What is climate change adaptation?
Our climate is changing. The world’s temperature is rising, bringing with it changes to the climate and to weather patterns.
In the West Midlands we’re going to see:
- Warmer, wetter winters
- Hotter, drier summers
- And more extreme weather events
These new weather events aren’t what we’re used to in the West Midlands. Unless we adapt to and prepare for the changing climate, our people, infrastructure and natural environment will be exposed to a number of climate-related impacts.
What is climate adaptation and resilience?
Climate adaptation refers to the adjustments made to ensure that our region can better prepare for climate threats.
The goal of adaptation is climate resilience, where our communities, infrastructure and natural environment can withstand, cope with and bounce back from climate impacts.
WMCA Climate Adaptation Work
In 2021 the WMCA worked with Sustainability West Midlands in creating the West Midlands Climate Change Adaptation Plan (2021-2026).
In 2022 we kickstarted this work by publishing a Summary of Climate Change Impacts in the WMCA Area, a high-level summary of the climate change scenarios, likely impacts and risks across our constituent areas.
We are working across the WMCA to develop adaptation awareness and action in the following workstreams:
- Delivery of an Economic Impact Assessment of Climate Change on the West Midlands Economy. This study has made use of the limited available data to quantify impact of future warming scenarios in financial (£s) and economic (GDP/GVA) terms. The report future costs the impacts of three past severe weather events based on evidence provided by regional partners. The comprehensive technical report is available upon request.
- Retrofit and decarbonisation programmes, focusing on overheating, flood risk and water efficiency.
- Transport to support the resilience of walking and cycling routes within the West Midlands
- Trialling community-led approaches to tackling climate change through the new Community Environment Fund.
- Collaboration with wider stakeholders to develop an adaptation investment pipeline of nature-based solutions, aligning with Local Investment in Natural Capital work funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
- Maximizing the wider adaptation benefits of the upcoming West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) to be developed by the WMCA.
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Promoting nature-based solutions as priority measures that offer a multitude of co-benefits including flood alleviation, urban cooling, biodiversity improvements and amenity value. Our new guide on Nature-based Sustainable Drainage Systems (NBSuDS).
- Partnering with the West Midlands Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to embed climate considerations and adaptation in their coordinated work.
We are also supporting our communities to deliver adaptation projects through our Community Environment Fund.
Preparing for Climate Change: Guidance and Support
Here you’ll find a list of trusted advice, guidance, and support for how to respond to climate impacts (like severe weather) and prepare for them ahead of time.
This is not an exhaustive list of advice and the WMCA will be reviewing and adding to these links on an ongoing basis.
Check your area for flood risk:
Check your area for heat risk:
Extreme weather warnings
- Follow the West Midlands Prepared on Twitter for updates from the West Midlands' Local Resilience Forum
- See current UK weather warning from the Met Office
- Sign up for heat-related health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency & Met Office’s Heat-health alert service
- View the UK Health Security Agency & Met Office’s Weather Health Alerts Dashboards
British Red Cross
- Heatwave support and advice from the British Red Cross.
- Top tips for keeping cool in hot weather.
- Guidance on preparing for drought and water shortages in the UK.
- Guidance on staying safe when wildfires hit.
NHS England
- Coping with hot weather in the UK
- How to handle heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the UK
West Midlands Fire Service
Age UK
- Keeping ourselves and those most vulnerable to heat cool in heatwaves.
- Guidance on adapting and reducing exposure to flood risk from the Met Office
- Preparing for floods with the British Red Cross
- Floods explained: what are floods and why do they occur?
- West Midlands Fire Service: what to do when it floods?
- A toolkit for community resilience in urban areas from the British Red Cross
- West Midlands Community Risk Register from the West Midlands Conurbation Local Resilience Forum. This register includes what to do when incidences of severe weather, power outages and transport disruption occur.
Contact us
For more information on any of our adaptation work, please contact us at environment@wmca.org.uk