Birmingham's growing environmental reputation

– June 25, 2010Posted in: Factsheets

Notable achievements amongst many in recent times have included:

1. A pledge to reduce CO2 emissions in the city by 60 per cent by 2026 when compared to 1990 levels. This target remains on track after 103,039 tonnes were cut from city emissions in 2008/09, a total of 120,745 tonnes in 2009/10, and a further 155,059 tonnes in 2010/11.

2. The approval of the Birmingham Declaration in December 2009. The declaration is a seven-point list of targets that will underpin the council’s efforts on this agenda through to 2015. They include an ambition to use the bulk purchasing power of local government to create a new manufacturing market for electric vehicles in the West Midlands and wider UK.

3. The development of the award-winning Summerfield Eco Neighbourhood: 329 low income owner occupied houses have received free eco installations, six large Victorian properties have been de-converted into Eco Family Homes and rented out to social housing tenants, and work has been carried out to engage with local schoochildren on eco issues. Local residents ‘own’ these activities and projects.

4. Being part of the CABLED consortium, which is seeing a fleet of more than 100 electric vehicles trialled on the streets of Birmingham and Coventry as part of the effort to develop such technologies. Charging points are being installed on public streets to support this scheme.

5. The development of the BASIC 21 certification scheme as a way of ensuring the city’s schools are linked into the sustainability agenda.

6. Birmingham was one of just four local authorities (along with London, Bristol and Manchester) to be present at the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen in 2009.

7. The Birmingham Climate Change Action Plan, the council’s detailed roadmap for cutting carbon emmissions, was approved by Cabinet in March 2010.

(Information correct as of July 14, 2011)