Real Zero

We’re throwing away millions of kilos of clothing every week — and our hospitals are among the worst offenders. This week, Hugh and Dan speak with Tom Dawson, founder of Revolution Zero, to explore the hidden environmental disaster of textiles — from fast fashion to hospital scrubs.
Tom reveals how healthcare’s obsession with disposables is fuelling climate change and why polyester might just be the unlikely hero in our fight for a sustainable future. From washing your clothes colder to rewriting hospital laundry standards, Tom lays out a compelling case for reusables, circular systems, and local jobs.
If you've ever worn clothes (yes, that’s all of us), this episode is for you.

In this powerful episode of the Real Zero Podcast, Professor Paul Behrens, British Academy Global Professor at Oxford, joins host Hugh Montgomery to explore the fragility of the global food system under climate change. From the collapse of major grain crops to the underestimated impact of food price inflation, Paul lays out the stark choices we face – and the hopeful path forward.Discover how a shift to plant-rich diets could free up land, reduce emissions, increase resilience, and even improve our health. Paul and Hugh connect the dots between climate shocks, geopolitics, energy, and economics in a conversation that’s both urgent and optimistic.Whether you’re a policymaker, a parent, or just someone who eats, this is a must-listen episode.

The climate crisis isn’t just about rising seas and hotter summers. It’s about national security, migration, infrastructure, and global stability.
In this gripping episode, Lt General Richard Nugee joins Professor Hugh Montgomery and Daniel Grant to talk about:
Why climate change is a defence and security threat
What militaries around the world are already doing to adapt
How fossil fuel reliance weakens operational resilience
What civilian governments could learn from military planning
Why solving climate change is now a matter of survival, not sustainability
This episode goes far beyond the usual conversation — into geopolitics, defence, and disaster readiness.

What if fixing climate change starts with what’s on your plate?
Professor Liz Robinson, Acting Dean at the LSE Global School of Sustainability, joins Hugh Montgomery and Daniel Grant to unpack the complex relationship between food systems, climate change, and inequality. From supermarket shelves to global crop shocks, we explore why our diets matter more than ever – and what individuals, businesses, and governments can do to fix a system on the brink.
A must-listen for anyone who eats.

George Polk has been fighting the climate fight for 25 years—from philanthropic coalitions to investing in clean tech at scale. In this powerful episode, George lays out five phases of climate engagement and why, despite better tech and clearer threats than ever, we are still failing.
We dig into:

Why CEOs and investors aren’t doing the right thing
Whether you really can scare people into action
China’s surprising leadership vs. the West’s denial
The potential (and risks) of geoengineering
What you can do today that genuinely makes a difference
This is urgent, honest, and surprisingly hopeful.