WMCA Powers and Activities – Draft Sustainability Review

Our initial draft sustainability review of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) proposed powers and activities as set out in November 2015. More >

The Guide to National Sustainability Award Schemes

The purpose of this guide is to help organisations in the West Midlands to identify and target national sustainability award schemes that will showcase their good practice. More >

The Future We Made: Birmingham and the West Midlands Futures Toolkit 2020-2060

This report and slide pack is aimed at local decision-makers operating within the West Midlands area who want tools to help start a useful conversation about the future within their organisation systems and culture. More >

The business case for managing the impacts of severe weather and a changing climate

This report sets out a council business case for managing the cross-cutting impacts of severe weather and a changing climate More >

Local Authority Benchmark Report 2014

Local authority reports resulting from the benchmarking exercise in 2014. Focus on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and the move to a low carbon economy. More >

Market Research on Key Sectors: Sustainable Futures

SWM were involved in supporting Marketing Birmingham updating the low carbon evidence base for the Birmingham and Black Country LEP areas More >

Local Enterprise Partnerships Resilient Growth Information Note – December 2014

This is a report produced in 2014 and subsequent presentations to LEPs in 2015 on the use of this guidance. More >

West Midlands – Low Carbon and Emissions Vehicles Procurement Guidance

Date of the report September 2014 Author of the report Co-ordinated by Coventry City Council… More >

Birmingham Energy Strategy – Evidence Base

This report provides the evidence base to develop Birmingham’s first energy strategy. This is also of use to other cities producing similar strategies as the expert advice on scenarios, priorities, and review of global good practice is very transferable. More >

Local Authority Benchmark Reports 2013

Local authority reports resulting from the benchmarking exercise in 2013. Focus on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and the move to a low carbon economy. More >

Local Authority Low Carbon Management Programme Report

Report summarising the activity and results of the local authority Low Carbon Management Programme funded by IEWM as part of the West Midlands Property Alliance. More >

Review of operating options for the Birmingham Environment Partnership: Lessons for the Green Commission

Date of the report June 2014 Author of the report Sustainability West Midlands Purpose of… More >

Implementation steps to large scale district heating

Local authority guide to development of district heating networks More >

Renewable Energy and Local Opportunities

Renewable Energy and Local Opportunities More >

West Midlands Community Green Infrastructure – Issues and Opportunities for Local Nature and Enterprise Partnerships

Date of the report September 2013 Author of the report Sustainability West Midlands Purpose of… More >

Joint Statement for West Midlands LEPs on intent to collaborate on EU priorities on low carbon, climate change and the environment

This statement has been developed following feedback from the European Advisory Panel (EAP) and the supporting working groups to produce a joint statement that can be used or adapted by West Midlands Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) as they develop their draft EU funding strategies for submission on 7 October 2013. More >

SWM – Sustainability Definitions

The world of sustainability consists of a variety of terms ranging from the philosophical to the technical. In our resources we seek to explain the relevant terms within the text, footnotes or through a glossary. However the entry level for many of our customers is through the introduction, as well as the project and report pages of our website. More >

Executive Summary – Building Business Resilience Programme

In 2012-13 the West Midlands Climate Adaptation Partnership, Sustainability West Midlands (SWM) and Staffordshire Business Environment Network (Sben) undertook the second year of the ‘Building Business Resilience in a Changing Climate’ project with the Environment Agency. The main aims of the project were to build on the successful work of the pilot phase and continue to raise the profile of business in the West Midlands by delivering in depth climate change resilience workshops, promoting good practice examples, and working directly with businesses and their supply chains. The following document evaluates the project in summary. More >

Sustainable Supper notes- April 2013

The purpose of our Sustainable Supper series is to gather our members, Green Leaders and guests together informally to discuss key sustainability issues within the West Midlands. The focus of this sustainable supper – held on 30 April 2013 – was the question ‘Food Security: What does it take to feed our towns and cities in the West Midlands?’ More >

The Socio-Economic Performance of the West Midlands in terms of the Low Carbon Economy

The West Midlands low carbon evidence base used to inform the socio-economic framework and evidence base for the future EU funding programme. More >

Sustainable Supper notes – December 2012

The purpose of our Sustainable Supper series is to gather our members, Green Leaders and guests together informally to discuss key sustainability issues within the West Midlands.

The focus of this Sustainable Supper – held on 4 December 2012 – was the question: Bioenergy – Friend or foe for sustainability in the West Midlands? More >

Executive Summary: A review of progress towards an environmentally sustainable and socially just West Midlands

This report is aimed at our members, green leaders and other leaders from the business, public and voluntary sectors in the West Midlands. It is to help inform them of the current collective progress against the seven sustainability priorities to deliver our vision for 2020. More >

West Midlands Low Carbon Investment Prospectus

The purpose of this report was to highlight the collective strengths in the low carbon economy across the six Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the West Midlands and the scale of low carbon investment opportunities. More >

Delivering the Water Framework Directive and Environmental Infrastructure with Local Authorities

The following documents provide information to local authorities on the important contribution they can make to improving the local water environment and meeting the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. More >

West Midlands Local Authority Low Carbon Economy Programme – Carbon Management Support from the Carbon Trust

This report aims to summarise the package of support delivered to authorities involved in the Local Authority Low Carbon Economy Programme and evaluate the success of each individual working package. More >

Sustainable Supper notes – June 2012

The purpose of our Sustainable Supper series is to gather our members, Green Leaders and guests together to informally discuss key sustainability issues within the West Midlands.

The focus of this Sustainable Supper – held on 20 June 2012 – was the question: How can West Midlands leaders integrate the natural environment and biodiversity into their work, both from a policy and practical point of view? More >

Low Carbon Procurement Guides

The following documents were produced as part of our Low Carbon Economy Programme, focusing on procurement for local authorities. They draw together current good practice guidance on sustainable procurement with specifications developed for catering, IT, built environment and vehicles. The documents are intended to be used as guidance for reference purposes by procurement staff and other professionals. More >

Developing low carbon procurement guidance on category spend areas

Date of report May 2012 Authors Sustainability West Midlands Purpose of the report As part… More >

How Green is your Local Enterprise Partnership? A guide for LEPs to deliver the low carbon economy

The Local Growth White Paper (October 2010) states that Local Enterprise Partnerships will provide the clear vision and strategic leadership to drive sustainable private sector-led growth and job creation in their area. The White Paper outlines potential roles of LEPs and specifically highlights the important role that they can play in helping to develop the low carbon economy to contribute to the local economic growth and job creation. More >

Sustainable Supper notes – March 2012

The purpose of our Sustainable Supper series is to gather our members, Green Leaders and guests together informally to discuss key sustainability issues within the West Midlands.

The focus of this Sustainable Supper- held on 14 March 2012- was the question: Will an elected mayor help or hinder the sustainability of cities? More >