The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has launched a strategy to rebuild the region’s economy in a way that drives green and inclusive growth.
The plan, published in early June, outlines a series of initiatives to be implemented over different timescales, ranging from small-scale, to region-wide and complex schemes. These include retrofitting old and cold homes to make them more energy efficient, helping to tackle fuel poverty; accelerating the transition of the region’s automotive industry to electric vehicles (EVs); and rolling out charging infrastructure for EVs at scale.
Other initiatives targeted include a green innovation challenge for SMEs to find solutions for climate change challenges; supporting the growth of green neighbourhoods and natural capital; and active transport initiatives, such as pop-up cycle lanes and widened pavements.
WMCA Portfolio Lead for Environment, Ian Courts, said: “The climate crisis has not gone away, and climate change continues to be one of the biggest threats to environment and society. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been hugely disruptive and challenging for many of us it has given us a moment to pause and reflect on what kind of future we want in the West Midlands and what “prosperity” means in not just economic but also social and environmental terms.”
