- What climate-related problems (such as flooding, heat, or lack of green space) affect your neighbourhood the most?
Across Birmingham, different neighbourhoods experience climate‑related pressures in different ways. Flooding continues to be a major issue in several parts of the city, whether from river levels rising, more frequent heavy downpours, or surface water building up on streets. Hotter summers are also becoming more noticeable, particularly in areas with limited tree cover or large expanses of hard surface that trap heat. Access to good‑quality, multifunctional green space varies across the city, which can make these challenges more acute in some communities. Birmingham’s long‑term direction for addressing these issues is set out in the City of Nature Plan, which outlines a 25‑year ambition for a greener, healthier and more resilient city and provides an important backdrop for place‑based climate‑resilience work, including initiatives such as Horizon-funded BLOSSOM project.
These city wide issues are felt even more severely in East Birmingham, where many neighbourhoods face a combination of climate‑related pressures and long‑standing social and environmental inequalities. Parts of East Birmingham experience higher surface temperatures, greater air pollution, excess years of life lost, more limited tree canopy cover, and fewer accessible green spaces than other areas of the city. This makes the area an important focus for targeted investment, partnership working and community‑led resilience approaches. This focus builds on foundations already set through the East Birmingham Green Infrastructure Masterplan and the ambitions of the East Birmingham Inclusive Growth Corridor, both of which aim to create healthier, better‑connected and more climate‑resilient neighbourhoods.
- BLOSSOM aims to support greener and more climate-resilient neighbourhoods in Birmingham. What changes would you most like BLOSSOM to help deliver locally?
BLOSSOM provides a timely opportunity to build on existing work across the city, while placing a particular emphasis on East Birmingham, where the Living Lab will be based. The programme aims to support practical, nature‑based solutions; improve and connect green and blue spaces; explore retrofits that improve biodiversity and the environment and reduce energy use in buildings; and test new financing models that can unlock long‑term investment in climate resilience. These activities are well aligned with the needs of East Birmingham, while still contributing to Birmingham’s wider ambitions for a greener, fairer and more climate‑ready city.
- How do you currently use parks, rivers, or green spaces in your area, and what improvements should BLOSSOM prioritise?
A key part of building resilience lies in the everyday spaces residents rely on. Parks, rivers, canals and other green spaces are an important part of everyday life for residents across Birmingham, including those in East Birmingham. People use these spaces for exercise, relaxation, meeting friends, and connecting with nature. Many parks and green corridors in the area have huge potential but would benefit from improvements such as better maintenance, more shade and trees, safer and more accessible routes, and creating spaces that support both wildlife and community use. Strengthening the quality and functionality of these spaces can provide benefits that are felt immediately and over the long term.
- Do you feel local communities are involved enough in projects like BLOSSOM that aim to improve climate resilience?
Local communities are essential partners in shaping effective climate‑resilience work. Birmingham has many examples of strong community involvement, but opportunities to participate are not always evenly spread. In East Birmingham, there is a particularly important opportunity – and need – to make engagement more consistent, inclusive and long‑term. Ensuring that residents, community groups and local organisations have a meaningful role throughout the process will help ensure that BLOSSOM, and the wider city effort, reflects local priorities and delivers benefits that last.
Article signed by: Mark Dixon, City of Nature Programme Manager, Birmingham City Council, representing the Birmingham BLOSSOM partnership of Birmingham City Council, Places in Common, The Crown Estate, and University of Birmingham
