New Opportunities for Low Carbon Growth

Professor Martin Freer discusses what areas of the low-carbon sector the West Midlands is optimally placed to develop in the region. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. … Continue reading “New Opportunities for Low Carbon Growth”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 10th June 2022

This fortnight the key data release is the long awaited GVA for 2020, which is the first one to reflect the impact of Covid-19. The region has kept its economy above the £100bn mark but dropped to £102bn, a decrease of 4.5% (generally across all GVA indicators the region performs poorly against the UK). This … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 10th June 2022”

West Midlands Impact Monitor- 27th May 2022

China’s economy is slowing, the US economy is hampered by a tight jobs market and Europe is struggling with labour shortages and a cost of living crisis. In the UK the increase in energy bills is contributing to the rising cost of living, and the West Midlands has a greater proportion of households in fuel … Continue reading “West Midlands Impact Monitor- 27th May 2022”

Sustainability: A Green Clean and Just Transition for Birmingham

Barny Evans looks at the challenges that Birmingham faces when adapting to climate change and Covid-19. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration … Continue reading “Sustainability: A Green Clean and Just Transition for Birmingham”

Major Sporting Events and Local Businesses

Dr Shushu Chen discusses how local businesses can capitalise on major sporting events like the Commonwealth Games. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth … Continue reading “Major Sporting Events and Local Businesses”

West Midlands Impact Monitor- 13th May 2022

High inflation rates are combining with slower economic growth. The rising cost of living remains a key concern. These trends are partly fuelled by war in Ukraine, with geopolitical tensions heightening as Sweden and Finland sign new security deals with European allies. Regionally, the West Midlands Business Activity Index has decreased. But the picture is … Continue reading “West Midlands Impact Monitor- 13th May 2022”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor- 29 April 2022

With the devastation caused by war in Ukraine continuing, Russia has halted gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria in what has been termed a strategy of ‘energy blackmail’. Many European countries are working to reduce dependence on gas from Russia. Awareness of supply pressures on certain goods, notably cooking oil, is becoming more apparent with … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor- 29 April 2022”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 14 April 2022

COVID-19 cases have been rising. In England, the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 remained high in the week ending 2 April 2022; ONS estimate that 4,141,600 people in England had COVID-19 equating to 7.60% of the population, which is about 1 in 13 people, but deaths still remain low. This level of illness … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 14 April 2022”

Public Transport and Access to Healthcare in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas

Sara Hassan summarises the key takeaways from literature on public transport and healthcare services accessibility with a special focus on disadvantaged and deprived areas. Public transport (PT) is very important in terms of providing independence for groups of people who ‎cannot drive, cycle or walk; it provides them with the chance to access services such … Continue reading “Public Transport and Access to Healthcare in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 1 April 2022

It is now two years since the beginning of the pandemic, and the Global Economy is being rocked by another severe shock. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is foremost a human tragedy and a reminder of the terrible costs of war and the immense and immeasurable consequences for those who are caught up in them. … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 1 April 2022”