Our ambitions - opportunities and fairer outcomes by acting on climate change

• 57% of Solihull respondents say that they have a good knowledge of what they can do to combat climate change.
• Since launching the Planting our Future initiative in 2020, Solihull has planted 100,000 trees.
• 68% of respondents are concerned about climate change, including 22% who are very concerned. 

We are committed to taking climate action that benefits the borough and our residents. Our challenging aim is to be net zero in council operations by 2030 and as a borough by 2041. Our climate is already changing so we need to ensure that our services and our borough are resilient to this change, whilst capitalising on opportunities available to residents to benefit from climate change. Working towards net zero supports the development of Solihull’s business sector through high-skilled, low-carbon jobs, while residents can benefit from energy efficiency measures available to them, cutting energy costs and creating sustainable and warmer homes.

We are proud of our role in facilitating climate action across the borough. Solihull’s boroughwide carbon emissions have reduced by 30% from 2012 to 2022 and our council operational emissions by 72% between 2009/10 and 2023/24. Whilst progress has been made, we know we still have a long way to go. 

As a Council we control less than 1% of borough-wide emissions but have an influence over around three quarters of emissions. It is vital that we work with residents, businesses, and other organisations to deliver actions which reduce carbon emissions, such as retrofitting properties or the Solar Together scheme. 

Businesses and other organisations in Solihull are a key part of ensuring the borough meets our climate change aims. Solihull’s green economy is growing - our Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services Sector grew 6% to £1.09bn in 23/24 and is forecast to grow to £1.58bn over the next five years. We want to make the most of this to benefit our borough, ensuring our businesses support our aims by taking action to reduce emissions and adapt to our changing climate. 

We are currently working with partners to deliver an innovative and reliable Energy Network in Solihull town centre that will deliver low carbon heat and power to a range of public and private sector customers, including Council owned buildings, education campuses and commercial offices. The energy will be generated at a centralised new energy centre, located next to Tudor Grange Leisure Centre car park, and distributed to buildings via a system of underground pipes and cables. This will significantly reduce greenhouse emissions, helping Solihull in its drive towards net zero emissions by 2041, while helping to reduce fuel bills. 

The Solihull Climate Change Prospectus (CCP) outlines the steps needed to achieve our low carbon vision, ensuring that we are at the forefront of the UK’s wider transition to a low-carbon economy. We are currently reviewing the CCP for 2025.

Key activities 

• Take steps to ensure that our borough is resilient to our changing climate.
• Take steps to enable residents and organisations across the borough to be engaged in climate action and know what they can do to help.
• Focus the Council’s climate action on the areas with the biggest impact, utilising WMCA Integrated Settlement funding to improve the energy efficiency of a number of Council owned and low-income private homes and introduce measures to reduce emissions from the Council’s own buildings.
• Improve our approach to monitoring air quality; leading by example to influence others whilst protecting our environment and minimising our own emissions.

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