Lead Organisation
Sustainability West Midlands
Project Manager: Alan Carr (Senior Sustainability Adviser)
Overview
Building on our wider regional work on climate change adaptation with the Environment Agency, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) commissioned SWM, supported by our members Accelar and our Associate Mat Burhouse, to help commence their work on the subject, fitting in with their wider and well established sustainability ambitions.
Aims
- To produce a high level summary of the climate change scenarios, likely impacts and prioritised risks across the WMCA area for policymakers.
- To establish the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for WMCA in helping the region adapt to climate change.
- To identify the next steps in evidence, data and mapping to enable a better understanding of climate impacts across the West Midlands.
- To provide an overview of financing options related to climate change adaptation.
- To develop a summary of the approaches to climate adaptation in other regions and UK cities.
Outcomes
- The publication of a Summary of Climate Change Impacts in the West Midlands Combined Authority Area.
- A report that details what additional datasets the WMCA could consider accessing in order to enhance the above summary and give greater clarity on the region’s risks and impacts.
- A high-level adaptation plan for the WMCA’s operations and services, outlining what they should consider to kick-start their adaptation activity.
- A range of adaptation financing options enabling them to align these to appropriate adaptation actions for future consideration.
- Case studies describing how other combined authorities and cities across the UK are addressing climate change adaptation issues, to learn from any good practice.
“This project has given the WMCA the opportunity to prioritise and accelerate our work on climate change adaptation, as well as raise awareness of its importance across the organisation. We are now able to embark on a structured plan of action that includes considering with greater confidence how climate risks affect the authority’s projects and activities, and what we can do to address them.” – Richard Rees, Senior Programme Manager – Environment, West Midlands Combined Authority.
Download the full case study
For further information on the project or to work with us in one of a variety of ways, please see our consultancy page or contact the SWM team on enquiries@swm.org.uk.
