Climate Change Adaptation Partnership
Climate Change Adaptation Partnership
The Climate Change Adaptation Partnership is responsible for delivering part of outcome 5 and NI 188. It works to co-ordinate Birmingham's preparation for the inevitable impacts of a changing climate.
Chairman: Will Groves, Senior External Relation Officer, Environment Agency
Membership consists of representatives from: Birmingham City Council, the Environment Agency, Government Office for the West Midlands, Groundwork West Midlands, the Forestry Commission, Natural England, Severn Trent Water, Summerfield Residents’ Association, the University of Birmingham and the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country.
Climate change is now widely accepted as one of the greatest challenges we all face. If these challenges are not addressed it has been calculated that the costs to the world’s economy will be greater than the cost of the 20th century’s world wars and the Great Depression combined.
Whilst Birmingham is already taking great steps to reduce its carbon footprint it is equally important to ensure that the city and its residents are prepared for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
The Challenge
Detailed climate projections scenarios produced by DEFRA show that by 2080 we are likely to see:
- average summer temperatures increase by 3.7°C/6.66ºF and by up to 10°C/18ºF on the hottest day
- average summer rainfall reduce by 20%
- average winter rainfall increase by 18%, and by up to 30% more on the wettest day
To put these projections into a context, the 2003 heatwave which killed 32,000 people across Europe was the equivalent of a 1.8°C rise. This temperature could realistically become the standard average by summer 2050. The temperature on the hottest day could be up to 10°C/18ºF above this, which in addition to the urban heat island effect (where the dense city structure retains excess heat) means that Birmingham could bake in 40°C/104 ºF + temperatures.
The flooding of 2007 which devastated homes in Aston and disrupted transport routes throughout the city is highly likely to become more frequent as storm incidence and severity as well as winter precipitation increase.
What is being done?
BeBirmingham's Environmental Partnership in collaboration with Birmingham City Council are increasingly being seen as leaders in the climate change adaptation field.
There are many on-going projects that will ensure Birmingham has a thorough and accurate climate change adaptation strategy:
- Birmingham's Climate Portfolio- A report highlighting how Birmingham’s climate will change.
- LCLIP- A report highlighting extreme weather events in Birmingham
- GIS risk/vulnerability mapping tool- A GIS map risk assessment tool which will prioritise adaptation to ensure that the most vulnerable residents are safe.
- Sector specific risk and vulnerability risk assessment- An assessment of risks and opportunities that will arise from climate change.
- The BUCCANEER - Birmingham Urban Climate Change with Neighbourhood Estimates of Environmental Risk. This is a tool which will demonstrate the effect of climate change on Birmingham’s UHI. The model will tie in with the vulnerability tool (above) to assess where vulnerable residents are most at risk from the UHI.
- Community consultation- A community event with Birmingham City Council’s Resilience Team provided residents with a chance to highlight their concerns regarding the impacts of climate change and to develop projects to build resilience to extreme weather in our communities.
- River Cole Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP)- The project aims to develop a SWMP for the River Cole’s catchment area which suffered significant flooding in September 2007 and has had several near misses both before and since.
- Green Infrastructure assessment- Green infrastructure has a wide range of benefits in adapting to climate change. The report is available here.
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REPORTS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOADING
The links below provide access to reports completed by the West Midlands Climate Change Adaptation Partnership
Weathering the Storm - A Guide for Businesses
Best Practice in Adapting Schools
Regional Vulnerability Assessment of Biodiversity Assets to Climate Change
Climate Change & Health Report
West Midlands Adaptation Report - by Martyn Griffiths
Climate Change in the West Midlands - A Framework for Progress
Halcrow Busisness Vulnerability Summary Report
Contact Shelly.Beckett@environment-agency.gov.uk or Julie.fay@environment-agency.gov.uk for more information
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Climate Change Adaptation Partnership Meeting on 15 July 2010
Documents and presentations from the above meeting are available for download below:
7.0 Modelling the 2003 Heatwave in Birmingham
8.1 Aisling Mannion - Green Infrastructure City Centre Planning
8.2 Emily May - Green Infrastructure Evidence Base
Green Infrastructure Evidence Base Final Report
11.0 Balsall Heath Water Savers
Contact richard.rees@birmingham.gov.uk for more information