water bills stayed flat for two decades while the infrastructure fell behind. Why two thirds of what pollutes our rivers isn't domestic wastewater. And why the most serious thinkers in this space aren't reaching for concrete at all. They're reaching for reed beds, wetlands, and restored river catchments. It's a conversation about stewardship, natural infrastructure, and whether the next generation of essential systems gets built from pipes and tanks, or grown from the landscape itself. If you've ever turned on a tap without thinking twice, this episode is worth your time. Water is a serious business.

Episode 11 - Eoin Murray: Why Water Will be the Next Major Crisis

He has spent his life studying risk. From the trading floors of the City, to investment committees, to flood rescue teams pulling people from fast-rising water in the middle of the night. Eoin Murray has seen what happens when systems fail. Financial systems. Natural systems. Human systems. In this conversation, Eoin makes a stark case for why water will be the next major global crisis, and why almost nobody is paying enough attention. As CIO at Rebalance Earth and a specialist in water rescue, Eoin sits at a rare intersection. He understands capital, climate, and catastrophe. He talks about floods not as abstract climate models, but as forces that humble even the most prepared teams. He explains why nature risk is already sitting on balance sheets, even if it is not yet priced in. Drawing parallels with the build-up to the 2008 financial crisis, Eoin reflects on how over-reliance on backward-looking models blinds us to systemic risk. He argues that water scarcity, flooding, and food insecurity are not future threats, they are signals already flashing red. Along the way, he shares what search and rescue has taught him about leadership, trust, and decision-making under pressure. Why the most experienced voice matters more than hierarchy. Why planning for failure is not pessimism, it is professionalism. This is a conversation about water, yes. But it is also about responsibility. About what happens when we ignore warning signs. And about the uncomfortable question facing investors, governments, and all of us. If we can already see the crisis coming, why are we still acting surprised?

Episode 10 - Robert Gardner: Why Finding your Purpose is a Superpower

He walked away from one of the safest careers in finance to build something the world had never seen before.   A way to make nature an investable asset class.   Robert Gardner, co founder and CEO of Rebalance Earth, has spent two decades at the intersection of money, purpose, and systems change. In this candid conversation, he explains why he left the FTSE 100 track, not once but twice, to tackle the climate and nature crisis head on.   From the trading floors of Deutsche Bank to founding Redington in a two room office, to his most recent startup in Rebalance Earth, Rob shares the moments that shaped him. He describes the mentors who pushed him, the first believers who backed him, and the purpose that now powers his boundless energy.   Rob talks about what it takes to build movements that people once called “crazy”, why purpose is a superpower, and how the UK could become the world leader in nature based resilience.    It all comes back to one question. "Will I be able to look my daughters in the eye in 15 years and say I did everything I could?"   This is a conversation about risk, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a world worth living in.

Episode 9 - Lewis Pugh: I Swam Across the North Pole to Get World Leaders to Protect Our Future | Season 2 Premiere

He swam across the North Pole, through water colder than where the Titanic sank, to deliver one message to world leaders about our planet’s future. Lewis Pugh, UN Patron of the Oceans, is one of the world’s most extraordinary endurance swimmers. In this Season 2 premiere of The Rebalance Earth Podcast, he shares what drove him to swim in –1.7°C water, and how that moment changed his life. From the Arctic to the UN, Lewis explains what he’s witnessed beneath the surface: collapsing ecosystems, melting glaciers, and a future we can still protect... if we act now. This is a conversation about courage, leadership, and the limits of endurance, both human and planetary.

Episode 8 - Over the Hedge: Reimagining Farming for a Changing Climate - Tim Coates & Tim Field

Join us for a captivating conversation with Tim Coates and Tim Field, the visionary farmers behind the Northeast Cotswold Farmer Cluster - a groundbreaking collaboration that's transforming how farmers work together to build resilience in a changing climate. From 10 farms to over 170, discover how this farmer-led movement is pioneering nature-based solutions that benefit both agricultural productivity and the wider environment. In this eye-opening episode, our guests share: * How collaborative farming at landscape scale creates solutions traditional approaches can't achieve * The business case for nature-based solutions that protect farms from flooding and drought * Why "re-wiggling" rivers and creating healthy soils acts as natural infrastructure * How infrastructure companies like Network Rail are investing in farm-based solutions that are 10x more cost-effective than concrete alternatives * The journey from post-WWII "maximize production" mindset to today's integrated ecosystem approach * Practical ways farmers are turning climate challenges into opportunities Don't miss this inspiring discussion that offers a practical blueprint for how farmers can lead the transition to a more resilient landscape while maintaining productivity. Whether you're a farmer, landowner, investor, or simply concerned about climate resilience, this episode provides valuable insights into the future of sustainable land management. 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on sustainable finance and nature-based solutions! Discover more from the team: https://www.rebalance.earth/ [https://www.rebalance.earth/] #RegenerativeFarming #NatureBasedSolutions #ClimateResilience #Collaboration #SustainableAgriculture #Cotswolds