1.0 Introduction
The climate and nature emergency are the single biggest threats facing humanity, but if tackled positively provides a huge opportunity to create a better future for people and the planet
1.1 Climate change is not a problem of the future, it is happening now. Temperatures are rising faster than any time since the Ice Age, and we are experiencing more seasonal fluctuation and extreme weather events. In Coventry we have experienced a number of flood incidents this year as a result of periods of intensive rainfall which led to flooding and damage to a significant number of properties, as well as disrupting the road and bus network. Human activity, which includes our dependency on fossil fuels and natural resources, is driving up food and energy bills, creating water shortages, rising insurance premiums and worsening air quality which impacts on public health. It has also had a devastating impact on our natural environment, contributing to the rapid decline of species and depletion of habitats – which has resulted in 1 in 6 species in the UK being at risk of extinction.
1.2 Over 80% of respondents to the Council’s draft Climate Change Strategy consultation told us they are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change. Many respondents told us the most important aspect of tackling climate change is to ensure a positive future for the next generation.
1.3 Whilst the challenges are significant, tackling them can bring about positive change and benefits for everyone, helping to address existing inequalities and improve the quality of life for all. This Strategy sets out just how factors such as economic growth, energy security, environmental protection and addressing climate change can be complementary and benefit us all.
1.4 There is already a huge amount happening in Coventry to tackle climate change:
- We have created a UK-first Strategic Energy Partnership with E.ON to help us decarbonise our city developing a 15 year programme which supports our net zero ambitions.
- We are developing Greenpower Park. With West Midlands Gigafactory as its anchor tenant, it will foster world-leading collaborations between industry, major academic institutions and other stakeholders to drive the UK’s ambitions in leading the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
- We are pioneering Coventry Very Light Rail, a net zero affordable battery powered tram system which will not only help to reduce carbon emissions but provide a comfortable hassle-free means of travel as an alternative to the car.
- Coventry will be the UK’s first Electric Bus City by 2025 and we have the largest number of electric car charging points outside of London.
- We have launched a state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility ‘Sherbourne Resource Park’, the first of its kind in the UK, to support a growing circular economy
- We are working with the Wildlife Trust, Severn Trent and the Environment Agency in opening up the river Sherbourne, providing benefits to nature and local communities
1.5 Whilst good progress has been made, we need to go much further. The Strategy has been developed by the city’s Climate Change team, with input from other key service areas across the Council as well as from the city’s Independent Climate Change Board and pathway groups, which have given invaluable expertise to shape our collective vision for tackling climate change in Coventry. The Strategy also reflects feedback from public consultation undertaken last year. A Net Zero Routemap has been developed for Coventry, which has also played a key part in helping to develop priority areas for action.
1.6 The Strategy provides a foundation for how we will work with partners, businesses, organisations and communities to address climate change. It recognises that the Council has a role as leader and enabler but recognises that we can’t do this alone and citywide action is needed. The accompanying Climate Change Action Plan sets out how the Strategy will be delivered and how success will be measured, this is intended to be a living document that will grow as new opportunities arise. Whilst the list of actions is extensive, a summary of the highest priority actions is tabled below:
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coventry Climate Adaptation & Resilience Plan including detailed citywide risk assessment and action plan. |
Already underway Plan has been developed and is being finalised |
Coventry City Council |
Climate Change Board Adaptation & Resilience Pathway Group (including Environment Agency and Severn Trent), WMCA, Defra, Met Office, Stakeholders across the city; Consultant support from CAG consulting, Sustainability West Midlands and Slingshot Solutions |
Plan to be published 2024/25 |
|
Delivery of practical measures to support climate resilience Includes a network of sustainable urban drainage across the city, alongside green and blue space enhancements including rain gardens and river de-culverting. |
Already Underway including Palmer Lane de-culverting and citywide sustainable urban drainage schemes |
Coventry City Council |
Climate Change Board Adaptation & Resilience Pathway Group including Severn Trent & Environment Agency; Nature Based Pathway Group inc Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and Canal and Rivers Trust; Developers; WMCA. |
2024-2030+ |
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increase the amount of land used for nature conservation in Coventry Deliver the city’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy through development of a network of green space & nature-based interventions to support nature recovery and improve access to nature |
Early-stage development Local Nature Recovery Strategy is underway, being led by WMCA, interventions are being developed alongside this |
Coventry City Council |
Nature Based Pathway Group including Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency and Canal and Rivers Trust. Developers |
Local Nature Recovery Strategy published 2025 Delivery of interventions 2024-2030+ |
|
Delivery of the city’s Urban Forestry Strategy, planting 360,000 trees across the city – particularly targeting areas where there is less canopy coverage, including a mixture of street trees and woodland creation. |
Already underway |
Coventry City Council |
Investors, landowners, local businesses, communities and individuals |
2022-2032 |
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) between CCC and EON, which is focusing on delivery of decarbonisation projects. |
Already underway |
Strategic Energy Partnership |
Housing Associations, Electric Vehicle Charging Providers, Universities, other utility providers |
2023-2038+ |
|
Increase citywide renewable energy generation and resilience of supply - this will require development of projects including ground-mounted solar farms, solar panels on rooftops and battery storage |
Already underway |
Council CoventryCity Council |
Strategic Energy Partnership, public and private sectors, businesses, residents |
2024-2030+ |
|
Improve the energy efficiency and quality of the city’s social housing stock |
Already underway to date funding has been secured to retrofit over 2000 social homes, work ongoing to scale this |
Coventry City Council & Citizen |
Citizen Housing, Orbit, Midland Heart, Strategic Energy Partnership |
2022-2030+ |
|
Support increase in retrofit of privately owned properties, including private rented below EPC C (approx. 100,000 homes) |
Already underway Delivery of grant programmes which support retrofit measures for privately owned properties, alongside developing opportunities for green finance products to make retrofit more affordable for homeowners. |
Coventry City Council |
Homeowners, landlord associations, Strategic Energy Partnership, banks and building societies, universities |
2024-2030+ |
|
Develop the city’s first net zero neighbourhood which would also include wider net zero benefits (Inc. economies of scale with retrofit) |
Early development Funding has been secured to develop initial plan |
Coventry City Council |
West Midlands Combined Authority, Strategic Energy Partnership, Local community |
2024-2026 |
|
Development of mobility hubs across the city, providing secure electric charging for cars and e-bikes, with potential to power via renewable energy and supporting accessible charging solutions |
Early development Funding secured and work underway to develop business cases for sites |
Coventry City Council |
Charge point providers, Transport for West Midlands |
2025-2026 |
|
LED Upgrade – PFI Street Lighting. investing in energy efficient Street lighting LED technology, whilst giving a better quality of light and achieving a significant saving on energy consumption and carbon reduction (1200 tonnes per year). |
Early development Business case developed Cabinet decision due 2024/25 |
Coventry City Council |
Balfour Beatty |
2025-2027 |
|
Commercial property energy efficiency improvements (MEES)- to find a means to enable us to make energy efficiency improvements to property that we own but do not pay the bills for |
Already underway |
Coventry City Council |
Strategic Energy Partnership Charities Tenants Communities |
2024-2030+ |
|
Develop strategy and action plan for decarbonisation of the Coventry Education Estate toward Net Zero by 2050. To meet or exceed the interim targets of 50% reduction by 2032 and 75% reduction by 2037 from a 2017 baseline. |
Already underway Work underway to decarbonise schools using grant funding but needs to be significantly scaled up |
Coventry City Council |
All schools and educational institutions across Coventry, Department for Education, Strategic Energy Partnership other partners who can support with training and raising awareness |
2024-2030+ |
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Increase household recycling through carrying out a number of targeted campaigns and behavioural change projects |
Not yet commenced |
Coventry City Council |
Sherbourne Resource Park, WMCA, neighbouring authorities |
2025-2030+ |
|
Increase the range of materials that can be recycled through household waste to boost citywide recycling rates and contribute to increasing the number of markets that recycled materials supply |
Already underway Sherbourne Resource Park supports expanded range of recyclables & more high quality sorting |
Coventry City Council |
Sherbourne Resource Park, WMCA, neighbouring authorities, all households |
2023-2030+ |
|
Coventry Connects digital recycling project involves donation of surplus digital equipment in the city which is refurbished and donated to communities and individuals to tackle digital exclusion and keep electronic waste out of landfill. |
Already underway Over 3000 devices donated to date and external funding secured |
Coventry City Council |
WMG, local businesses and organisations, community organisations, voluntary organisations, charities |
2023-2025 with plans to extend |
|
Establishment of a construction waste re-use hub to reduce construction waste in Coventry (approx. 60% of total waste) and provide lower cost materials to traders and householders. |
Early development |
Coventry City Council |
WMCA, social enterprises, construction sector |
2025-2029+ |
|
Greenpower Park development of the West Midlands Gigafactory and UK Centre of Electrification to increase capacity and technology in battery manufacturing and recycling, providing up to 6000 local green jobs |
In development Work ongoing to secure investors and tenants Infrastructure funding secured |
Coventry City Council & Coventry Airport Ltd |
Alliance group - West Midlands Combined Authority, Warwick District Council, Warwickshire County Council, Rugby Council, Warwick Manufacturing Group at University of Warwick, Coventry University and the Manufacturing Technology Centre. |
2021-2030+ |
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Development of a Just Transition Plan for Coventry - setting out key objectives and a framework for how a just transition in the city will be delivered |
Early development |
Coventry City Council |
Fairer Green Future Pathway Group, local businesses and communities |
2024-2026 |
|
Develop a Green Skills Roadmap for Coventry, to understand green skills gaps and training requirements, alongside sectors that will need to transition to support move to net zero |
Early Development |
Coventry City Council |
Partners from public and private sectors, alongside education and training providers, WMCA |
2024-2025 |
|
Delivery of Coventry’s Air Quality Action Plan - measures include infrastructure improvements, greening and active travel measures, alongside targeted campaigns to encourage behaviour change |
Already underway Work already undertaken includes cycleways and road improvements |
Coventry City Council |
WMCA, Defra |
2020-2030+ |
|
Coventry Grows Programme pilot to create a network of community growing sites across the city to support food growing and wildlife, alongside improving food security. |
Early development |
Coventry City Council |
E.ON, Grapevine, local businesses, landowners, Garden Organic, Team Springboard, Food Union, Coventry Growthers, Coventry Urban Eden, Coventry Allotments, Coventry University and other community groups |
2025-2026+ |
|
Workstream/ Activity |
Status |
Delivery Organisation |
Possible Partners |
Delivery timescales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Developing the Climate Change Team and wider Environmental and Energy Services to ensure there is appropriate resource, expertise and capacity and co-ordination within the organisation and build external support with partners to address any gaps |
Already underway |
Coventry City Council |
Climate Change Board potential for secondments between partner organisations to build knowledge and capacity; Strategic Energy Partnership has provided extra resource |
2024-2025 |
|
Strengthen Local Planning Policy to place greater requirements and expectations upon developers for sustainable development in Coventry to support delivery of the Climate Change Strategy |
Already underway |
Coventry City Council |
Developers |
2025-2041 |