In 2008 we started a new three-year research programme with Advantage West Midlands assessing the region's progress towards a low carbon economy for the West Midlands.
Through this work we're continuing to develop a range of reports helping to advance the region's evidence base related to the low carbon economy and sustainable development.
Year two research projects: 2009/2010
Over the last year we focussed on improving the evidence base on the region's progress towards a low carbon economy. This work was about identifying where the opportunities exist for such development in the West Midlands.
As well as this large scale project, we've also continued to monitor the region's progress against low carbon targets.
Low Carbon Economy in the West Midlands
This research began with the Observatory taking work done at regional level for the West Midlands Economy Strategy on vulnerability of carbon constraints and reproducing it at local authority level.
Once we conducted the vulnerability analysis, we commissioned Atkins Global to produce a study of the opportunities for growth into the low carbon economy.
This report was designed to identify opportunities that exist for the entire West Midlands' economy, not just the environmental technologies sector.
We published the report in March 2010.
Low Carbon Economy in the West Midlands (pdf, 767kb)
More about this project »
Monitoring reports
We've produced several monitoring reports over the year, which will be published in March 2010:
- Regional Index of Sustainable Economic Well-being
- Climate Change Action Plan Monitoring
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Regional Sustainable Development Indicators
Year one research projects: 2008/2009
During the first year of the research programme we focussed on strengthening the regional evidence base. Our work built on existing research and drew the various strands of evidence together.
A shorter synthesis report (pdf, 358kb) summarises highlights from our research programme for the year.
These are the full reports:
Research by partner organisations
Advantage West Midlands had 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've also been working with the West Midlands Regional Carbon Change Office to link both our work together. One of our first publications was a review of regional targets for carbon reduction (pdf, 334kb).
We're also a partner in the Sustainable Consumption & Production Network.
Growth into low carbon economy
Published 8th March 2010
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: main report (pdf, 771kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: technical report (pdf, 2.4mb)
Year one research reports
Published May 2009
Low carbon economy synthesis report 2008–2009 (pdf, 358kb)
Published March 2009
Understanding the West Midlands' carbon gap (pdf, 334kb)
Decoupling into a low carbon economy (pdf, 448kb)
Published February 2009
Understanding the regional index of sustainable economic well-being as an indicator of economic growth (pdf, 263kb)
Monitoring climate change action plan
Published 25th February 2009
Monitoring the climate change action plan - TM1 stage one (pdf, 800kb)
Published 27th March 2009
Monitoring the climate change action plan - TM1 stage two (pdf, 966kb)
Published 26th March 2009
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