Coventry’s draft Climate Change Strategy

Anticipate, Prevent, Absorb and Recover from shocks

10.1 We know from researchers in the field and modelling of weather patterns in the Midlands that the future predictions of more extreme weather incidents is highly likely and that the citizens of Coventry are likely to experience warmer wetter winters and hotter drier summers.

UK Climate Projections for West Midlands RCP2.6 is roughly a 2 0c rise in global temperature and an RPC6.0 is a 4 oC rise in temperature (Met Office UK Climate Projections)

10.2 The latter is a particular concern due to the likely health impacts associated with heat stress and the impact such conditions have on water quality and the strain they place on water supply in a part of the Country classed by the Secretary of State as seriously water stressed. The use of natural vegetation in cities and particularly the planting of trees helps to cool the City down and also reduces the rate of water run off so helping to reduce the risk of flooding.

10.3 As for flooding, owing to the location of the rivers feeding the City they are closer to their source therefore flooding incidents are likely to arise with little warning although it is likely they will be short-lived.

10.4 The West Midlands Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Plan 2021 – 2026 developed by the Environment Agency and Sustainability West Midlands was informed by the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England (2020) and the Living Better with a Changing Climate Report (2021) under the Climate Change Act.

10.5 In line with our concerns for inequalities it should be noted that the impacts of climate change will be felt more severely in communities with the highest levels of deprivation.

10.6 An ecologically sensitive approach with the development of Sustainable Urban drainage schemes using natural rates of filtration, the use of wetlands to retain water helps to slow the rate of flow and provides a natural filter that assists the improvement of water quality.

10.7 The changes in climate will affect vegetation particularly species of tree, the Forestry Commission has set up a ‘TreeAlert’ system to monitor the effects of climate change on trees and the Commission recommends using seed stock from trees 2 degrees latitude south of our location to be better adapted and acclimatised to the changing conditions plants are likely to face in the future.

• R1 For the City Council to develop an adaptation and Resilience Plan which addresses the local perspective identifying areas at risk of flooding and impacted up by heat stress in relation to the heat island map of the City for the hot dry summer months.
• R2 To promote the use of natural courses of filtration as part of the City’s Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and to develop a series of coherent land use policies to promote the use of natural vegetation rather than engineered hard landscaping features which speed up the flow of water and risk of flooding incidents.
• R3 To promote the City’s plant a tree scheme and link in with the City’s biodiversity objectives and where appropriate consider the further development of wetland Areas.
• R4 To promote reflective materials on roofs and where possible the planting of green roofs and green walls to help cool the city down by reducing the levels of absorption of radiant heat.
• R5 Working with the Environment Agency and other bodies to secure funding where needed and rollout of strategic flood defence schemes and ensure that any properties that are not protected by such schemes, but that are still vulnerable to an increasing flood risk, are prioritised for property-level flood protection measures.
• R6 Working with our partners in health and social care to ensure climate risks to health, buildings and infrastructure that affect hospitals, care homes, GPs and other health and care settings are embedded into corporate risk / business continuity plans.