Climate change strategy

Responding to climate change involves two possible approaches: reducing the levels of heat-trapping carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mitigation) and adapting to the effects of climate change which are already happening (adaptation). The council uses both strategies to increase Birmingham’s resilience to climate change.

However, effective adaptation or mitigation cannot be achieved by Birmingham City Council alone.

For instance, looking at Birmingham’s carbon emissions, the council only contributes roughly 7% of the total emissions each year, meaning that the remaining 93% are created by businesses, residents, and other public bodies. Whilst the council’s own emissions are within its direct control, its influence over reducing the emissions of others is varied. Therefore, to achieve net zero by 2030, all areas of society need to be engaged to tackle this challenge.

Similarly, climate adaptation also requires combined action from councils, communities, energy providers, developers, businesses, and national government to ensure that our places of living and our infrastructure is prepared for the effects of climate change.

Given that there is a need to work across society to respond to climate change, the council uses the following model of influencing change in the city through residents, communities, businesses, and other stakeholders: