Consultation Document
February 1 - March 31 2007
Birmingham Climate Change Strategy
and Action Plan
Climate Change. We all make a difference.
FOREWORD
by Councillor Paul Tilsley
Chair of the Birmingham Strategic Partnership and
Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council
It is with great pleasure that I invite you to comment on this draft Climate Change
Strategy for Birmingham. This strategy seeks to deal with the most pressing global issue
we face and its consequences for Birmingham. Temperatures are likely to rise
significantly in the future and rainfall patterns will change. We know this is caused by
carbon dioxide from our use of fossil fuels. We need to take action now, as individuals,
as businesses and as a city in order to prevent catastrophic climate change.
This strategy will enable Birmingham to demonstrate leadership on climate change
regionally, nationally and internationally. As a city we have already demonstrated our
commitment to the issue by installing the largest array of solar panels on a public
building in the UK making Alexander Stadium the UK’s first carbon neutral sports
stadium.
More recently we have established a private sector led Energy Services Company
(ESCO) to deliver significant carbon savings. This will initially be through the provision of
decentralised combined heat and power plants at the ICC on Broad Street and in the
Eastside redevelopment area. The ESCO will ensure Birmingham remains competitive
by delivering secure, affordable, and reliable energy to both businesses and
communities.
However, we realise that we need to do more and this strategy focuses on the range of
actions we need to take. This strategy also highlights the economic and social benefits
of creating a low carbon city.
We will also use this strategy to ensure that the City and all its organisations are
prepared for the inevitable consequences of climate change.
We believe that we will achieve significant carbon savings in three main ways; reducing
the demand for energy, increasing the efficiency of energy use, and supporting the use
of renewable energy.
We will also focus our efforts on the most vulnerable and ensure that they reap the
benefits of high levels of home insulation and new micro-generation technology in order
to keep fuel bills as low as possible.
We will change our behaviour and seek to support our businesses and citizens in taking
action too.
Please take the time to read the draft strategy and suggest ways in which we can make
improvements in order to safeguard all our futures.
Cllr Paul Tilsley
2
Contents
1.0
Executive Summary
4
2.0
Targets and Actions
2.1 Sustainable Procurement
2.2 Transport
2.3 Buildings
2.4 Planning and Land Use
2.5 Energy Use
2.6 Waste
2.7 Water
2.8 Communication and Leadership
2.9 Performance Measurement
8
8
10
13
15
17
19
20
22
23
3.0
The Vision for Birmingham in 2050
24
4.0
Aims and Objectives
24
5.0
Communicating, Monitoring and Reviewing
25
6.0
Climate change
6.1 The U.K Approach
6.2 The Role of Major Cities
6.3 Carbon Neutrality Target
25
26
29
30
7.0
Impacts of
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
Climate Change for Birmingham
Birmingham Business
Birmingham Council
Birmingham Environment
Adapting to Climate Change
31
34
35
35
36
8.0
Themes
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
Sustainable Procurement
Transport
Buildings
Planning and Land Use
Energy Use
Waste
Water
8.7.1 Flooding
8.7.2 Water Resources
37
37
38
40
43
46
48
51
52
54
9.0
Communication
57
10.0 Performance management
58
11.0 Glossary
59
12.0 Consultation Strategy
64
3
1.0 Executive Summary
Our climate is changing for the worse, due to our actions, and is threatening our quality
of life by damaging our economy, society and environment. This strategy will enable our
decision makers and their organisations, as well as all those who live and work in
Birmingham, to take action to safeguard our city and the planet we live on. We will do
this by reducing our impact on the climate to help avoid dangerous climate change. We
will also prepare for the inevitable effects of our changing climate. To do this we need
your support.
There is overwhelming scientific evidence that human activity is changing the climate
and that this presents a serious threat to human society and the natural environment.
We now know that the main cause of climate change is the emission of greenhouse
gases, of which carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane are the most significant. These
gases largely result from the use of fossil fuels (such as gas, coal and oil) for generating
electricity, creating heat, fuel for transport, and raw material for industry.
It is estimated by the UK Government that Birmingham’s residents and businesses emit
over 6.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year; of which industry, commerce and the public
sector is responsible for 47 per cent, homes for 35 per cent and transport for 18 per
cent. This does not include the “carbon footprint” of the goods and services we
consume in Birmingham.
We are experiencing the impacts of climate change now and Birmingham will
increasingly be affected by climate change resulting from previously emitted CO2 and
methane. We need to be prepared for this. Globally, the ten warmest years, since
records began, have occurred since 1994. If we do not reduce our emissions
Birmingham could see average annual temperatures rise by 1.5oC by 2020 and 4.5oC
by 2080.
Scientists agree that run away climate change could result if average global
temperatures rise by 2∞C above the pre-industrial level (we are currently 0.7oC above).
This would have a devastating impact upon our economy, the natural world and would
result in untold loss of life in the most vulnerable developing countries such as
Bangladesh.
There will be other changes as well, including an increase in extreme climate events
such as flash flooding, high winds and excessive summer temperatures. We will adapt
our emergency plans and infrastructure accordingly. We also realise that the economic
costs of the increased incidents of extreme weather are higher than the investment
required to create a low carbon economy. The economic cost of the Birmingham tornado
alone was over £50 million.
The recent “Stern Report” demonstrated that the economic benefits of strong, early
action on climate change outweigh the costs. Therefore, the costs incurred in reducing
emissions now must be viewed as an investment to avoid the risks of the future. The
report also confirmed that the stabilisation of carbon emissions is feasible and
consistent with continued economic growth. Stern suggested that the total impact of
climate change on the global economy is higher than previously suggested. With
4
business-as-usual emissions the costs are equivalent of global per-capita consumption
of at least 5%. In contract, the costs to stabilise emissions is estimated to be around
1% of GDP by 2050. Although this is significant it is consistent with growth and
development, in contrast with the impact of unabated climate change.
The Eddington Transport Study (December 2006) highlights that the transport sector
contributes around 25% of UK carbon emissions, and is rising the fastest. Eddington
suggests there is an urgent need to apply the findings of the Stern Review through
pricing, technology, innovation and promoting behavioural change. Birmingham City
Council along with six other West Midlands local authorities have commissioned a
“green paper” entitled “Gridlock or Growth”. The report examines the environmental
impact of transport use and traffic congestion, including climate change. Scenario
analysis suggests that a reduction in CO2 emissions of 10.7% from the 2001 baseline
could be achieved through the implementation of lifestyle changes with road user
charges and major investment in public transport via the Transport Innovation Fund. We
are also committed to transforming New Street station in order to increase rail use and
improve customer satisfaction and will be seeking significant investment from
Government to do this.
Tackling climate change will also create economic opportunities for Birmingham. The
new City prospectus highlights the environmental technology sector as a key growth
area. The implementation of climate change policies can help stimulate innovation and
create jobs locally. We will continue to work to create jobs for local people in the
environmental sector in manufacturing, services and the professions. East Birmingham
alone currently has over 140 environmental businesses employing over 4,500 people.
The provision of more efficient, reliable and secure heat and power to businesses will
help them remain competitive as well as reducing their carbon footprint. The new
Energy Services Company for Birmingham will provide the private sector leadership and
investment required to make this happen.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership (BSP) was established in 2001 and it brings
together, at a city wide and district level, key public agencies and representatives of the
business, community and voluntary sectors in order to achieve more effective and
integrated action, particularly in relation to neighbourhood renewal and tackling
deprivation.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership believes that climate change is a significant
threat to the people of our City. We are committed to implementing this strategy through
changing our priorities, policies and the way we operate to ensure that we meet our
climate change targets. We need the people who live and work in Birmingham to commit
to this strategy as well. Individual action is essential to the success of the Strategy. We
want to harness the creativity and innovation of the people and businesses of
Birmingham to enable us to take our place alongside London, Johannesburg, Chicago,
New York and Copenhagen as a leader in tackling climate change.
5
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership agreed in 2005 that to help prevent irreversible
climate change we will:
•
Reduce our city’s CO2 emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2010, as
a step towards a 60% reduction by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels);
•
Start preparing Birmingham for the unavoidable impacts of climate change;
•
Commit ourselves to reducing CO2 emissions from homes by 30 per cent
from 1995 levels by 2010 through our Local Area Agreement with
Government. This will result in over 70,000 tonnes of CO2 being saved per
year for next three years.
This strategy has the support of the City’s leaders and their organisations. As the UK’s
largest strategic partnership we believe that we can demonstrate our leadership on this
issue and influence other Core Cities and our Region to take action too. The
Birmingham Coventry and Black Country City Region has committed itself to the
principle of “moving towards carbon neutrality”. There is work underway to prepare a
“Growth and Prosperity Strategy” for the city region, and which will incorporate clear
actions to address the need to ensure that future decisions and actions reduce
significantly the need for unnecessary carbon usage.
Birmingham City Council is a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate
Change and is committed to significantly reducing its CO2 emissions and preparing for
climate change. Birmingham has supported the development of the Nottingham
Declaration Tool Kit, this strategy will help the Council deliver its commitment.
The Birmingham Sustainable Energy Partnership was tasked with developing the
strategy and brought together a broad coalition of public, private, and voluntary
organisations to develop this strategy. These organisations include the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Birmingham City Council, the Environment Agency, Friends of
the Earth, Hyder Consulting, Accord Housing, Government Office for the West Midlands,
the Carbon Trust, National Energy Action, Women’s Environment Network, Groundwork
Birmingham and Solihull, and Hestia Services.
The strategy has sought to address the issues relating to both the reduction in
emissions and the impact of our changing climate through seven key areas. These
thematic areas are: procurement, transport, buildings, planning/land use, energy, waste
and water. We have set targets and actions for each of these. We will monitor our
progress and actions regularly to ensure we are on track to meet our targets. We will
provide an annual update on progress and carry out a full review and set future targets
in 2010.
Whilst this strategy is aimed at enabling our partner organisations and leaders to take
action, we will also be developing a series of pledges for individuals, businesses and
other organisations helping them to reduce their impact on climate change, adapt to
climate change and, in most cases, save money too.
This strategy will seek to deliver radical changes to the way we live and do business,
which will also improve our quality of life and competitiveness.
6
The key areas are:
Reducing demand for energy by insulating buildings, increasing energy efficiency,
reducing the need to travel for both people and goods and by persuading people to turn
off electrical appliances
Increasing efficiency of energy supply and use by establishing a network of local
combined heat and power stations that are 70% more efficient than conventional power
stations. Businesses using energy from these schemes will not have to pay Climate
Change Levy and will thus be more competitive. We will also be promoting the use of
low energy light bulbs and other appliances.
Maximising use of renewable energy and low carbon technologies by promoting microgeneration for homes and small businesses, using alternative fuels for vehicles and
persuading people and businesses to buy green energy.
Being prepared for the inevitable impacts of climate change by ensuring that all our
plans and strategies are grounded in the reality of our changing climate. We will
continue to work with the UK Climate Impact Programme and demonstrate leadership in
adapting to climate change.
We believe that this approach delivered in partnership with the public, private, voluntary
and community sector will help create a world leading low carbon city. The targets and
actions below demonstrate what we need to do.
The full strategy is available from our website
www.bhamsp.org.uk/html/ClimateChange.php or by phoning 0121 262 6408.
7
2.0 Targets and Actions
Birmingham Climate Change Strategy targets and actions
Theme 2.1
Sustainable procurement
Lead Agencies
BSP members organisations
Business in the Community
BSP Board
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Sustainable Procurement National
Action Plan
BSP members sustainable
procurement strategies
Targets
1) BSP members to have sustainable procurement strategies and agreed reporting
mechanisms by 2010 with baselines developed by 2008. The sustainable procurement
strategies will;
i. consider devolved budgets and commissioning where appropriate, and
arrangements with major suppliers.
ii. link to waste reduction targets and actions.
2) BSP members, who are also members of networks, to produce a guide on
sustainable procurement for network members by 2008.
3) A 20% reduction in procured ‘product miles’ by 2010 using a standard basket
sample.
Actions
Promote the idea of sustainable procurement to businesses and
households; draw links between procurement and climate
change; explain and raise awareness of green labelling schemes;
make a business case for sustainable procurement.
Lead agency
BSP member
organisations
Business in the
Community
Commission work to identify best practice, gaps and barriers in
sustainable business procurement and recommend an
implementation process.
BSP board
BSP to consider how it can develop a joint sustainable
procurement approach. Options may include; creating a BSP
sustainable procurement group; building on the Environment
Agency’s Sustainable Procurement Guide; developing an
overarching sustainable procurement strategy or a benchmark.
BSP board
8
Theme 2.1 Sustainable procurement - continued
Actions
BSP member organisations to consider the sustainable
procurement training needs of their staff and develop training
programmes accordingly.
Lead agency
BSP member
organisations
Ensure a senior person is appointed in each BSP member
organisation that is responsible for the delivery and reporting of
the sustainable procurement strategy.
BSP member
organisations
Use local procurement to develop the local economy and promote BSP member
the growth of sustainable products and services.
organisations
Commission work to produce a green buying guide for
Birmingham that is web-based and linked to a Climate Change
pledge system.
BSP board
Commission work to develop a product miles measurement tool
for use by BSP members.
BSP board
Contacts
Contacts: Sustainable Procurement
'Procuring the Future – The Sustainable Procurement Task Force National Action Plan’
http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/publications/procurement-actionplan/index.htm
Birmingham City Council
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/procurement.bcc
9
Theme 2.2
Transport
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Birmingham City Council
Local Transport Plan
Centro
Local Development Framework
Travel West Midlands
Birmingham International Airport
Targets
1) Ensure all key agencies understand and are prepared for the practical implications
of climate change on the transport system.
2) Ensure that the Local Transport Plan (LTP) target of no more than 7% increase in
road traffic mileage between 2004 and 2010 is achieved.
3) Keep any increase in CO2 emissions from road transport to less than the increase
in road traffic.
4) Increase bus use by 9% and light rail by 13% in line with 2011 LTP target.
5) At least 50 companies/organisations to have joined city-wide car sharing scheme
by 2007 and 150 by 2010. All BSP members to have joined by 2007.
6) Support 2011 LTP cycling target of a 1% increase in the cycling index.
7) All schools to have travel plans by 2011.
8) 30% of all employees in the city to work in companies with travel plans by 2011.
9) Where more than 25% of their workforce normally drive to work, BSP member
organisations will cut their percentage by an average of 3% per year between 2006
and 2011.
10) Birmingham International Airport to establish an airport offset scheme.
11) BSP member organisations to establish an offset scheme by 2008.
Actions
Commission a risk assessment on the impacts of climate
change on the transport network and propose remedial action.
10
Lead agency
BSP board
Centro
Theme 2.2 Transport - continued
Actions
Promote cycling and walking initiatives through the provision of
infrastructure, information, incentives and training.
Lead agency
Centro
Birmingham City
Council
Promote public transport initiatives and congestion reduction
programmes through the provision of infrastructure,
information, training and incentives.
Centro
Birmingham City
Council
Increase the percentage of journeys made by more efficient
vehicles, by vehicles using low and no emissions fuels and by
vehicles driven more efficiently.
Birmingham City
Council
BSP member organisations to purchase and promote low and
no emissions vehicles for their corporate fleets and to
encourage the use of alternative low emission fuels, such as
approved bio-diesel, ethanol and hydrogen, ensuring they are
from sustainable sources.
Develop car share schemes and car clubs.
BSP member
organisations
Commission an investigation of the role of car park availability
and mileage rates in travel choice.
BSP Board
Centro
Birmingham City
Council
BSP member organisations to promote home working, video BSP member
organisations
conferencing and the local sourcing of goods and services.
The impact of CO2 emissions relating to travel to and from
BSP member organisations premises should inform decisions
relating to relocating, renewing estate contracts and
developing new premises.
BSP member
organisations
Promote best practice in freight activity
(www.freightbestpractice.org.uk) and increase membership of
the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership.
Public sector BSP
member
organisations
Each public sector BSP member organisation should ensure its
corporate travel plan;
i. addresses climate change;
ii. considers travel to work, business and freight travel and
visitors.
Public sector BSP
member
organisations
11
Theme 2.2 Transport - continued
Actions
BSP to work with Birmingham International Airport and/or
individual operators to introduce a voluntary climate change
offset scheme, the proceeds of which will fund renewable
energy projects in Birmingham’s poorest communities.
Lead agency
Birmingham
international Airport
Birmingham City
Council
Raise awareness of the impact of air travel on climate change
and ways to mitigate its effect. This should include improving
public transport links to the airport.
BSP member
organisations
Birmingham City
Council
Establish a carbon offset programme to enable BSP member
organisations to offset the environmental costs of air travel
incurred by their staff during business, the revenue of which
will be used to fund renewable energy projects in Birmingham’s
poorest communities.
BSP board
Contacts: Transport
Energy Saving Trust
http://www.est.org.uk/fleet
Telephone 0845 602 1425
Birmingham City Council
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/transport.bcc
12
Theme 2.3
Buildings
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Birmingham City Council
Local Area Agreement
City Housing Partnership
Regional Housing Strategy
Birmingham Social Housing
Housing Floor Target Action Plan
Partnership
Birmingham and Solihull
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Targets
1) Reduce CO2 emissions from domestic housing by 30% (1995 baseline).
2) Ensure regulatory building standards are met by 2010.
3) Reduce CO2 emissions from public buildings by 30% by 2010.
4) Ensure there is a climate change champion in every public building or office
5) BSP partner organisations to obtain and display Energy Performance of Buildings
Certificates by 2007
6) Ensure all homes have an energy rating by 2015.
13
Theme 2.3 Buildings - continued
Actions
Support and promote the delivery of the Affordable Warmth
Capital programme.
Lead agency
Birmingham City
Council
City Housing
Partnership
Establish a domestic renewable energy scheme with a focus on
the fuel poor by 2006.
Birmingham City
Council
City Housing
Partnership
Support the Council in securing resources to ensure regulatory
standards are enforced.
Birmingham City
Council
Provide incentive through a champion’s award scheme for a
designated person in each BSP member organisation who
ensures that all lights and computer screens, heaters, fans etc,
are turned off and that staff are made aware of impacts.
BSP member
organisations
BSP member organisations to work in partnership with support
agencies, such as the Carbon Trust, to promote programmes to
improve the energy performance of non domestic buildings.
BSP member
organisations
Birmingham City Council to work with BSP member Birmingham City
organisations to develop a compliance and communication Council
programme.
BSP member
organisations.
Contacts: Buildings
The Carbon Trust
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk
Telephone 0800 085 2005
Energy Saving Trust
http://www.est.org.uk/housingbuildings
Telephone 0870 241 2089 or 0845 120 7799
14
Theme 2.4
Planning and Land Use
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Birmingham City Council
Regional Spatial Strategy
West Midlands Regional
Regional Housing Strategy
Assembly
Local Development Framework
BSP Board
Targets
1) Ensure all key agencies understand and are prepared for the practical
implications of climate change on the built environment and open spaces.
2) New developments above 15 homes or 1000sq metres to;
i. have at least 10% of energy sourced from on site renewables by 2010;
ii. provide a climate change risk assessment as part of the planning process;
iii. demonstrate the use of whole life costings analysis.
3) Proposals for new developments above 10 homes or 500sq metres to have at
least 10% of energy from on site renewables by 2015.
4) Ensure that all new housing developments meet EcoHomes ‘very good’ standard
and all non-housing developments meet BREEAM ‘very good, standard as a
minimum.
5) All new developments to have integrated waste segregation facilities.
Actions
Lead agency
Work with the United Kingdom Climate Impact Programme to
provide information and advice on the implications of climate
change.
BSP Board
Develop a climate change planning guide and provide advice
for developers on climate change.
Birmingham City
Council
Assist the region in producing a Checklist Guide for
Developers in the West Midlands and ensure the consistent
application of relevant policies.
Birmingham City
Council
Support Birmingham City Council in using their powers to
require developers to continually
meet progressively higher environmental standards that
include reducing the need to travel.
BSP partner
organisations
15
Theme 2.4 Planning and Land Use - continued
Actions
BSP partners to encourage all new developments within their
sphere of influence to achieve EcoHomes or BREEAM ‘very
good’ ratings with on site renewable energy generation by
making this a requirement in all land sales by BSP members.
Lead agency
BSP member
organisations
Birmingham City Council is expected to apply planning Policy
Position Statement 22 on Renewable Energy following the
example of Merton.
Birmingham City
Council
Contacts: Planning and Land Use
Birmingham City Council
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/planning.bcc
Telephone 0121 303 1115
16
Theme 2.5
Energy Use
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Birmingham City Council
Regional Spatial Strategy
Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
Regional Energy Strategy
Energy West Midlands
Local Development Framework
Sustainability West Midlands
Environment Agency
Advantage West Midlands
Targets
1) Ensure that the City is prepared to meet the challenge of climate change in relation to
security of supply.
2) Achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.
3) Ensure 15% of energy use in Birmingham is from renewable sources by 2020.
4) Ensure 30% of Birmingham’s Energy is generated locally by 2020.
Actions
Lead agency
Commission work to undertake a risk assessment of the
BSP Board
vulnerability of the energy supply to the city, in particular
emergency services, due to climate change.
Establish a Climate Change Energy Agency for Birmingham to
support a programme of decentralised power generation,
working with the Energy Services Company (ESCO) for
Birmingham.
BSP Board
To establish a finance mechanism to deliver localised power
generation, energy saving measures and renewable energy.
BSP Board/Climate
Change Agency
Establish a domestic and small business renewable energy
grant scheme to increase familiarity of embedded generation
(defined in glossary) and the use of renewable energy in
domestic and small business properties.
Birmingham Sustainable
Energy Partnership
Work with energy suppliers of the Green Electricity Tariff to
increase the number of signed domestic and/or business
customers
Birmingham Sustainable
Energy Partnership
All public sector BSP board members to purchase 15% of their
electricity for corporate buildings via a green electricity tariff by
2010.
BSP Board members
Promote the use of renewable energy systems on public
buildings, especially schools.
BSP Board members
Support the development of renewable energy and microgeneration technology and manufacturing in the West
Midlands.
Birmingham Economic
Development Partnership
17
Theme 2.5 Energy Use - continued
Actions
Commission a/undertake a strategic study into energy from
waste.
Lead agency
BSP Board/ Birmingham
City Council
Produce best practice guidelines for energy saving
demonstrating best practice in the West Midlands.
Develop a one-stop-shop for sustainable energy advice and
promote this across the City.
Birmingham City Council
To utilise the waste heat from the Tysley Waste to
Energy plant.
Birmingham City Council
Contacts: Energy Use
Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
http://www.savenergy.org
Telephone 0800 512012
The Carbon Trust
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk
Telephone 0800 085 2005
The Energy Savings Trust
http://www.est.org.uk
Telephone 0207 222 0101
18
Theme 2.6
Waste
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Birmingham City Council
Waste Strategy
Environment Agency
BSP board
Targets
1) Stabilise waste production from the city by 2015.
2) Ensure 30% of domestic waste is recycled by 2010
3) BSP member organisations to developed waste minimisation strategies by 2010.
4) All new developments to have waste segregation facilities.
Actions
Provide kerbside and green waste collection to households
across Birmingham.
Lead agency
Birmingham City Council,
Local Services
Promote home composting.
Birmingham City Council,
Local Services
Promote the use of washable nappies.
Birmingham City Council,
Local Services
Commission work to explore the potential for localised waste
to energy plants with heat recovery.
Birmingham City Council,
Urban Design
Work with key groups and sectors to minimise waste
production, increase the percentage of waste reused, recycled
and converted to energy.
BSP member
organisations
Undertake a strategic study into producing energy from waste.
Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council to work with waste producers and
disposers to assess the risks to Birmingham from waste due
to climate change.
Birmingham City Council
Contacts: Waste
Groundwork Environmental Business Services
http://www.groundwork.org.uk
Telephone 0121 236 7356
WRAP – Waste Resource Action Partnership
http://www.wrap.org.uk
19
Theme 2.7
Water
Lead Agencies
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Environment Agency
Water Asset Management Plans
Birmingham City Council
Severn Trent Water
South Staffordshire plc
Birmingham Environment Partnership
Birmingham Water Partnership
Targets
1) Assess the risks to Birmingham from flooding (including flash flooding) and the risks to
all Birmingham’s water users from water shortages, as a result of climate change.
2) Ensure there is no inappropriate development in the floodplain in accordance with
National Planning Policy.
3) Ensure all new developments provide information during the planning process on the
suitability of water efficiency and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS).
4) BSP member organisations to have water saving targets by 2008.
Actions
BSP member organisations to scope, where appropriate, the
potential impact on their work of floods and water shortages by
2010 (including emergency response plans).
Lead agency
BSP member organisations
Birmingham Environment Partnership to establish a Birmingham
Water Partnership whose activities will include; identifying the
progress to be made in terms of understanding the impacts of
climate change, identifying high water usage sectors from
available information and adopting water saving approaches.
Birmingham Environment
Partnership
Birmingham Water
Partnership
The Birmingham Water Partnership to co-operate with water
companies on any future studies on Strategic Flood Risk
Assessment and consider the feasibility of undertaking such a
study by 2010. The study should include assessing the capacity
of the drainage network under a changing climate and suggest
potential actions for reducing any significant risks for example by
developing extra storage capacity.
Birmingham Water
Partnership
The Environment Agency and Birmingham City Council to
continue working with developers to avoid inappropriate
development in the floodplain.
Environment Agency
Birmingham City Council
20
Theme 2.7 Water - continued
Actions
Birmingham City Council to consider the impact of climate
change on demand for water from existing planned
developments and the proposed City growth strategy.
Lead agency
Birmingham City Council
Environment Agency and Birmingham City Council to work with
developers and planners to provide guidance and best practice
on water efficiency and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems.
Environment Agency
Birmingham City Council
BSP partner organisations to raise awareness of saving water
methods, including training for estate managers (or equivalent)
by 2010.
BSP partner organisations
BSP partner organisations to assess suitability of their main
buildings for adopting water saving approaches and water
meters by 2010.
BSP partner organisations
Contacts: Water
Severn Trent Water
http://www.stwater.co.uk
Ofwat
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk
Telephone 0121 625 1300
21
Theme 2.8
Communication and Leadership
Lead Agencies:
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Marketing Birmingham
Birmingham Marketing Strategy
Business in the Community
Voluntary and Community Sector
BSP Board
Targets
1. The BSP to promote Birmingham’s Climate Change Strategy and to ensure that 90% of
Birmingham’s residents are aware of climate change and that 50% know what actions
they need to do to reduce Birmingham’s impact on climate change.
2. BSP leadership will promote Birmingham as a centre of excellence in reducing CO2
emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
3. BSP to brand Birmingham as a Sustainable City – delivering a low carbon future and
creating a low carbon economy.
Actions
The BSP to develop and deliver a climate change pledge
system for businesses, organisations and individuals to
enable them to contribute to achieving the targets.
Lead agency
BSP board
The BPS will work with Business in the Community to ensure
that the Birmingham Charter for corporate responsibility is
compliant with the climate change pledge system.
BSP member
organisations
Business in the
Community
Appoint and support climate change champions in each BSP
member organisation.
BSP member
organisations
The BSP will develop and deliver a personal pledge system
and PR campaign to demonstrate that our leaders are
“walking the talk”.
BSP board
The BSP member organisations to use local media to promote
existing examples of renewable energy across the City (in
particular BCC WM, Radio WM, and Birmingham Post).
BSP member
organisations
The BSP will work with the community and faith sector to
ensure that all of Birmingham’s residents are aware of the
strategy and know what actions to take to tackle climate
change.
BSP member organisation
Voluntary and Community
Sector
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Theme 2.9
Performance Management
Lead Agencies
BSP performance management team
Strategic Delivery Mechanism
Targets
1) The BSP will measure performance and seek to lead the region and core cities in
addressing climate change.
2) The BSP will review and renew its strategy in 2010 and set targets for the next five years.
Actions
BSP member organisations will use a range of performance
management and monitoring tools to measure their
performance. These measures will link to the citywide
performance system being developed by the BSP.
Lead agency
BSP member organisations
The BSP will provide an annual statement of progress using
carbon dioxide emissions data and the ecological footprint.
BSP Performance
management team
The BSP will consider the establishment of year on year CO2
reduction targets based on the latest data sets for CO2
resulting from both production and consumption by
Birmingham’s businesses and residents.
BSP Board
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3.0 The vision for Birmingham in 2050
The City of Birmingham will have played a leading role in preventing further damage to
the world’s climate by having reduced our carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60% of
the 1990 level. We will be globally recognised as being fully prepared for the localised
impact of our changing climate.
Birmingham will have improved both the quality of life for its residents by developing its
economy on sustainable development principles. We will have created jobs and
prosperity by becoming a world leader in the technologies, processes and systems that
have enabled us to reduce CO2 emissions and adapt to a warmer climate.
4.0 The Aims and objectives
Birmingham sets itself two main aims with regards to climate change:
• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 baseline by 20 per cent by 2010, and 60
per cent by 2050.
• Prepare Birmingham for climate change.
Birmingham has been working on climate change for many years and this strategy sets
out formally the measures that will help to realise the vision for 2050. The Strategy runs
from 2006 to 2010. The ten objectives of the strategy are:
J set challenging targets and key performance indicators for carbon dioxide emissions.;
J Undertake monitoring, address gaps and tackle conflicts and barriers to the success
of such targets;
J establish a city wide approach to prepare for climate change and integrate climate
change into normal business management;
J improve understanding of Birmingham’s role in contributing to climate change;
J develop networks for sharing information and co-ordinating action;
J set out the roles and responsibilities of groups within the city;
J raise awareness of the local benefits of a low carbon economy;
J raise awareness of the potential impacts of climate change and provide evidence of
planning and adapting to a changing climate and demonstrate the benefits of this;
J identify issues that need to be addressed regarding climate change;
J make changes to policy where required and undertake to influence non BSP
responsibilities;
J work with partners and other parties in order to achieve a change in attitude on
climate change in relation to practice and investment.
To deliver these aims and objectives the BSP has developed an action plan which all its
members sign up to and this requires support from all those who live and work in
Birmingham. Together, the BSP and the people of Birmingham will be a powerful force
for tackling climate change.
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5.0 Communicating, monitoring and
reviewing the strategy
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership members will promote the strategy to
Birmingham’s communities, businesses and organisations to raise awareness of climate
change issues and ensure people are aware of the actions they can take.
The strategy’s progress will be reported annually with a review in 2010 when new
targets will be set. The BSP members will use a range of performance management and
monitoring tools to measure performance. These measures will link to the city wide
performance system being developed by the BSP.
When economic development is measured it should include the impacts on society and
the environment over the longer-term. The city will take advantage of new tools to
measure economic benefits in relation to their impacts, such as carbon dioxide
emissions data and Ecological Foot printing as well as Quality of Life Indicators.
6.0 Climate Change
Climate change is recognised as the major environmental challenge facing the world
today. It is happening now and threatening our quality of life. It is caused by humans
releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere, mainly through burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil in power stations
and vehicles.
The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher now than at any time in the last
20 million years. This will cause significant changes to both our general climate and
weather patterns with potentially devastating impacts globally. Many countries could
suffer high numbers of deaths, permanent losses of land and wildlife, large economic
losses and more poverty.
Minimising our greenhouse gases is essential to limiting the extent of climate change:
- The United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change accepts that a 20C
rise in temperature represents the threshold of a safe level of global climate
change.
- The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has stated that for the UK this
represents a reduction of 60 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
- The government has adopted the rationale of avoiding dangerous climate change
and set a target of 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 and
60 per cent by 2050.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership supports the government’s goal of limiting the
global temperature rise to a safe level and is committed to achieving both:
- 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 and
- 60 per cent reduction by 2050 on behalf of the City.
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It is at the local level that direct actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many
local authorities, including Birmingham City Council, have signed ‘the Nottingham
Declaration on Climate Change’. This serves as a pledge for each signatory to
contribute at a local level to the delivery of carbon emission reductions and assess the
risk of climate change impacts and adapt accordingly. The Local Government
Association and the Environment Agency have developed a Protocol on Climate Change
as part of their Memorandum of Understanding. This promotes joint working between
Birmingham City Council and the Environment Agency to tackle climate change.
6.1 The UK approach
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership has identified seven key themes around which it
proposes to build its action plan for climate change. The themes are sustainable
procurement, transport, buildings, planning and land use, energy, waste and water. The
Strategy explores each of the themes and proposes targets and actions, which are listed
in table 1 along with targets and actions for communicating and monitoring the Strategy.
In developing the key themes the BSP takes account of, and helps to deliver, the shared
priorities and guiding principles of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy: Securing
the future, 2005, (table 1).
Table 1: UK Sustainable Development Strategy: Securing the Future, 2005 guiding
principles and shared priorities.
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Shared priorities for UK action
As a result of the consultation the priority areas for immediate action, shared across
the UK are:
Sustainable consumption and production – Sustainable consumption and
production is about achieving more with less. This means not only looking at how
goods and services are produced, but also the impacts of products and materials
across their whole lifecycle and building on people’s awareness of social and
environmental concerns. This includes reducing the inefficient use of resources which
are a drag on the economy, so helping boost business competitiveness and to break
the link between economic growth and environmental degradation.
Climate change and energy – The effects of a changing climate can already be
seen. Temperatures and sea levels are rising, ice and snow cover are declining, and
the consequences could be catastrophic for the natural world and society. Scientific
evidence points to the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and
methane, into the atmosphere by human activity as the primary cause of climatic
change. We will seek to secure a profound change in the way we generate and use
energy, and in other activities that release these gases. At the same time we must
prepare for the climate change that cannot now be avoided. We must set a good
example and will encourage others to follow it.
Natural resource protection and environmental enhancement – Natural resources
are vital to our existence and that of communities throughout the world. We need a
better understanding of environmental limits, environmental enhancement and
recovery where the environment is most degraded to ensure a decent environment for
everyone, and a more integrated policy framework.
Sustainable communities – Our aim is to create sustainable communities that
embody the principles of sustainable development at the local level. This will involve
working to give communities more power and say in the decisions that affect them;
and working in partnership at the right level to get things done. The UK uses the same
principles of engagement, partnership, and programmes of aid in order to tackle
poverty and environmental degradation and to ensure good governance in overseas
communities.
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The Stern Review makes it clear that early action makes both economic and
environmental sense. We have a window of opportunity when radical action may
prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Failure to act now may be catastrophic.
Stern argues that the richer countries should take responsibility for between 60% and
80% of reductions in emissions from 1990 levels by 2050, and that adaptation is
essential.
The government published its new Climate Change Programme in March 2006. With
the measures announced the Government estimates that by 2010 the Programme could
reduce the UK’s emissions of greenhouse gases to exceed our Kyoto target but we will
fail to meet the UK’s domestic target. A new range of measures have been announced
including policies to encourage energy efficiency, the wider use of biofuels and the decentralisation of power supply through microgeneration and renewables. An Energy
White Paper is expected in spring 2007.
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The government has further pursued its climate change agenda by announcing a
climate change bill in the Queen’s speech. This will make the long term goal of a 60 per
cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 a legally binding target, although
there are no annual CO2 reduction targets. It sets out legislation around ‘four pillars’:
• placing the target to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050 on to
the statute books
• establishing an independent “Carbon Committee” to work with ministers to deliver
reductions “over time and across the economy”
• creating new powers to ensure the 2050 target is achieved
• improving the way CO2 reductions are monitored and reported, including to Parliament
The government’s Local Authority White Paper ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’
recognises that all local authorities can and should be taking action to combat climate
change, and that if best practice were followed, UK emissions would drop significantly.
New overview and scrutiny arrangements will hold local government and its partners to
account for their action, or inaction.
The Eddington Transport Study (December 2004) highlights that emissions from the
transport sector contribute around 25% of emissions in the UK, and is the fastest rising
source of carbon emissions. As a result of this, Eddington suggests there is an urgent
need to apply the Stern Review’s action suggestions of pricing, technology and
innovation policy, and promoting behavioural change, to influence the behaviours and
consumption choices within the area of Transport. Importantly, he argues for consumers
to contribute to the costs of their travel; whether those are the costs of environmental
damage or congestion
6.2 The Role of Major Cities
The Local Government White Paper (October 2006) emphasised the role which the Core
Cities should play to lead the climate change adaptation and mitigation strategic
approach through example. The White Paper said “Our big cities are in the front line in
the battle against climate change. It is in those places of dense population and
concentrations of businesses that the biggest positive impact can be made”. There are
already key opportunities available for Birmingham to play a lead role:
• Birmingham as the major city in the West Midlands Region can play a significant
role to drive a new approach to aligning spatial planning and transport strategies
with strategic co-ordination of economic development, proactive management of
housing quality and demand, and the promotion of radical energy saving
initiatives, to combat global warming.
• There are also significant opportunities at international level by working with the
Climate Change Initiative for the world’s Larger Cities. Birmingham by working
across the Birmingham Coventry and Black Country City Region is of a sufficient
scale to be a lead player in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• As Birmingham Science City, the City Council is coordinating the “low carbon”
theme of Science City working with regional partners, universities and low carbon
technology experts.
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• The new European Regional funds for 2007/2013 will be more closely targeted at
carbon alternative technologies. Birmingham needs to work with partners on a
transnational scale to ensure that as much of these new resources are applied to
projects of benefit to Birmingham and the wider city-region. This will include
working with our “sister cities”, international organisations such as ICLEI, and key
business partners looking for demonstration/technology locations which
Birmingham will be able to provide through its ongoing public and private sector
investment commitments
• Birmingham has now established an Energy Services Company (ESCO) and this
will also provide real opportunities for wide leadership and transnational
engagement with partners.
6.3 Carbon neutrality Target
The Birmingham Coventry and Black Country City Region has committed itself to the
principle of “moving towards carbon neutrality”. There is work underway to prepare a
“Growth and Prosperity Strategy” for the city region, and which will incorporate clear
actions to address the need to ensure that future decisions and actions reduce
significantly the need for unnecessary carbon usage.
However, this is a huge challenge. The barriers to achieving this are largely institutional,
behavioural, administrative and political. The UK is currently ‘locked in’ to self reinforcing
patterns of behaviour that make piecemeal initiatives to reduce carbon often ineffectual.
The city region is intent on exploiting how systemic change to ‘flip’ these patterns to
different ones that promote carbon reduction while improving quality of life and achieving
economic prosperity can be achieved.
The City Region has yet to formally agree a definition but is considering a definition of a
‘city-region, which does not cause any net addition to climate change-causing
emissions’.
The key areas include:
(1) Reduction or avoidance of activities which give rise to carbon emissions. For
example, reducing need for unnecessary car and aircraft movements.
(2) Improving the energy efficiency of buildings, vehicles, appliances or machines
so that they deliver the same service or benefit with less energy input.
(3) Replacing carbon-intensive energy sources (coal, oil, gas) with low-carbon
ones (nuclear, solar, wind, hydro, tidal, energy crops, or potentially fossil fuels
with carbon capture and storage).
(4) Offsetting carbon emissions by causing (eg paying for) reduction measures
outside/inside the city region.
A definitive carbon neutrality approach could therefore for example embrace leading
edge planning and building regulation guidance at the city-region or regional level to
assist project clients specify carbon neutrality in all future projects. This could be used
for example on future projects such as New Street Station Gateway project, City Centre
Masterplan, Central Technology Belt locations, etc
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7.0 The impacts of climate change for
Birmingham
Birmingham will feel climate change impacts on its economy, society and environment.
England is already suffering under our current climate. For instance;
• Across Europe, the summer 2003 heat wave caused over 20,000 excess deaths and
in London, deaths among people aged over 75 rose by 60 per cent.
• The soaring temperatures combined with low rainfall doubled the previous year’s
insurance claims for subsidence to £390 million in 2003.
• In 1998, 2003 and 2004, the insurance bill for flooding came to £500 million, £1billion
and over £300 million respectively. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimate
that the increased cost to households due to extreme weather events will be up to 4
per cent extra each year.
• In addition to these figures are the costs to the economy from disruption to business,
industry, transport or power networks, or the emotional and health cost to those
individuals and families affected.
Birmingham must be prepared for the additional pressures that climate change brings so
that it’s impacts are reduced and managed, and do not threaten our safety. The city also
needs to take advantage of the opportunities it presents.
The West Midlands is already adapting to climate change. Sustainability West Midlands
commissioned a study into the potential impacts of climate change on behalf of the
region1.
The main impacts for Birmingham will be from warmer, drier summers, milder, wetter
winters and potential changes in storms and extreme weather. Some of the predictions
by 2050 are:
Temperature
• Birmingham’s average annual temperature is expected to increase and most of this
warming will occur in the summer. Average summer temperatures could increase by
3.00C by 2050. This may be further increased by the urban heat island effect.
Precipitation
• Birmingham’s precipitation is expected to increase in winter, but decrease in summer.
Although rainfall events in summer could become more intense.
• Winter precipitation could increase by 20 per cent by 2050.
• Summer precipitation could decrease by 30 per cent by the 2050’s.
Extreme weather events
• Winter storms may increase and there may be a change in number of extreme climate
events.
• The hot dry summer of 1995, may occur 1 in every 5 years by 2050 and nearly 2 in
every 3 years by 2080.
• Hot summers such as in 2003 may occur in most years, with peak temperatures in
excess of 400C.
1 The Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the West Midlands. Entec for Sustainability West Midlands. January 2004.
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Other climate factors will also change. Average winter wind speeds may increase. An
increase in wind speed of just 10% results in a rise in storm damage insurance claims of
150%. Summer cloud cover and fogs may decline whilst soil moisture may decline
significantly in summer and increase in winter.
This means Birmingham needs to prepare for a range of potential impacts including
increases in flooding, summer droughts and extreme weather (for example heat waves,
extreme floods).
Table 2 lists some of the potential impacts for 6 of our 7 key themes. Many of these
impacts will also apply to other sectors.
The general impacts of climate change are well predicted; however at a local scale this
is less well understood. The BSP will continue to act on the best information available
and work with partners to increase scientific understanding on the impacts for
Birmingham. The BSP will also provide advice on managing the risks of uncertainty
associated with the timing, scale and nature of climate impacts.
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Table 2: Some of the potential impacts of climate change for six of the
Strategy’s themes
Theme
Transport
Potential impacts from climate change2
Increase in flooding on roads, rail and runways and potential damage
to their foundations. Flooding increases the likelihood of landslips in
railway cuttings and road embankments.
Warmer, drier summers increase disruption to road, rail and air
transport from melting and buckling of surfaces and damage to
infrastructure from subsidence. Increase in the number of journeys by
cycling, walking and by road. Reduction in demand for European and
international flights.
Buildings
Planning
and land
use
Milder winters reduce gritting of roads, de-icing aircraft and runways,
railway point heaters, and accidents from ice.
Warmer drier summers increase building subsidence, the demand for
cooling of buildings and worker discomfort.
Milder winters increase growth of mould in houses, encouraging
respiratory illness, but reduce damage to buildings from frost.
Increase in flooding makes more land unusable or of limited use.
Increase in flooding in urban developments without adequate drainage.
Energy
use
Warmer summers increase the demand for green, open spaces in
urban areas for outdoor activities.
Milder, wetter winters reduce the demand for energy for heating,
reduce fuel poverty and damage to infrastructure from freezing
weather, but increase damage and disruption to infrastructure from
flooding.
Waste3
Warmer, drier summers increase the demand for energy for cooling (air
conditioning, refrigeration); transport to rural areas for leisure; the
sagging of electricity distribution cables and subsidence; and increase
the potential use of solar power and biofuels.
Warmer, drier summers increase decomposition of waste, levels of
waste treatment, production of landfill gas, subsidence and damage to
facilities, odour generation and pests. Employee health suffers from
increased exposure to sunlight and higher temperatures.
Flooding and storms increase damage to waste facilities and transport.
There are opportunities for developing technologies to adapt to the
impacts.
2 The impacts, unless otherwise stated, are taken from “The Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the West Midlands. Entec for Sustainability West
Midlands. January 2004.
3 The Impacts are summarised from the Environment Agency’s Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Waste Management report:
http://publications.environmentagency.gov.uk/epages/eapublications.storefront/4487041f015c1654273fc0a8029605e3/Product/View/SX1&2D042&2DTR&2DE&2DE
33
Table 2 - continued
Water
Flooding
Increase in flooding, including flash flooding from increases in rainfall
periods and intensity. Areas of local flooding from rising groundwater
and surface flooding. Drains flood as they cannot cope with additional
water and pollution of floodwaters from contaminated land.
Water Supply
Decrease in summer water availability from higher summer
temperatures and reduced rainfall. River water levels fall and quality
deteriorates. Demand for water increases from all users due to higher
temperatures.
Changes to water levels during summer and winter affect how rivers,
reservoirs and groundwater are managed to secure water supplies and
sewerage disposal. Controlling water surpluses attracts investment
from areas where extreme water shortages are predicted.
7.1 Climate change and Birmingham’s businesses
Climate change presents businesses with commercial opportunities as well as threats.
Birmingham, with its particularly strong manufacturing base, needs to be in a position to
respond to both the challenges and opportunities of a new climate. The City must look to
what the future climate will be like, and consider what implications this will have on
business demand and resources (both materials and staff) and transport.
Businesses account for more than a third of carbon dioxide emissions. The key climate
change drivers for businesses are cost/competitiveness, and corporate social
responsibility. Support is available to businesses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
through a variety of practical and financial mechanisms. The Birmingham Strategic
Partnership will engage and support businesses to take action on climate change.
The implementation of this Strategy will create business opportunities, however there
may be negative impacts as well e.g. reducing car travel may reduce passing trade for
some shops. Such impacts can be minimised, for example, locating bus stops outside
shopping areas. The opportunities from creating a low carbon Birmingham are likely to
create a net gain in jobs through local procurement and environmental technologies.
The provision of local energy generation will enable Birmingham’s businesses to secure
reliable heat and power and gain exemption from paying the climate change levy. The
creation of an Energy Agency for Birmingham will help the City remain competitive and
attract investment.
Nearly all businesses are vulnerable to weather-related events like floods, storms,
subsidence and heat waves due to impacts on premises, transport systems, suppliers,
customers and staff comfort. Infrastructure, sustainable construction and design need to
incorporate the future climate.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership will consider the business opportunities arising
from mitigation and adaptation to climate change. These will include business
innovation in mitigation technology and adaptation. The strategy will link to existing
initiatives including the Environmental Enterprise Strategic Investment Plan of the East
Birmingham and North Solihull Regeneration Zone, the Technology Innovation Centre’s
Environmental Business Opportunity Programme and Midlands Environmental Business
Companies National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP).
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7.2 Climate change and Birmingham’s communities and the
organisations that serve them.
Under a new climate the social concerns of the City and its people will be different from
those we are prepared for today.
Climate change may affect the health of the City’s communities; warmer summers may
encourage outdoor activities and healthier lifestyles and warmer winters may reduce fuel
poverty and cold related illness. In Birmingham, approximately 200,000 people are at
risk of fuel poverty, where they cannot afford to provide adequate heat and power to
their homes and it is estimated that 800 people die prematurely each winter in
Birmingham through the effects of cold, damp homes.
The changes in seasonal weather may also increase health impacts from condensation
and mould in homes, air pollution and heat stress related illness. Extreme weather will
also have a negative impact on health; for example flooding could disrupt delivery of
clean water and disposal of sewage.
Changing the support structures for society takes time. We must start planning now,
making the decisions necessary to maintain our quality of life in a new climate. We also
need to anticipate how extreme events will impact on social services and ensure we are
prepared and able to respond. This includes undertaking risk assessments for hospitals,
fire and other emergency services, as well as key utilities such as those providing of
clean water and power.
Different social circumstances between the people of Birmingham will also affect the
ability of various groups to respond to the impacts of a changing climate. The most at
risk groups include people on low incomes or the elderly who may not be able to provide
their own relief from extreme weather. Birmingham needs to address such inequalities.
For example, the extreme temperatures experienced during 2003 will be regular events
by 2050 and mortality will rise sharply over just one or two days at these temperatures,
particularly for at risk groups. Planning emergency responses at that stage will be too
late.
7.3 Climate change and Birmingham’s environment.
The climate is changing faster now than at any time in the last 1,000 years. This will
have a major impact on biodiversity as animals and plants struggle to keep up with the
change. As temperatures increase there could be a loss of species that are at the edge
of their southerly distribution and a spread of species at their northern edge.
When developing work plans and funding for biodiversity projects it is necessary to
decide whether it is practical to try to protect and enhance the current ecological status
of conservation sites. The alternative is to help develop a network of corridors to enable
the ecology to move to a more suitable climate in a neighbouring region, whilst
supporting habitats that favour the ecology of the predicted climate.
Birmingham has over 3,000 hectares of parks and open spaces, and measures of
access to open space are above the national average. Nearly three in five people visit a
park or open space at least once a month. As temperatures increase, the external
environment will play an ever-increasing role in maintaining the quality of life for the
35
people of Birmingham. New opportunities will exist for tourism and leisure, and welldesigned open spaces will provide relief from increased temperatures. New builds
should look to include the design of open spaces as part of the building’s design,
assessing the suitability for shading and sustainable urban drainage.
Other key environmental issues identified for Birmingham in the Community Strategy are
noise and air pollution, primarily from traffic. The city is an Air Quality Management
Zone. Measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, such as; reducing the need to
travel, using alternative fuels and technologies, and the development of green travel
plans by business and industry, would help reduce congestion and also assist in
achieving the city’s air quality targets.
7.4
Adapting to the impacts of climate change
Birmingham recognises that it needs to adapt so that less money is spent on dealing
with the consequences of climate change, our communities face less suffering, and our
environment is not permanently damaged. Actions to adapt to climate change can also
reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. Saving water reduces the amount of energy
used and greenhouse gases emitted, to supply the water. However, some adaptive
actions could also increase greenhouse gas emissions so they need to be chosen
carefully.
A successful approach to adapting to climate change involves:
• Understanding the risks and impacts. Both from relatively slow changes in climate
(average temperatures rises) and sudden changes (storms, flash flooding);
• Reducing the risks. This includes reducing the levels of climate change by lowering
greenhouse gases and reducing the chance that people will be affected;
• increasing our ability to respond to and reduce the vulnerabilities of people who may
be affected;
• Taking advantage of economic opportunities.
This approach considers the risks to the economy, environment and society in the
context of the costs of adapting. On the basis of this approach, and in discussion with
the West Midlands Climate Change Partnership and the UK Climate Impacts
Programme, Birmingham will apply a set of adaptation principles.
The city will build adaptive capacity by putting in place the support systems, legislative
and policy frameworks and will start delivering adaptive action. For instance,
Birmingham Strategic Partnership member organisations will build climate change into
risk assessments and business planning. This strategy considers the impacts and
adaptation response under each of the key themes. The Birmingham Strategic
Partnership will start developing guidance for all sectors on what extremes of climate
change/weather patterns should be planned for and show how sectors can consider
climate change as part of their usual business. Details of all research being undertaken
and outcomes will be available on the Birmingham Strategic Partnership web site.
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8.0 Measurable theme goals
This section outlines each of the key themes. Their proposed targets and actions are
presented in table 1. The Birmingham Strategic Partnership seeks your comments and
views on these proposals and further suggestions are also invited. The Birmingham
Strategic Partnership will continue to build on this information throughout the
consultation period and lifetime of the strategy by developing more detailed baseline
knowledge, pursuing actions with partners, identifying best practice, and monitoring
progress. More extensive descriptions of the issues in each theme and their links with
other strategies and policies can be found on the Birmingham Strategic Partnership’s
website.
8.1
Theme 1: Sustainable procurement
When developing the economic future of Birmingham it is worth considering the total
buying power and influences that both the Birmingham Strategic Partnership and the
City has. For instance, Birmingham City Council has a spending allocation of over
£2,861 million for 2006/7. By adopting a sustainable procurement approach they can
encourage resource efficiency and reductions in waste and greenhouse gases, as less
energy is required to produce the goods or service.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership could make significant savings by purchasing
green electricity at a competitive tariff, securing renewable technology at a cost-effective
price, using procurement policy to promote locally sourced goods and services. This
action would support the City’s economic strategy and community strategy, which
contain commitments to local procurement. Procurement policy could also be used to
promote the purchase of recycled content materials (e.g. building materials and paper
etc), Fair Trade goods, biodegradable materials (e.g. cleaning agents), and certified
sustainable materials (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council timber). We will develop a green
buying guide for Birmingham, linked to the climate change personal pledge system.
Some Birmingham Strategic Partnership member organisations have sustainable
procurement frameworks in place accompanied by staff training so that the implications
of their purchasing decisions are understood and the design of their procurement
specifications encourage more sustainable products and services. The Birmingham
Strategic Partnership should build on these and share best practice so that all member
organisations are working towards sustainable procurement within legislative guidelines.
By 2010, all Birmingham Strategic Partnership members should have sustainable
procurement strategies and reporting mechanisms.
Other organisations and businesses in Birmingham can also develop a sustainable
procurement approach and use this to help them choose the companies that they work
with. Benefits to organisations include:
• enhanced business reputation;
• better use of resources, reductions in waste and greenhouse gas emissions;
• save money;
• minimises future environmental liabilities;
• reduce corporate risk.
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Best practice example: Environment Agency’s Sustainable procurement guide
The Environment Agency is recognised as an organisation delivering in environmental
and ethical procurement. It has produced a Sustainable procurement guide to lesson
the impacts of its £460 million spend. The guide is split into two parts. The first aims to
include sustainability issues in contract management. The second looks at managing
risks in the contract and supply chain. A sustainable procurement toolkit, strategy, and
case studies are freely available from the Environment Agency.
8.2 Theme 2 Transport
Transport is a major source of carbon dioxide accounting for 20% of Birmingham’s
emissions (DEFRA NUTS4 2003). Its contribution is increasing. Transport is also
affecting our quality of life in many other ways such as congesting our roads and
reducing our air quality.
The West Midlands Spatial Strategy aims to make the housing and employment markets
in the Region’s big cities and major urban areas attractive once again. This affects
transport policy. In the next 20 years, the West Midlands Local Transport Plan 2006
(LTP), which covers the West Midlands Metropolitan Area, envisages significant changes
in patterns of development and employment. The LTP recognises the impact of Climate
Change and the West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy (2004) and sets a target of no
more than 7% increase in road traffic mileage between 2004 and 2010.
The Regional Energy Strategy aims to stabilise emissions from transport by 2010 and
reduce emissions by 0.7 million tonnes (7%) by 2020 by encouraging the use of green
travel plans, flexible working and investment in public transport.
Table 3 shows that within Birmingham, the largest transport consumer of fuel is the car
and this is where the largest savings in carbon dioxide emissions can be made. There is
currently a range of measures and projects ongoing in the City designed to reduce the
impact of transport.
Table 3 Road transport consumption statistics 2003 for Birmingham, where1
assumes diesel and 2 assumes petrol.
Mode of transport Fuel use, thousands of tonnes
Buses1
34.6
Diesel cars
38.3
Petrol cars
198.2
Motorcycles2
1.4
HGV1
56.1
Diesel LGV
44.3
Petrol LGV
5.7
Total
378.6
38
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership, in particular the City Council and Centro,
performs many activities which are designed to reduce the need to travel and encourage
less use of cars and more walking, cycling, and use of public transport. Improving
access to local services and other activities are key priorities and city centre living is
promoted. Over 220 companies in Birmingham are now affiliated to Company Travelwise
(1998: 23 companies), covering around 150,000 employees. Over 130 schools in
Birmingham (out of a possible 381) now have School Travel Plans and a target has been
set for all schools to be covered by 2010/2011. As part of this work, changes at and
around schools are being made to improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and those
using public transport. The introduction of the Metro and bus showcase routes are
encouraging a shift from car use to public transport and the new car sharing scheme
aims to reduce overall car usage. These measures will help achieve the targets in the
LTP of increased cycling, bus and light rail use. The measures are, however, set against
a backdrop of an urban area enjoying a renaissance so traffic continues to grow.
Surface freight accounts for further emissions. The Birmingham Strategic Partnership will
consider the opportunities for maximising local economic benefits by encouraging
localised business links: shortening supply chains and freight distances, building
sustainability distribution networks, and creating symbiotic relationships between local
businesses.
The Energy Savings Trust provides a transport consultation service available to public
and private organisations in order to help them develop sustainable travel policies and
plans.
Birmingham will need to consider the business opportunities arising from the
introduction of a national Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation from 2008 (UK
Government Climate Change Programme, 2006). The obligation aims to increase the
uptake of bio fuels as an alternative to using fossil fuels for vehicles, which will reduce
overall carbon dioxide emissions. The Birmingham Strategic Partnership will continue
to investigate the potential for using alternative fuels in our existing fleet. The use of
ethanol and vegetable oil based fuels if sustainably sourced can help reduce CO2
emissions and support local farmers. Ethanol based fuels can also increase
performance and waste oil products can be used for bio-diesel.
Greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry continue to rise as air travel rises
both in the UK and globally. The European Union is considering a progressive emissions
trading scheme for certain sub-sectors of the aviation industry whereby those operators
setting reduction targets or investing in better or more environmentally designed
systems can demonstrate action and trade credits. In the mean time, the government
itself is considering carbon offset projects.
Whilst lying outside the city boundary, and not directly under the planning control of the
City, Birmingham International Airport derives much of its use from the people and
businesses of Birmingham. There are plans to expand the airport and this will lead to
additional carbon dioxide emissions in the future. Birmingham Strategic Partnership
must engage with aviation emissions at three levels:
a) How citizens of Birmingham use air travel from anywhere in and outside the UK
and can make choices with regard to emissions and the carbon footprint it creates.
b) How Birmingham citizens engage with the Birmingham airport and utilisation of its
air travel services.
39
c) Measures Birmingham Strategic Partnership can introduce that are aligned with
the UK and European thinking on how to tackle emissions from aviation without
compromising the city’s sustainable economy.
Initial targets for aviation could include baseline analysis of the public sector aviation
utilisation and per capita comparison to other regions. Other actions could include
studies on the interdependency of the City’s economic prosperity on aviation. Both can
set a foundation from which action plans can be developed from an informed position.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership will work in partnership with the Birmingham
International Airport to explore the potential to develop a voluntary opt out carbon offset
charge on all flights out of Birmingham. The funds raised may be used to reduce carbon
emissions from low-income domestic properties by investing in renewables.
Following the lead from Government, the Birmingham Strategic Partnership will seek to
establish a locally based carbon offset programme for flights incurred as a result of
members’ business activity. This fund will be used to reduce carbon emissions from lowincome domestic properties.
Transport will also be affected by the impacts of climate change as outlined in table 3.
The City needs to improve the level of understanding of these impacts so that the
appropriate actions can be put in place to minimise the disruption.
Best Practice Example: Travelwise
The local Travelwise team worked closely with Mitchell’s and Butler’s during their
relocation in March 2003. This is acknowledged as the main reason for 17% of staff
having now given up using their cars (12% more than initial employee surveys
suggested). In recognition of this work, Birmingham City Council was presented with
a Travel Planning Award at the National Transport Awards 2004.
8.3 Theme 3 Buildings
The housing stock of Great Britain is expected to increase by around 7.6 per cent from
2002 to 2011 based on growing population and a trend of decreasing household size
(DEFRA, 2004). In Birmingham the Council’s needs register for affordable homes
identifies that an additional 16,000 homes are needed by 2010. Increased demand will
increase energy use, leading to further increases in carbon dioxide emissions.
Birmingham homes account for around 40% of the City’s 6 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide emissions. There are a number of methods for calculating emissions per
dwelling and table 4 illustrates the results of the Best Foot Forward method. According to
this, Birmingham’s average carbon dioxide emissions per dwelling are the fifth highest
out of the 23 cities compared in the study. These results provide an indication that may
be used to compare future and past emissions. However, when using such results
Birmingham needs to ensure there is consistencies between the methods applied and
recognise their limitations.
40
Buildings emit carbon dioxide through a combination of construction, maintenance and
occupation. The design and energy performance of buildings, as well as occupant
behaviour, needs to be addressed in the context of climate change, with particular
emphasis on the adaptive potential of buildings.
Average kgCO2 per
dwelling per year
City
Reading
Leicester
Bradford
Sunderland
Birmingham
Nottingham
Leeds
Greater London
Sheffield
Aberdeen City
Newcastle upon
Tyne
Edinburgh, City of
Liverpool
Bristol, City of
Cardiff
Coventry
Brighton & Hove
Manchester
Derby
Glasgow City
Southampton
Plymouth
Kingston upon
Hull, City of
6,189
5,565
5,539
5,504
5,424
5,419
5,333
5,318
5,247
5,175
5,150
5,142
5,073
5,041
5,035
4,911
4,905
4,862
4,814
4,611
4,563
4,447
4,395
Table 4: Carbon dioxide emissions for selected cities (electricity, gas, oil & coal) Best
Foot Forward, 2006.
The age and quality of existing stock in the City makes a huge number of homes
vulnerable to changes in structural and environmental forces. As it stands a large
proportion of homes in Birmingham fail to meet the decent homes standard - 49,250
(63per cent) council homes and an estimated 35,000 in the private sector. There is a
correlation between the approximately 50,000 households in Birmingham at risk of fuel
poverty and the decent homes statistics. The prospects of supply shortage and expected
price hikes are likely to exacerbate the situation. The likely demolition of the most
obsolete stock, raising the level of decency to existing homes through improved energy
efficiency, and the energy considerations given to new construction, are fundamental in
limiting the City’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Energy efficiency remains the principle means to reduce the energy requirements of
buildings, both in the building fabric and the installation of products used within
buildings. In 2001 the space heating accounted for 62 per cent of domestic energy
consumption, with 22 per cent to water heating, 13 per cent to lighting and appliances
and 3 per cent to cooking. Comparable figures are not available for commercial
buildings. It is believed lighting and appliance consumption represents a larger, but not
41
dominant, component of total energy consumption than in domestic buildings (House of
Lords 2005). The non-electrical contribution that consists of the majority of space
heating and hot water requirements has been assumed to be approximately 80 and 50
per cent of domestic and commercial buildings energy requirements respectively (BRE
2003).
The Building Regulations 2005 amendments expect energy efficiency to be on average
20 per cent higher than the 2002 regulations (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2005).
Whole house insulation measures aim to improve Standard Assessment Procedure4
rating to 65 (0-120). Recent research suggests a lack of enforcement in meeting the
standards. On average 32 per cent of dwellings surveyed failed to meet their air
permeability target that indicates the thermal efficiency of the building despite simple
and well-known solutions (BRE 2004). Hence it is essential that compliance to the
regulations be tightly enforced to ensure that the emissions savings are achieved.
Plugging the regulation gap requires the provision of more resources and training to set
out for inspectors the climate change context for more rigorous enforcement and the
certification of buildings as per the European Directive on the Energy Performance of
Buildings.
At the same time the environmental building standards may need to be reviewed as they
are currently based on energy efficiency for heating and insulation compared against a
‘design’ year from historic data (from 1976 to 1995). Developments may meet this
environmental standard without being adapted to the future climate, when cooling a
building efficiently in the summer and preventing development of mould in the winter,
become the current issues. Birmingham could opt to work with the Chartered Institution
of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE) to develop standards assessing performance of a
building against a ‘design’ year created from UK Climate Impact Programme scenario 02
data for 2050.
A report by the Environment Agency concluded that significant energy efficiency
improvements could be made for only £800 on the cost of a new domestic build, an
amount quickly recovered by the occupier through reduced energy bills. In industrial
buildings, improving the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment can result in
reduced energy consumption in the range of 10 per cent to 70 per cent, with the most
typical savings in the region of 30 per cent to 40 Per cent. Another option is bringing
back into use homes sitting empty, which currently represents significant waste.
Increasing use of resources from the basket available such as Energy Efficiency
Commitments, Warmfront, Health through Warmth, etc, - will help the most vulnerable
households to achieve thermal comfort. Birmingham’s big challenge is to persuade
those able to pay to invest in home energy improvements and to target appropriately
whatever available subsidy and other mechanisms exist to home owners ineligible for
grants but at high risk of fuel poverty so they can improve the thermal efficiency of their
buildings.
4 Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Ratings of Dwellings
42
Both the Energy Savings Trust and the Carbon Trust5 can provide advice on reducing
carbon dioxide emissions from buildings.
As a partnership, exploiting our bulk-buying capacity could drive down the cost of energy
procurement and of materials and installation fees for the insulation of buildings and
small scale renewables, green roofs and the like. We also need to work alongside local
colleges to develop a climate change component to their technical courses, and to offer
accreditation for refresher courses designed to update experienced artisans and
practitioners, thus boosting the skills bank of local tradesmen and helping towards the
mainstreaming of climate awareness.
Birmingham has already set itself targets that aim to reduce emissions from buildings
through the Local Area Agreement process. The target is a 30 per cent cut in carbon
dioxide levels by 2010 based on a 1995 baseline. The Birmingham Strategic
Partnership will continue to work towards meeting this target and ensure that we focus
on achieving the twin goals of reducing both carbon dioxide and fuel poverty.
Best practice example: Birmingham Hippodrome
Established in 1899, Birmingham Hippodrome is home to the acclaimed Birmingham
Royal Ballet and the DanceXchange.
Recently the Company decided to improve the Hippodrome building’s heating and
ventilation system. They received an interest-free loan of £60,000 from the Carbon Trust
towards the cost of the improvements.
As a result, Birmingham Hippodrome has reduced its annual energy expenditure from
£35,000 to £17,500 a year.
8.4 Theme 4 Planning and land use
The planning system in the UK is a powerful tool in limiting and adapting to climate
change, influencing patterns of behaviour and directing development and the use of
land. National priorities set out in Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable
Development contains policies to reduce energy use, reduce emissions and promote the
development of renewable energy resources. Other requirements include development
plans to take climate change impacts into account in the location and design of
development (i.e. consideration of flood risk) and to promote water efficiency and the
use of sustainable drainage systems. These feed into regional planning documents (e.g.
West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy), which in turn are applied at the local level, for
example, through the Unitary Development Plan (Birmingham 2005), the Community
Strategy (Birmingham 2005) and the Local Development Framework (currently in draft).
These documents control and influence development and can be used to reduce the
amount of greenhouse gases emitted and ensure measures are taken to adapt to a
changing climate. The government provides examples of how the planning system can
be used to support climate change actions, which are included in table 7.
5 The Carbon Trust works with businesses and the public sector to reduce emissions and take advantage of commercial opportunities.
43
44
The impacts of the development on flood risk and water resources should be
considered. The Water Theme provides more detail. The National Planning Forum has
produced a good practice note (5)6 on climate change as part of their inspiring planning
series. It provides a brief overview of relevant policies and tools. The Government’s
Planning Response to Climate Change ‘Advice on Best Practice’7 provides planning
professionals with an overview of the current thinking and state of knowledge on
planning and climate change. It includes a climate sensitive development checklist.
Climate change is not granted special consideration over other planning objectives, but
must be considered amongst policy decisions to balance the needs of the area and
region. However, many policies (such as encouraging mixed use developments,
reducing demand for travel, reducing social polarisation, adoption of renewable sources
of energy and improving the quality of life for the people of Birmingham) are
fundamentally inline with policies supporting action for climate change.
The Government has recently announced that it expects all planning authorities to
include policies in their development plans requiring a percentage of the energy in new
developments to come from on-site renewables, where it is viable (The Minister for
Housing and Planning (Yvette Cooper) June 8 2006). It is also clear that it is likely that
domestic wind turbines will become a permitted development.
Working inline with partners across the area and region could provide additional
benefits. When such policies are consistently applied by neighbours, it enables best
practice to become the mainstream and a level playing field to be achieved. It provides
developers with clear indications of the environmental standards required and will assist
with sourcing issues by increasing local demand and boosting the region’s economy. By
including adaptation measures within policy decisions, planning authorities are helping
to safe guard buildings against future climate risks, which will be increasingly reflected in
the economy and social well being of Birmingham.
The planning targets and actions support those for the buildings theme, where
appropriate, to set a level playing field and the correct framework for advancing best
practice. They will support EcoHomes and BREEAM Standards and new developments
above 15 homes and 1000sq metres will need to:
• generate energy from on site renewable sources (applying planning policy statement
22 on renewable energy following the examples of Merton);
• provide a climate change risk assessment;
• demonstrate the use of whole life costing analysis.
6 National Planning Forum: Inspiring planning: planning for climate change quickfile 2005
http://www.tcpa.org.uk/press_files/pressreleases_2005/NPF_5_F388_8PP_environmental.pdf
7 The Planning Response to Climate Change. Advice on Best Practice. ODPM. 2004.
http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/498/ThePlanningResponsetoClimateChangeAdviceonBetterPracticePDF1234Kb_id1144498.pdf
45
Best practice example: Bilston Urban Village
Sustainability West Midlands Climate Change Partnership is supporting a project to
help “climate proof” Bilston Urban Village. The Village will be a model urban
community where people chose to be. The mixed-use development reclaims over 43
hectares of old industrial and waste land. The opportunity exists to radically transform
the landscape through a process of land remediation and re-profiling. This
reclamation, the installation of utilities and primary infrastructure, coupled with the
creation of public open space provides an opportunity to assess and ensure the
resilience of the project to climate change.
The project has used the UKCIP (UK Climate Impacts Programme) Risk and
Uncertainty Framework to assess climate change and embed climate considerations
alongside mainstream risk assessment for the landform proposals. This has allowed
climate change to be explicitly examined within existing mechanisms such as the
Environmental Statement and Economic Impact Appraisal and ensure climate impacts
are ‘mainstreamed’ within the development process. Climate change was recognised
as the most significant risk to the development in the Economic Impact Appraisal.
8.5 Theme 5 Energy Use
If energy is not first being used efficiently, renewable energy is unlikely to meet demand.
The priority of any organisation or individual should be to achieve good energy efficiency
in advance of, or as well as, considering renewable options. Once efficiency measures
are in place, renewable energy can substantially contribute to a low carbon society.
The West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy reports that in terms of energy use
renewable energy sources within the region account for just one per cent of West
Midlands’ total energy consumption. The Strategy has set a regional target that by 2010,
renewable energy generation will account for five per cent of energy consumption, and by
2020, 10 per cent. This is significantly lower than the UK government’s target of 10 per
cent renewable energy generation by 2010, and 20 per cent by 2020.
Using Birmingham local authority level data (NUTS4)8 on total consumption of fuel and
consumption by fuel type, it can be estimated that in 2003, renewable energy generation
or waste incineration for energy accounted for 0.319 per cent of Birmingham’s total energy
consumption needs (DTI, Energy Trends December 2005). However this figure may not
have included the 25-30 megawatts generated at the Tysley waste to energy plant.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership proposes to set citywide targets of generating 15
per cent of energy from renewable sources and 30 per cent overall from local sources by
2020, to support and exceed targets set by the West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership will demonstrate through leadership and best
practice how this can be attained.
The City Council is a signatory of the Nottingham Declaration, committing the Council to
prepare a plan with the community to address the causes and effects of climate change.
The Council is also a member of the Carbon Trust Management Programme for Local
Authorities. Under this scheme Birmingham has undertook a detailed assessment of the
8 NUTS (Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics) is a hierarchical classification of spatial units that provides a breakdown of the European
Union’s territory for producing regional statistics, which are comparable across the EU
9 Figure is based on total energy consumption in Birmingham (2003) of 22,601.8 Gigawatt hours and renewable energy generation or waste
incineration (2003), 70.8 Gigawatt hours.
46
actions required to decrease energy use, for example by managing energy in council
owned buildings. The Council has promised to reduce its energy consumption by 30 per
cent by 2010. This commitment will assist the Birmingham Strategic Partnership in
reaching its target of 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 and to
develop a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
The City Council is also investigating the potential for using waste oil as an energy
source. Initial findings have proved promising especially for the use of bio-diesel for
heating and small scale combined heat and power.
The Department for Trade and Industry has calculated that each tonne of carbon emitted
costs the UK economy £70. To put that in context for Birmingham, each year the
Council’s use of energy and fuel is costing the UK economy £12.3 million. Current
estimates suggest that reserves of fossil fuels will be depleted within 50 to 200 years.
Long before they actually run out, periodic supply shortages and significant price
increases will occur. Organisations that recognise this are conserving energy by
purchasing more efficient equipment and designing more efficient buildings. Likewise,
energy users are increasingly sourcing power from low carbon or renewable energy
sources.
There are a number of energy initiatives currently running throughout the UK and at a
local level, and the Birmingham Strategic Partnership will work with existing energy
saving programmes such as the Energy Saving Trust, the Carbon Trust and utility
company programmes (the Energy Efficiency Commitment). Through this strategy the
Birmingham Strategic Partnership will promote existing schemes and ensure advice is
provided on both energy efficiency and low carbon options. We will also share
information on available schemes, grants and best practice, as well as reporting on our
successes of reducing the Birmingham Strategic Partnerships own carbon dioxide
emissions.
Birmingham will look to follow the lead of London and establish a Climate Change
Energy Agency to co-ordinate and promote the localised generation of power using
combined heat and power plants and renewables. This agency will work to ensure that
the infrastructure, finance mechanisms and policy framework are in place to enable the
private and community sector to secure, reliable, cheap and climate change levy exempt
power to the businesses and people of Birmingham. We will work to deliver this
ambition through the use of European Regional Development Funds and will seek
support from the Regional Development Agency.
47
Best practice example: Impact Repair Centre Limited
Birmingham-based Impact Repair Centre Ltd employs 85 people in the West
Midlands, specialising in car body repair work.
When Impact Repair Centre bought its third car repair site in Warwick in 2003, it
inherited oil and gas powered spray booths that were old, in poor condition and
operating at low efficiency and high cost.
Following advice from the Carbon Trust, Impact Repair Centre installed two new high
efficiency natural gas fired spray booths. These have led to a reduction in the
company’s energy bill of around £5,500 a year. They received an interest free loan of
£41,890 from the Carbon Trust towards the cost of the equipment.
Reducing its energy costs has made Impact Repair Centre more competitive. They
have been able to increase production, decrease operating costs, and comply with
relevant legislation relating to vehicle finishing, bringing short-term and long-term
benefits.
8.6 Theme 6 Waste
As a society, we continue to produce more and more waste. The manufacture of a
product, its use and eventual disposal has a hidden cost, for example the loss of raw
materials, energy used to make the product and the emissions of greenhouse gases
generated when we discard the product.
The waste that is disposed to landfill is a major source of the greenhouse gas methane.
Weight for weight methane is 21 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a
greenhouse gas. One tonne of biodegradable waste produces between 200m3 and
400m3 of landfill gas. (Climate Change and Waste Management: The Link, DEFRA
2005). Other waste management options also contribute green house gases. Figure 1
shows greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the life cycle of products from raw
materials through to their final disposal including some of the waste management
options.
Birmingham’s waste emits greenhouse gases as it decomposes or is incinerated.
Birmingham produces the following waste streams:
• Municipal solid waste (household, waste from municipal parks and gardens, local
authority collections from shops and offices)
• Commercial and industrial waste
• Construction and demolition
• Hazardous waste
48
Figure 1: Greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the lifecycle of products
Carbon dioxide - CO2
Nitrous oxide – N2O
Methane – CH4
Birmingham City Council managed 551,442 tonnes of municipal waste between 20032004. Of that 13 per cent was recycled, 62 per cent was sent to incineration producing
25 mega watts of energy, which is enough to power up to 30,000 homes, and 25 per
cent went to landfill (Birmingham City Council Municipal Waste Strategy 2004).
Figure 2 shows that the industrial and commercial sector is the biggest producer of
waste in Birmingham. During 2002-2003 Birmingham contributed to the production of
3.1 million tonnes of industrial and commercial waste generated in the metropolitan
areas of the West Midlands, 40% of which was land filled. Shops and offices generated
15 per cent of this waste.
The construction and demolition sector produces nearly a third of Birmingham’s waste.
In the West Midlands in 2003, of the eight million tonnes of waste generated by this
sector 60 per cent was recycled as aggregate and soils, 9 per cent still went to landfill.
Birmingham generated 11% of the hazardous waste produced in the metropolitan areas
of the West Midlands. (DEFRA and the Environment Agency Strategic Waste
Management Assessment 2002-2003)
49
Figure 2: Approximate proportions of Waste Produced by Sector in Birmingham 2002-310
Approximate Proportions of Waste Produced by
Sector in Birmingham 2002-3
11%
Hazardous
18%
43%
Municipal
Construction & demolition
Industrial and
Commercial
28%
Birmingham can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help to combat the effects of
climate change by adopting the principles of the waste hierarchy. These are ‘Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle’ and form the basis of the UK, and Birmingham’s waste strategies.
The EU Landfill Directive imposes targets limiting the amount of biodegradable waste
that can be sent to landfill. To meet these targets the UK Waste Strategy 2000 contains
a number of targets for waste reduction, recycling and recovery for municipal and
household waste. Birmingham City Council’s 2004 Municipal Waste Strategy identifies
the reduction targets for Birmingham for municipal waste and also encourages business
to recycle more.
Birmingham achieved a 13 per cent recycling rate from household waste during 2003/04
(Birmingham City Council Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2004) and has put in
place a number of processes to help it meet its statutory recycling target of 18 per cent
in 2005/6. But, there is still a lot more to do to reduce Birmingham’s waste.
The City aims to stabilise its waste production by 2015 and recycle 30per cent of
domestic waste by 2010. Birmingham will consider the role of waste in the City’s
localised energy generation network.
We will seek to utilise the heat produced from the Tysley Waste to Energy plant by 2010.
This will require market identification and investment in infrastructure to transport the
waste heat to nearby business and homes.
10 The information in figure 2 is calculated from Environment Agency data on deposits, the England commercial and industrial waste survey 20022003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister survey of arisings and use of construction demolition and excavation waste 2003.
50
Throughout the first period of this strategy the Birmingham Strategic Partnership will
work with key groups and sectors to provide information on the extent and nature of the
waste produced in Birmingham City. Issues investigated will include:
•
•
•
•
•
how
how
how
how
how
do individuals help reduce the growth rate of waste;
can waste exchange in each sector be improved;
much transport is associated with the movement of waste;
can construction and demolition waste be minimised;
can we maximise the recovery of energy and heat from waste;
The outcomes from this work will help the city reduce its’ emissions from greenhouse
gases.
Dealing with waste in a changing climate raises a number of other considerations. For
example the organic content of waste may increase due to a longer growing season,
increasing the need to compost. This may need increased controls to minimise health
impacts. Similarly, the collection of various wastes may need to be more frequent to
prevent health hazards with rising temperatures, and the sitting of new waste facilities
may need to take flooding issues into account.
The Birmingham Strategic Partnership Environmental Wardens initiative will be a useful
delivery and monitoring tool for Birmingham’s waste programme. The Birmingham
Strategic Partnership should consider whether the environmental wardens could collect
information on the problems arising from the impacts of climate change.
Best practice example: The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) run by
the Midlands Environmental Business Company based in Digbeth, Birmingham.
NISP involves partnership working bringing together various industrial sectors to
improve resource efficiency and minimise waste. The programme aims to divert large
quantities of waste from landfill. It also seeks to find alternative uses to reduce raw
materials, carbon dioxide emissions, energy and potable water consumption by
industry and to create jobs.
The programme’s achievements include:
• diverting over 100,000 tonnes of waste;
• creating 34 jobs;
• carbon dioxide reductions of more than 250,000 tonnes;
• cost savings of £27 million;
Many of the Birmingham Strategic Partnership members (including Birmingham City
Council and the Environment Agency) support NISP
8.7 Theme 7 Water.
Winters in Birmingham are likely to become wetter with a potential increase in storms
and flooding. The summers will also become hotter and drier overall with more severe
extreme events so that water shortages may become more common and there may be
more droughts. But, the City may also suffer more flash flooding in summer as the rain
that falls does so in more intense bursts.
51
Birmingham needs to understand the potential risks from climate change in terms of
flooding and water shortages and consider the measures to take to reduce and manage
any significant risks. This theme looks at flooding and water resource issues under a
changing climate for Birmingham.
8.7.1 Flooding
Higher levels of rainfall and more intense bursts means Birmingham could experience
more flooding, including flash flooding, along its watercourses and drainage networks.
The City’s drainage systems have overflowed in the past causing severe disruption to
the transport networks. There may be changes in Birmingham’s groundwater levels
causing localised flooding and pollution incidents. More flooding will cause further
disruption and potentially harm Birmingham’s economy, society and environment.
Long term planning is essential for reducing flood risk. The results of planning decisions
made today will last into the future and may not be the right decision under a different
climate. Birmingham needs to take a mix of measures to ensure the correct decisions
are made to reduce and manage the increased risks from flooding under a changing
climate, such as:
• Understanding the risks of flooding from drainage networks and watercourses under a
changing climate.
• Avoiding inappropriate development in the floodplain.
• Protecting developments from flooding where deemed necessary and reducing the
impacts of developments in the floodplain and/or on the drainage networks.
• Increasing the capacity of rivers and the drainage network.
• Preparing for and responding to flooding events.
There are many relevant and compulsory national policies, guidance and projects that
look at flood risk and include the impacts of climate change. Such as the Government’s
Making Space for Water, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, and
Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 on Development and Flood Risk. The City has also
undertaken studies into flooding. For instance, following serious flooding in the south
west of the City a number of studies were undertook on local weather patterns, causes
of flooding, possible mitigation methods and the social impacts. These studies factored
in allowances for climate change and lessons learned can inform future decisionmaking. But, there is still more to find out.
Under a changing climate the floodplain may increase in size and the frequency of
floods may increase as well. Developments in the floodplain will be at risk from flooding
and may require protection. Avoiding inappropriate development in the flood plain is
national policy11 that Birmingham will follow and it will reduce unnecessary risks and
costs. Where developments are located on the flood plain and defences are deemed
necessary; a margin is added to their design criteria to account for the increased risk
from climate change. By being located in the flood plain the development will reduce the
space for storing floodwater and could increase flood risk elsewhere. If the development
has to be located in the flood plain it should aim to create an equivalent area of flood
plain or flood storage.
11 Planning Policy Guidance Note 25
52
In terms of planning, the impacts of developments on surface runoff need to be
considered within the context of a changing climate. The dense urban landscape of
Birmingham creates many surfaces that water quickly flows over (roofs, roads,
pavements, industrial and commercial premises etc) and into the drains and
watercourses, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
The impacts of developments on flood risk can be reduced if they include Sustainable
Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), which intercept the runoff and can reduce the speed
and volumes at which it enters the watercourses and drainage networks. National
planning policy promotes these. Green roofs are a type of SuDS and consist of a layer
of plants over a drainage layer. Other types include retention ponds and reed bed
systems, but care needs to be taken in areas of contaminated land to ensure
contaminants are not mobilised. Designs such as permeable paving can also reduce the
impact, but long term maintenance must be considered including the potential for future
replacement with less suitable materials. A management plan is required for the whole
life of such SuDS developments (depending on, and in proportion to their scale) to
ensure true sustainability. New developments and redevelopments are prime
opportunities for incorporating SuDS, but they can also be incorporated into existing
developments. However, SuDS are not always feasible. Birmingham City Council and the
Environment Agency can provide advice on SuDS.
Large scale developments must submit flood risk assessments12 so that the impacts of
the development on natural drainage and flood risk are understood. Restrictions can be
applied to developments in greenfield areas that are not located in the floodplain but that
may pose a problem for water resources or flood risk. In the future, these restrictions
may need to cover areas outside of greenfield zones as well. Whilst, the impacts of
developments on water flows to and within sewers are considered, the impacts of the
development on increasing the discharge from sewers is not and may need to be in the
future, as sewer discharges become more closely controlled under a changing climate.
Small scale developments, such as individual house building and concreting of gardens,
do not need to submit flood risk assessments and the impacts on flood risk from the
total number of small scale developments are unknown.
Other methods of source control are also needed to reduce peak flows to watercourses
and sewers. These include improvements in the design, capacity and maintenance of
urban drainage systems including the creation of additional storage and oversized pipes
with flow control.
Modern land drainage engineering also seeks more sustainable ways of reducing flood
risk by increasing the capacity of rivers and floodplains and enhancing the environment.
Project Kingfisher has restored 11km of tributaries of the River Cole by removing
culverts and promoting natural features. It had been highly modified through culverting,
straightening and re-routing to form concrete channels lacking natural features.
Birmingham’s other rivers the Tame and Rea have also been highly modified. The EU
Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers and Floodplains Project13 looked at ways to
tackle environmental problems on the Tame by integrating the planning and
management of land-use, water quality, ecology and flooding.
12 The Environment Agency’s Flood Risk Matrix (http://www.pipernetworking.com/floodrisk/index.html) provides advice and is in accordance with the
sequential test of Planning Policy Guidance Note 25
13 SMURF Project http://www.smurf-project.info/
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Another method to increase flood plain capacity involves using recreational land to store
floodwater and improve water quality, biodiversity and aesthetic appearance. In urban
areas, where opportunities for natural solutions are limited, then short duration flooding
of low sensitivity areas (relative to housing), such as car parks can be encouraged.
Local communities may need educating on these dual purposes.
Emergency flood risk plans will need to consider the impacts of climate change on
drainage and watercourse flooding. The Environment Agency operates a flood warning
system to help people prepare for river flooding and has developed a West Midlands
Major Incident Flood Plan. There is a West Midlands Local Resilience Forum which has
assessed all the risks facing their area from river flooding. To manage flood risk from
rivers the Environment Agency has a flood plan for the Trent catchments and this
includes the Birmingham area.
Targets and actions have been developed to address the points and a new Strategic
Water Partnership will consider the issues raised.
8.7.2 Water resources.
Hotter, drier summers and potential increases in the number and extent of extreme
events could mean that Birmingham experiences more summer water shortages and
potential droughts as water demand increases and supply falls. Water shortages are
likely to impose costs on Birmingham’s economy, communities and environment. People
could suffer deterioration in their health and there could be permanent damage from
watercourse levels falling, harming plants and animals and causing odours.
Birmingham can prepare for decreases in summer rainfall by:
• reducing the demand for water
• using water more efficiently
• securing the supply of water
• increasing resilience to lower water availability
• taking advantage of opportunities relating to water and climate change
Reducing Birmingham’s water demand will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions as
the supply of water uses large amounts of energy in its treatment and transportation.
The UK Water Industry contributes just less than five million tonnes of carbon dioxide
each year14 (UK Water Industry Research report). Reducing energy use will bring
economic benefits.
Reducing leakage of water from the network can reduce Birmingham’s demand for
water. Severn Trent Water Ltd is currently the only water company with public water
abstraction within the city boundary. Their company targets for water management are
to reduce leakage to 500 mega litres per day by 2010. They should maintain the good
progress made in recent years to reduce mains leakage although further attention to
leakage control may also be necessary
The average person used 150 litres per person per day during 2003/415, but individual
actions can reduce this demand. Such actions include a water saving device for use in
toilets and these are available free from Severn Trent, and water butts for collecting
rainwater to use in the garden. Severn Trent and Birmingham City Council promote
water butts to the public.
14 Calculated on the basis of figures in the Water UK report ‘Towards Sustainability 2003-4’
15 Water UK report ‘Towards Sustainability 2003-4’
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Businesses should reduce the water demand of their operations and use water more
efficiently to realise the economic and environmental benefits. The Environment
Agency’s Water Efficiency awards showcase many examples.
The water demands from developments under a changing climate should be considered
during spatial planning with the limited availability of water influencing their location and
timing, and water efficiency measures and sustainable drainage systems included at the
feasibility or planning stages.
The demand from existing and new buildings can be reduced by incorporating water
efficient measures such as rainwater harvesting systems that collect rainwater and use it
for flushing toilets, washing clothes, gardening etc. They also reduce the water entering
the drainage networks during the winter when flooding may be an issue.
Water meters can encourage water users to monitor their water use and sensibly reduce
their demand. Fitting a water meter results in reductions of around 5-15% in household
water demand. Over the next 25 years this will need to become more widespread in
households with appropriate tariffs to protect vulnerable households
Water supplies from rivers, groundwater and reservoirs may need to be more closely
managed to cope with reductions in summer water availability. The Environment Agency
in its Midlands Water Resources Strategy provides advice for tackling water resource
issues. Water companies that supply water to public users take climate change into
account in water resource planning to try and reduce the impacts. South Staffordshire
plc and Severn Trent Water supply water in Birmingham. Severn Trent Water plan for a
population growth of about a quarter of a million, (four % increase) by 2030. These
extra people mean that the overall extra domestic water use demand by 2030 is
expected to rise by 4%. This assumes that demand from existing homes does not
increase due to more domestic metering and efficient water use and it does not
incorporate recent proposals for greater numbers of houses.
Birmingham also needs to consider preparing for potential extreme droughts so that
their impacts are reduced. Water companies produce drought plans and other
organisations may also need to develop emergency response strategies and measures.
Reducing the risk of, and impacts from, water shortages may provide opportunities to
attract investment from areas facing extreme water shortages such as business
relocating from the South East of England. There may also be opportunities for business
involved in water saving, water efficient products or extracting from Birmingham’s
aquifer. Although any greenhouse gas emissions from extracting and transporting the
water need to be minimised and assessed against the alternatives.
Rising temperatures and an extended summer season is likely to increase tourist activity
and the demand for local people to have good access to green open space. However,
the management of parks and open spaces may need to change, for example, planting
drought resistant and / or shade giving plants.
Using water features better, for instance as part of a building’s function as well as for
amenity value and opening up and improving local watercourses, would have great
benefits for both society and the local economy.
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Best practice example: Plantsbrook Secondary School
In 2004 Plantsbrook Secondary School in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham installed a
rainwater harvesting scheme to collect rainwater and use it to flush all the toilets and
urinals of the school rather than be discharged into a drain. They are monitoring their
water savings and to date have harvested 1,090 cubic metres of rainwater. As well as
reducing their demand for treated water and thus energy, they have reduced their
impacts on the local drainage network.
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9.0 Communication
A recent survey of Birmingham’s residents identified that over 80 per cent were
concerned about the impact of climate change but did not know what actions they could
take to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The Government has recently launched a
climate challenge programme aimed to enable organisations to communicate effectively
on the issue. We will base our communication strategy on the recommendations of this
programme.
In order to achieve increased knowledge of the role individuals and organisations can
play we will develop a climate change pledge programme. We will work with Business in
the Community and the Birmingham Chamber to develop a business pledge system and
with Marketing Birmingham to develop a citizens’ pledge. We will seek to work in
partnership with the University of East Anglia CRED programme or similar systems to
ensure that we can measure and communicate the difference individuals and
organisations actions make.
We will explore the potential for developing a leadership pledge programme to
demonstrate the personal commitment of Birmingham’s leaders in tackling climate
change.
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10.0 Performance management
The management of climate change related targets and the associated data sets are an
emerging process. We have sought to use a variety of data sets and processes
however we have been unable to establish a realistic and accurate baseline for 1990.
The best data we have is based on three sources Defra’s NUTS4 local estimates of
carbon dioxide emissions, Stockholm Environment Institute Ecological Footprint data,
and the Standard Assessment Performance (SAP) measurement of domestic buildings
energy performance. The SAP data is valid from a 1995 baseline, whereas the Defra
data is from a 2003 base and the Ecological Footprint from a 2005 base.
We will seek to use a combination of data sets to measure our performance – we will
use the Defra data to measure our overall reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from
our use of energy and transport in Birmingham, we will use the SAP data to measure
our work in improving the energy efficiency of homes and the ecological footprint data to
assess the impact of our consumption of goods and services in relation to climate
change emissions. To be successful all three data sets will need to demonstrate a
downward trajectory.
We will report on an annual basis and revise the strategy in 2010.
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11.0 Glossary
Affordable Warmth Capital Programme
The Council has entered into pilot partnerships with fuel utility companies to deliver ward
based programmes of insulation and central heating .
Air Travel Carbon Offset Scheme
Customers can volunteer to help to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from their flight
by making a contribution, the profits of which will fund renewable energy projects in
Birmingham’s poorest communities.
Birmingham Environment Partnership
This partnership (BEP) is one of several thematic partnerships supporting the
Birmingham Strategic Partnership (BSP). The purpose of the partnership is to improve
parks and open spaces; protect, promote and enhance biodiversity; improve the
cleanliness of the city; cut pollution; increase recycling and reduce waste; as well as
tackling climate change.
Birmingham Social Housing Partnership (BSHP)
BSHP is a group of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) operating within the city, with a
formal agreement of association.
Building Research Establishment (BRE)
Building Research Establishment provide a complete range of consultancy, testing and
commissioned research services covering all aspects of the built environment, and
associated industries.
http://www.bre.co.uk/
BREEAM
The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
provides a comprehensive tool for analysing and improving the environmental
performance of buildings from design through to management. For example, the
assessment looks at the energy efficiency, waste and water management of buildings
and can help to reduce the running and maintenance costs of buildings and facilities.
Buildings are rated Good, Very Good or Excellent.
http://www.breeam.org/
BSP
Birmingham Strategic Partnership. The BSP is the Local Strategic Partnership for
Birmingham and brings together, at a citywide and constituency level, key public
agencies and representatives of the business, community, voluntary and faith sectors to
achieve more effective joined up action.
http://www.bhamsp.org.uk/
BSP Board
The Board brings together senior representatives from key public sector agencies,
business, community and voluntary sectors. The board membership has changed over
the last year, largely to increase community and faith representation.
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Business in the Community
Business in the Community is a not for profit organisation that works to promote
corporate social responsibility.
http://www.bitc.org.uk/
Carbon Dioxide
A naturally occurring gas, it is also a by-product of burning fossil fuels and biomass, as
well as land-use changes and industrial processes. It is the principal anthropogenic
greenhouse gas that affects the earth’s temperature. It is the reference gas against
which other greenhouse gases are indexed.
Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through the
combustion of fossil fuels; in the case of an organisation, business or enterprise, as part
of their everyday operations; in the case of an individual or household, as part of their
daily lives; or a product or commodity, in reaching the market.
A Carbon footprint is often expressed as tons of carbon dioxide or tons of carbon
emitted, usually on a yearly basis.
Carbon Neutral
When emissions are reduced to net zero.
Carbon offset Programme
Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce the CO2 emissions they are
responsible for by offsetting, reducing or displacing the CO2 in another place, typically
where it is more economical to do so, often through tree planting or installation of
renewable energy systems.
Carbon Trust
An independent not for profit company set up by the Government with support from
business to encourage and promote the development of low carbon technologies. Key to
this aim is its support for UK businesses in reducing carbon emissions through funding,
supporting technological innovation and by encouraging more efficient working practices.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/default.ct
Decentralised power generation
Small scale local power plants, either renewable or fossil fuel powered, as opposed to
large central power stations.
Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Government department that supports the interests of farmers and the countryside: the
environment and the rural economy.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/
EcoHomes
EcoHomes is the homes version of BREEAM. EcoHomes covers houses as well as
apartment buildings and can be applied to both new and renovated homes. EcoHomes
balances environmental performance with the need for a high quality of life and a safe
and healthy internal environment. Homes are rated Good, Very Good or Excellent.
http://www.breeam.org/ecohomes.html
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Ecological Footprint
Ecological footprint analysis approximates the amount of ecologically productive land,
sea and other water mass area required to sustain a population, manufacture a product,
or undertake certain activities, by accounting the use of energy, food, water, building
material and other consumables. Birmingham’s ecological footprint is rated as 2.9
planets by the WWF.
Embedded generation
Embedded generation is electricity generation which is connected to the Distribution
network rather than to the high voltage National Grid. Embedded generation is typically
smaller generation such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or renewable generation:
small hydro, wind or solar power.
The development of embedded generation has an important part to play in meeting the
Government’s long term environmental targets.
Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
Offers free, impartial advice to householders on all aspects of energy efficiency. We
work closely with all the local authorities in our region to help cut the amount of energy
used in our homes and to reduce CO2 emissions.
Freephone: 0800 512 012
Environment Agency
The Environment agency is Government agency responsible for protecting and
improving the environment in England and Wales.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
Environment Agency’s Sustainable Procurement Guide 7
Guide developed to provide a best practice template for the Environment Agency, which
brings together best practice and latest Research & Development work. The guide
should also provide a base for other organisations that are looking to enhance their
sustainability within their procurement/ supply chain activities.
European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings
Requires the improvement of the energy performance of buildings within the EU
through cost effective measures.
Flash Flooding
Flooding that develops very quickly on streams and river tributaries usually as a result of
thunderstorms. In urban area flash flooding can affect low lying roads and houses as the
drainage system fails to cope with heavy rain. There is little time between the detection
of flood conditions and the arrival of the flood crest. Swift action is essential to the
protection of life and property.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are fuels containing carbon – coal, oil and gas. Burning fossil fuels is the
major way in which humans add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Fuel poor
The common definition of a fuel poor household is one needing to spend in excess of
10% of household income to achieve a satisfactory heating regime (21°C in the living
room and 18°C in the other occupied rooms).
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Governance
The term governance deals with the processes and systems by which an organization or
society operates
Green Electricity Tariff
If one chooses a green tariff, the electricity supply company must obtain an amount
equal to the total amount of electricity one consumes, from existing renewable energy
sources. This means that correspondingly fewer units of electricity will be produced in a
power station from fossil fuels.
Green Energy
Green energy is a term describing what is thought to be environmentally friendly
sources of power and energy. Typically, this refers to renewable and non-polluting energy
sources.
Greenhouse Gases
Gases that trap the heat of the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere, producing the
greenhouse effect and causing the warming of the atmosphere. The two major
greenhouse gases are water vapour and carbon dioxide. Other greenhouse gases
include methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide.
Local Area Agreement (LAA)
LAAs are policies that form part of the agenda for local government. They aim to
improve local public service delivery, by providing a new framework for the relationship
between central and local government. Birmingham’s LAA contains a commitment to
tackle climate change.
Micro-generation technology
The production of energy on the smallest of scales, for individual buildings or
communities. Micro-generation technologies emit low amounts of carbon dioxide(CO2),
or in some cases, no carbon dioxide at all, whilst allowing consumers to generate their
own heat and/or electricity.
Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change
The declaration is a voluntary pledge to address the issues of climate change. It
represents a high-level, broad statement of commitment that any local authority can
make to its own community. The declaration was originally launched in October 2000 at
a conference in Nottingham with 200 leaders, chief executives and senior managers of
UK local government.
Product Miles
The total distance produce is transported from the place of growth or production to the
place of consumption.
Renewable Energy
Energy obtained from sources that are essentially inexhaustible, unlike, for example, the
fossil fuels, of which there is a finite supply. Renewable sources of energy include wood,
waste, geothermal, wind, photovoltaic, and solar thermal energy.
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Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating
The SAP is the Government’s recommended system for energy rating of dwellings. The
Standard Assessment Procedure is used for: (1) Calculating the SAP rating, on a scale
from 1 to 120, based on the annual energy costs for space and water heating (2)
Calculating the Carbon Index, on a scale of 0.0 to 10.0, based on the annual CO2
emissions associated with space and water heating.
Sustainability West Midlands (SWM)
SWM has been established by regional partners as the independent regional champion
for Sustainable Development and provides advice to regional policy partnerships and the
region as a whole on sustainability issues.
http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/
United Kingdom Climate Impact Programme
The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) provides scenarios that show how our
climate might change and co-ordinates research on dealing with our future climate.
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/
Urban Heat Island Effect
An urban heat island (UHI) is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its
surroundings. As population centres grow in size from village to town to city, they tend to
have a corresponding increase in average temperature.
West Midlands Spatial Strategy
Part of the national planning system. Its main purpose is to provide a long term land use
and transport planning framework for the Region.
Whole Life Costings analysis
Whole life costing is a mathematical technique that is used to appraise the long term
cost implications of a procurement decision
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12.0 Consultation Strategy
Outcome
Agreed final Strategy that has BSP member and popular support and will enable
us to achieve agreed BSP and LAA climate change targets by 2010.
Purpose
To enable the members of the BSP to:
Gain a clear understanding of the draft strategy and its implications on their core
activities and to enable them to amend and prioritise proposed actions
To discover from the BSP members and the citizens of Birmingham their:
• current knowledge attitude and practices in relation to climate change;
• current activities being undertaken by partners organisations and individuals to
mitigate and adapt to climate change;
• areas that need clarification and amendment to ensure successful delivery of
agreed targets;
• Prioritisation of specific actions.
To enable interested parties and individuals to have the opportunity to express
their opinion in relation to climate change.
Stakeholders
• 31 BSP partner organisations
• 6 thematic partnerships
• 4 Local Area Agreement Blocks
• Elected members
• General public
• Young People
• Active citizens who have engaged with process via the sustainability forum.
Methods:
• Peoples panel, externally facilitated workshops for stakeholders
• Public consultation via Forward and management of responses
• Youth consultation via schools and Young Peoples Parliament
• Printing and publishing final strategy
• High profile launch
Risks
• Unlikely to achieve full consensus on required actions to achieve agreed targets.
• All responses need to be expertly recorded, assessed and if necessarily responded
to due to the high political profile of the issue.
• Large number of responses.
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Timetable
•
•
•
•
Draft strategy approved by BSP Board and BCC cabinet by January
Consultation for two months.
One month to review responses and amend strategy.
Report back to those consulted via Forward for general public and in writing to
strategic stakeholders.
• Strategy approved by BSP and BCC cabinet.
• Launch Summer 2007.
• Stakeholders will be consulted on a six monthly basis to review progress in
implementation and in 2009 for a review of the strategy and its impact.
This will be the third Birmingham Strategic Partnership (BSP) strategy to be developed
and the first that is not a national requirement. In order to minimise reputation risks the
process will be managed in the same way as previous strategies.
Overall responsibility for the delivery of the strategy resides with the BSP and its
accountable body - Birmingham City Council.
Consultation funded by BSP and to be supported by BCC Policy team in partnership
with BSP Head of Sustainability and Birmingham Sustainable Energy Partnership
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FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like any further information about Birmingham’s
draft Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, please contact
James Botham, Birmingham Strategic Partnership on:
0121 675 5784
www.bhamsp.org.uk