Ep. 032: How to Build a Regenerative Nation with North Star Transition

How do you make a nation regenerative? What does it take to transform the Wye and Usk catchments? Jyothi Banerjee and North Star Transition are asking some of the most complex questions of our time, with three clear objectives: to propose a plan which is transformative, locally owned and investable. This is a fascinating conversation about systems change from an incredibly articulate communicator. 

Your Hosts:

• Tom Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/
• Chloe Constable: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-constable-24155821b/

Grange Project Contact & Social Media:

• Email: hello@grangeproject.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grange.project/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grangeproject
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrangeProject
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-constable/

Our Guest: Jyoti Banerjee, Co-Founder and CEO of North Star Transition

Jyoti was part of the team that created the Integrated Reporting movement globally. He has been an impact investor for two decades and used to be an entrepreneur in the tech sector. He taught technology entrepreneurship at Said Business School, University of Oxford.  He grew up in New Delhi and lives in London.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyoti-banerjee/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Website: https://www.northstartransition.org/

Helpful Links:

• Website: https://www.grangeproject.co.uk
• Podcast Journey Page: https://www.grangeproject.co.uk/wilder-podcast
• Citizen Zoo Conference Details: https://www.citizenzoo.org/https://sites.google.com/citizenzoo.org/2025rewildingconference

Listen out for:

[00:00:00] Tom and Chloe update on the project, including our new ‘podcast journeys’ (find them on the Grange Project podcast webpage), a new floor for the Wilder Hub and the Citizen Zoo Conference: Rewilding Our Future.

[00:05:20] Jyoti introduces himself and the origin of North Star Transition.

[00:10:55] We hear about the approach of North Star Transition and their ambition to make Wales a regenerative nation.

[00:17:20] Jyoti sets the context for the Wye Usk Transition Lab by describing why this landscape is in crisis.  

[00:21:30] Tom asks why the landscape is still deteriorating despite over 20 years of understanding and Jyoti describes the risk of the ‘silver bullet’ and the importance of asking the right question.

[00:25:53] We discuss the role of the government in tackling these challenges and the importance of a credible reimagining. 

[00:29:19] Chloe asks Jyoti about what happens when stakeholders come together within the Wye-Usk Transition Lab and the role of behavioural science in this.

[00:37:20] Jyoti defines the three objectives of the Wye Usk Transition Lab: transformational, locally owned and investable. We explore the notion of ‘investable’ in more depth.

[00:45:20] Chloe questions Jyoti about how far they are away from proposing a plan that is credible for transformation, and how this is communicated. 

[00:49:10] Tom and Jyoti discuss whether they have the ‘right’ stakeholders round the table.

[00:54:28] Chloe and Tom reflect on the interview and what resonated most for them.