A low carbon economy is one where businesses deliver products and services while reducing their level of carbon emissions.
We completed a project in March 2010 to develop a better understanding of opportunities the low carbon economy can deliver in the West Midlands.
Key findings
The low carbon economy can deliver opportunities across a wide range of business sectors, not just to those seen as being in the 'traditionally' environmental technologies sector.
Sectors with clear opportunities in the West Midlands include:
- Non-metallic mineral goods.
- Automotive & transport equipment.
- Metals & metal products.
- Construction.
- Environmental Goods & Services.
- Food & beverages.
- Transport, storage & communications.
- Public services.
Businesses can benefit from the low carbon economy in two ways:
- Diversify into new low carbon products.
- Become more efficient in their current processes (decarbonise).
How the research is being used
This research will inform policy to support and encourage businesses in the transition to a low carbon economy.
Local authority and business leaders in the West Midlands were asking “what are the risks and what are the opportunities in the low carbon economy?”
In this video, Dr Simon Slater, Executive Director of Sustainability West Midlands, discusses how working with the Observatory on this research project is helping his organisation and partners in the West Midlands answer such questions:
Watch on Viddler.com
Watch slidecast summarising the research
John Walker summarises the research in this slidecast:
Watch on viddler.com | Get slides (ppt, 2.1mb)
Links to local authorities
John summarises how the research can be used by local authorities in this slidecast:
Watch on viddler.com | Get slides (ppt, 1.4mb)
Download the reports
Published 8 March 2010
The Observatory also produced a short profile for each of the 14 strategic authorities in the West Midlands. The profiles illustrate opportunities, strengths and potential vulnerabilities that can be seen in each local authority. These profiles provide useful information for local authorities as they prepare their local economic assessments.
Published 30 March 2010
- Birmingham briefing (pdf, 405kb)
- Coventry briefing (pdf, 400kb)
- Dudley briefing (pdf, 399kb)
- Herefordshire briefing (pdf, 421kb)
- Sandwell briefing (pdf, 361kb)
- Shropshire briefing (pdf, 391kb)
- Solihull briefing (pdf, 361kb)
- Staffordshire briefing (pdf, 370kb)
- Stoke-on-Trent briefing (pdf, 361kb)
- Telford and Wrekin briefing (pdf, 364kb)
- Walsall briefing (pdf, 376kb)
- Warwickshire briefing (pdf, 356kb)
- Wolverhampton briefing (pdf, 359kb)
- Worcestershire briefing (pdf, 389kb)
Reports
Published 8 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)
Datasets
Published 6 May 2010
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: datasets (xls, 115kb)
Presentations
Published 26 March 2010
John Walker summarises the research:
PowerPoint slides (2.1mb) | Watch slidecast
John Walker discusses how the research links to local authorities:
PowerPoint slides (1.5mb) | Watch slidecast
Published 29 April 2010
Dr Simon Slater, from Sustainability West Midlands, discusses how the research is being used:
Watch video
Local authority briefings
Published 30 March 2010
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Birmingham briefing (pdf, 405kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Coventry briefing (pdf, 400kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Dudley briefing (pdf, 399kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Herefordshire briefing (pdf, 421kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Sandwell briefing (pdf, 361kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Shropshire briefing (pdf, 391kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Solihull briefing (pdf, 361kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Staffordshire briefing (pdf, 370kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Stoke-on-Trent briefing (pdf, 361kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Telford and Wrekin briefing (pdf, 364kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Walsall briefing (pdf, 376kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Warwickshire briefing (pdf, 356kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Wolverhampton briefing (pdf, 359kb)
Low carbon economy in the West Midlands: Worcestershire briefing (pdf, 389kb)