Plans to create a West Midlands National Park have taken a step forward after the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Birmingham City University. The MoU formalises the WMCA’s backing for the national park, which is seen as a key component of a post-Covid green economic recovery, as we discussed in the latest Innovative Low Carbon Working group meeting on 7 July. The park also forms part of #WM2041, the West Midlands’ zero-carbon strategy, which was agreed by the WMCA board last month. Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “A new type of national park in the West Midlands is an ambitious idea that will preserve and enhance the environment of our region, whilst creating a better quality of life for our citizens. These plans not only support our work to recharge and rebuild the region in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but will also help achieve our ambitions for a greener, healthier and more inclusive region that tackles the climate emergency and reaches net zero carbon emissions by 2041.” Full details on what this means are available here.
