Can we do it? Walking the talk on climate change

Chris Crean is the West Midlands Regional Campaign Coordinator for Friends of the Earth and he provided the final presentation to delegates at the Observatory’s State of the Region climate change event.

Chris posed the question of whether we are prepared to, or capable of, walking the talk on climate change.

Chris’s presentation considered the impacts of regional strategies and the contradictions and challenges they present when looking at climate change.

In simple terms Chris’s message was “efficiency, efficiency, efficiency!”

Chris highlighted the opportunities that the West Midlands has to be a leader in developing climate change policy. Serious action is now needed to meet the revised emissions targets in place for 2020 and 2050, and the West Midlands has an opportunity to be at the forefront of the agenda.

As the birthplace of the ‘brown’ economy through the industrial revolution the region has a chance to lead on development of the green revolution. With its strong links around the world and the diversity of its population the West Midlands can drive the climate change agenda forward.

Chris’s presentation (with accompanying audio) can be viewed below:

Chris focused on three key regional strategies:

• Regional Spatial Strategy
• Regional Economic Strategy
• Regional Funding Allocation

He pointed out that while there was positive intent in the strategies there were contradictions in the policies where action would increase emissions.

Chris ended by using simple images to illustrate the advantages of walking and public transport over cars, and also emphasised the need for the economy to function within environmental limits.

Other presentations from the event include:

• Ann-Marie Brouder on a low carbon West Midlands
• Roger Levett on evidence based climate policy challenges