Issue - meetings

(1)       The climate green paper was received and endorsed as an important stage in a programme of collaboration, engagement and policy development to address the climate challenge in the West Midlands.

(2)       The next steps outlined within the report, including the development of an investment pipeline with priority investments as part of the Spending Review / Budget proposition to Government was agreed, and this collaborative task was delegated to the Environment Board, supported by the WMCA executive.

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The board considered a report from the Head of Environment setting out within a ‘green paper’ proposals to identify a range of short, medium- and longer-term actions that would be needed to help the region transition to net-zero levels of CO₂ emissions by 2041.

The ‘green paper’ had been based on five underlying principles:

·         We need to make the journey to 2041 without leaving anyone behind.

·         We need to boost our resilience to ‘locked in’ climate breakdown.

·         We need to reconcile our past with our future.

·         We need to build more places, and more connectivity between places.

·         We need to reduce demand for energy and resources without impacting on shared prosperity.

Councillor Ian Courts welcomed the report and the sense it gave as to the scope of the actions that would need to be undertaken to reduce CO₂ emissions within the region. He stressed that the green paper was a call to action and he welcomed the public’s full engagement in this. A six-week engagement period would now commence, and a further report would then be considered by the WMCA Board on 5 June to agree a revised action plan.

Avtar Purewal indicated that the Young Combined Authority welcomed the report and stressed the importance of young people within the West Midlands being engaged in this as they would be most affected having to live with the consequences of climate change. The Young Combined Authority had pledged to be fully involved, agreeing that the environment was to be a priority workstream for itself, leading engagement work with young people across the West Midlands, and holding the WMCA to account in delivering on the targets it sets.

Councillor Ian Ward expressed some concern that different target dates for net carbon emission neutrality could result in a confused message in the minds of the public. Councillor Ian Courts acknowledged these concerns, although noted that the Government’s target date of 2050 was consistent with the specific objectives of the West Midlands by 2041. Councillor Lisa Trickett suggested that 85% of the measures required to enable the Government’s 2050 target date to be met needed to be taken within the next five years, providing the impetus to act now and provide the funding necessary.

Resolved:

(1)       The climate green paper be received and endorsed as an important stage in a programme of collaboration, engagement and policy development to address the climate challenge in the West Midlands.

(2)       The next steps outlined within the report, including the development of an investment pipeline with priority investments as part of the Spending Review/Budget proposition to Government be agreed, and this collaborative task be delegated to the Environment Board, supported by the WMCA executive.