In 2008 we started a new three-year programme of research work with Advantage West Midlands assessing the region's progress towards a low carbon economy for the West Midlands.
Through this work we're developing a range of reports helping to advance the region's evidence base surrounding the low carbon economy and sustainable development.
We'll also be working with the West Midlands Regional Carbon Change Office to link our work to their's. One of our first publications is a review of regional targets for carbon reduction (PDF, 334kb).
Our research work
Over the past year we've developed a series of reports designed to help improve the evidence base on the region's progress towards a low carbon economy. The evidence is designed to shed further light on the need for the move and also to identify where the opportunities exist for such development in the region.
This year's projects were:
Understanding the West Midlands' carbon gap
An analysis (PDF, 334kb) of what the region needs to do to achieve its carbon emission targets by 2020.
Regional decoupling
A review of the region's progress in separating economic growth from carbon emissions (PDF, 448kb).
Regional index of sustainable economic well-being
An assessment of the region's performance (PDF, 263kb) on the regional index of sustainable economic well-being designed to look at growth beyond GVA.
Climate change action plan monitoring
We produced a monitoring report for climate change action plan task TM1 (PDF, 967kb), which required a review of indicators and targets from the Regional Energy Strategy (PDF, 238kb).
Our research programme is summarised in a shorter synthesis report (PDF, 358kb), which draws out the highlights from the year's work.
Going forward into 2009/2010
In 2009/2010 we'll focus on the opportunities that a low carbon economy offers the region.
We'll conduct research to understand how the evidence stacks up at a sub-regional level and also look at the type of opportunities available to the region's businesses.
Alongside this, we'll continue to monitor the key regional datasets.
Research by partner organisations
Advantage West Midlands have already started developing the low carbon economy evidence base and, in December 2008, produced Evidence of Success (PDF, 898kb). This report summarises how they worked with partners to produce the UK's first low-carbon regional economic strategy.
Our research programme builds on previous work by URS, Arthur D. Little and Forum for the Future.
We're also a partner in the Sustainable Consumption & Production Network.
Observatory research reports
Low carbon economy synthesis report 2008–2009 (PDF, 358kb)
Understanding the West Midlands' carbon gap (PDF, 334kb)
Decoupling into a low carbon economy (PDF, 448kb)
Understanding the regional index of sustainable economic well-being as an indicator of economic growth (PDF, 263kb)
Monitoring the climate change action plan - TM1 stage one (PDF, 800kb)
Monitoring the climate change action plan - TM1 stage two (PDF, 966kb)
Key sustainable development indicators 2008–2009 - poster (PDF, 83kb)
Key sustainable development indicators 2008–2009 - commentary (PDF, 32kb)
External research reports
Evidence of success: developing the UK's first low-carbon regional economic strategy (PDF, 1MB) by Advantage West Midlands
The impacts of climate change on the economy of the West Midlands (PDF, 3.5MB) by URS
Low carbon evidence base for the West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy (PDF, 1.1MB) by URS
Pioneering the UK's first low carbon Regional Economic Strategy (PDF, 566kb) by Arthur D. Little